GROWTH OF THE AUSTRALIAN COLONIES.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2012, 16 October 1869, Page 2

GROWTH OF THE AUSTRALIAN COLONIES.

In an article on the above subject, the Age observes that, from the statistical annual registers for the past year from the different Australian Colonies, a fair estimate can bo formed of the progress made in five of them during 1868, and of their relative states of prosperity. Tho increase of population will be seen from the following figures: —

Although the gross increase in Victoria was greater than in all the other colonics put together, the increase in proportion to the population at the beginning of the year was greatest, in Queensland. Victoria comes second, New Zealand third, Tasmania fourth, and South Australia last. The unfavorable position of South Australia is no doubt due to the fact that Victoria now grows her own breadstuff's, and has attracted over the border some of tho farmers and laborers who got a living out of the supply of her necessities. The population of New Zealand as given is exclusive of tho aborigines, and also of the military and their families. The Maori population has not been taken since 1861, whoa it was 55,970, _ The military at the end of 1868 numbered 815 officers and men, and 337 women and children. Although the population of the Australian Colonies as a whole increases with regularity, the fluctuations caused by inter-migration produce remarkable differences in the rate of progression of the respective Colonies at different times. The fluctuations in the Victorian population to which we have frequently referred as having been chiefly caused by tho rushes to New Zealand and Queensland, and the influx of returned diggers will be seen from the following table ;—■

The greatest exodus took place in 1861, and the greatest reflux in 1864. Tire whole series of figures is, however, eminently satisfactory, for not only is the average increase great, but it is becoming greater. Treating the population returns of New Zealand in the same way, we find similar results. There is this peculiarity in the returns, that they give the estimated average population of the year, or the sum intermediate between the estimated population at the beginning and end of the year. The results are as follow :

The per centage of increase which these figures, even the lowest of them indicate, is very high. It will he perceived that the item of increase in 1808 is different from that which is given in our first table, which is brought down to the end of the year. It is evident from this that the ratio of increase continued rapidly to diminish, although the increased activity at the Thames goldfields may have produced a reaction in the present year. We come to a more sober state of affairs when we to the statistics of South Australia. The annual estimates of population are not given in the returns before us, and we can therefore only give the average of the annual increase since 1861. The population at the beginning of that year was 126,830, and now it is 176,298, so that the average increase has been 6181, and as it was only 3133 in 1868, it must have been higher in some of the previous years. About 10,000 was probably the maximum in any one year. The Queensland statistics furnish » remarkable instance of the flow and ebb of migration, as the following figures will show :

The fluctuation in the per centages of increase is still greater, for they range from 4to 33. It is on that account and from the great extent of its territory that it is difficult to predict the future of Queensland. Since its separation from New South Wales, however, there has not been a single year during which the inward migration did not exceed the outward. We now come to Tasmania, the Cinderella of the Aurtralias, with not improbably in the future the fortunes of of the owner of the little slipper in the fairy tale. Here wo must, from lack of data, adopt the mode in which we dealt with the South Australian statistics. The population of Tasmania at the beginning of 1861 was 89,977, and it is now 100,706, the increase in eight years having been only 10,729, or at the rate of 1341 per annum; but as the increase in 1868 was 2,251, weh iv© to congratulate Tasmania on the fact that she is in the list of colonies enjoying a revival of prosperity. Of the five colonies enumerated, two, New Zealand and South Australia, appear to bo slackening speed, while the other three, Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania, are experiencing a revival. There must ever be an oscillation of this kind going on between adjoining ststes engaged in the friendly competi* tive strife of replenishing the earth.

Population. 1867. 1863. Increase. Victoria. . 659.887 . . 684,316 ... 24,429 N. Zealand . . 219,033 . . 226,618 ... 7,586 S. Australia.. . 172,860 . . 176,298 ... 3,438 Queensland .. . 99,849 . . 107,427 ... 7,378 Tasmania . 98,463 . . 100,706 ... 2,231

Year. Population. Increase. I860 ... 537,847 — 1861 ... 541,800 ... 3,953 1862 ... 555,744 13,944 1863 ... 5/4,331 ... 18,587 1864 ... 605,501 ... 31,170 1865 ... 026,639 ... 21,138 1866 643,912 ... 17,273 1867 ... 659,887 ... 15,975 1868 « ... 684,316 ... 24,429

Year. Population. Increase. 1861 89,323 — 1862 ... 112.416 ... 23,093 1863 ... 141,930 ... 32,514 1864 ... 168.833 ... 23 903 1865 ... 182,113 ... 13,280 1866 ... 197,360 ... 15,247 1867 ... 211,391 ... 14,031 1868 ... 222,825 ... 11,431

Year. Population. Increase. 1860 28,056 ... — 1S61 34,367 6,311 1862 45,077 10,710 1863 61,640 16,563 1864 74,036 12,396 1865 87,804 13,768 1866 96,201 8,397 1867 99,849 3,648 1868 - 107,427 7,67*