SECONDARY INDUSTRIES.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18634, 8 March 1926, Page 14

SECONDARY INDUSTRIES.

AUSTRALIA'S PROGRESS. REMARKABLE GROWTH. (yjlOU OVR CORRESPONDENT.) SYDNEY, February 39. Since the dawn of tlic New 'iear, there have been various reviews of Australia's progress under Federation, the occasion being the completion of the first quarter century-of the Commonwealth. On Australia's Anniversary Day, January 26th, the Federal Treasurer, Dr. Earle Page, gave a notable address on the subject, dealing principally with political and financial benefits the country has derived irora coordination. Various commercial and banking leaders have dealt with other aspects, but none has been as fascinating as the review given by the Com- • monwealth Statistician, Mr C. H. "iekens, in an address at Melbourne. Figures are often said to be dry, but Mr Wickens provides a romance for anyone who finds interest in watching the development of a young country. Primary to Secondary. At the beginning of the century, Mr Wickens said, our .population was 3.750,000. It was now 6,000,000. this rate of progress, our populatidti would be doubled by 1960. Following on the growth of. the community, there had evolved a gradual change from primary to secondary, and manufacturing production and supplementary occupations, such as those connected . with transport, commerce, and professional pursuits. Thus, whereas in 1001, oiit of each 1000 breadwinners, 325 were primary; producers, this proportion was reduced to 258 in 1921, when the last census was taken. These figures'did not mean that there was a decline in tho numbers actually engaged in 'primary industries, except mining, where actual numbers had decreased from 118,000 in 1901 to 07,000 in 1921 Production Figures. 'ln our secondary industries, Mr Wickens continued, there was an increase from 260 industrial workers in each 1000 breadwinners in 1901 to 312 in 1921. Thus of the total breadwinners in Australia, 58 per cent, represented the "productive" class, primary and secondary. The remaining 42 per cent, represented tho "commercial and transport; groups, domestic class, professional class, and (persons of independent -means. Of the total population in 1921,' 43 per cent, were breadwinners, and 57 per cent, dependents. In 1901 the. actual value of prinjary and manufacturing production was estimated at £114,eC0.000, or £3O per head :• ofpopulation" as compared with £892,600.000 in 1924, representing £6B per bead. Allowing for • increased prices the total production in 1924 was £307,000,000, representing an increase of 80 per-cent, on the quantity provdi&oid. Until 1920 the pastoral indus- . try occupied the position, of .chief producing:, agency, but in that year manu- ■ factoring assumed tbe leading position, sad horn' represented one-third of the total Value of'production,, pastoral pur- ' suits ranking next with one-fourth and agricultural with one-fifth. During the period from to factories employing more, thin four handsor employing power other than band-power ? increased from 12,600 to 20,000. The number of J habds employed increased from 249,000 to 430,000. The value of . Undartd buildings had increased from £25,000,000 to £83,000,000,' and the Value of plant and machinery from. £2o,OOpXK)O .to .£100,000,000. Wages and salaries increased from £18,300,000 (£7B per head) to £77,300,000 (£IBB ,per head). The value, of output from factories increased from £87,- ■ 000,000 in 1907, to £349,000,000 in •1924. Hie value added in prpcess rose in these two" years from £33,000,000 to £141,000,000.' . I)ea}ing'. with.; primary production, Mr "Wickoins^Said./that wheat 'production had averaged 9.8 bushels per acre from I9fc) to 1909, and from 1920 to 1926 13.2 bushels. per acre The average area 'per annum was J. 0,000,000 aere3. It'looks; torday,-;.:;although lower than in r were, .higher than at the beginr jijng' of thercentury. They' now averaged about 80,000;000. Of the goods we produced in Australia, added Mr ' .vWiekens, ' ve consnmerl 'two-thirds and ; . exported;one-third.'' We exported one- ,) third of our agricultural produce, twothirds of our pastoral produce, twoil:irds of our mining produce,'one-fifth of 'our dairy and farm produoe, ope--Bixtli_of; our forests and fisheries, and 'sixteenth of the produgo. of our faci r Stiuie figiires anight be dry. but to the Australian with pride in his c6nnr t/ry these are full of interest.