The Lyttelton Times. TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 1872.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3522, 30 April 1872, Page 2

The Lyttelton Times. TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 1872.

The Melbourne Argus ot a recent date commences an interesting and valuable article on the comparative Statistics of Australasia by remarking that a mere glance at the figures brings out two striking facts —the amazing strides the rest ot the colonies are making, with one or two exceptions, in the race of progress, and the way in which Victoria has outstripped, and is still outstripping, them all. Making due allowance for the natural inclination to “ think well of ourselves,” which the latter part of this observation displays, it is in the main true. Victoria has beaten all her neighbours in the race by several lengths, but when everything is taken into account, it would have been very surprising indeed if the result bad been otherwise. She bad, and has, long odds in her favour in many respects, while some of her neighbours—New Zealand more especially —have had special difficulties to contend against, special obstacles to overcome. A candid and impartial writer, in reviewing the history and progress of the Australasian colonies, must admit that New Zealand, in spite of her Native difficulty and the immense expenditure it has occasioned chiefly through gross mismanagement —has made, comparatively speaking, more progress than any one of the group. Our Melbourne contemporary, in order that the two facts noted at the outset may be made more evident, takes the colonies separately and collectively ; views them as standing apart, yet as forming a whole; and points out that while each possesses a speciality of its own, all contribute to one great, to one grand result—an exhibition of what the indomitable energy of the Anglo-Saxon race can do in an incredibly short space of time towards founding an empire at the distance of 14.000 0r16,000 miles from their former home. This is all very true doubtless, but there is no reason that we can see why the Anglo-Saxon race should always be throwing back its head, squaring up its shoulders, puffing out its chest, and asking all the world to admire its indomitable energy. There has been a great deal too much of this “ pardonable weakness,” and the Anglo-Saxon race would be much more agreeable if it were a little less demonstrative on the score of its own exceeding merits. Beginning with human beings, we find that the population of the Australasian colonies, at the close of 1870, was 1,884,108, and that it was distributed as follows: Victoria 724,725 New South Wales... ... 502,861 South Australia 183,797 Queensland 115,567 Western Australia 25,084 Tasmania ... ... 100,765 New Zealand 256,393 The above table, however, does not exhibit the actual population of any one colony up to date. Victoria, for instance, ought to be credited with 750.000 at the very least, and nearly all the others in proportion. Altogether, the European population of the group is considerably over two millions. Turning to trade and commerce, so far as these can be ascertained by mere figures representing the value of imports and exports, we get the following result:—

If, aa some political economists allege, that country is in the healthiest condition which can show the largest balance on the export side of its trade ledger, then Queensland, according to the above table, is entitled to take first place. The value of exports from that colony was nearly double the value of imports, while in nearly all the others we observe that the position approached equilibrium. Tasmania comes worse out of the scrutiny than any of the others, the imports having exceeded the exports by £144,209. After pointing out, in a manner which might have been less obtrusive, that Victoria bolds the same relative position to the other colonies in her trade and commerce as she does in her population, the Argus very truly remarks that the most noticeable and astounding fact of all is, that the import and export trade of these colonies conjointly should have risen, as it has done, at so early a period in their history to £60,160,800 sterling per annum. Shipping comes next under notice, and the subjoined table gives the tonnage of vessels inwards and outwards for the several colonies; —

Total 2,071,422 2,169,340 Here, as the Argus rather reluctantly admits, New South Wales takes the lead in her capacity for the transport of seaborne goods, her combined shipping, inwards and outwards, exceeding that of Victoria by 116,851 tons. It may be pointed out, however, as our contemporary takes care to do, that the outward tonnage in the New South Wales returns exceeds the inward by upwards of 82,000 tons. Most probably, a blunder has been made by the compiler of the statistics. It is interesting to compare the tonnage of each colony with its population, and, if this comparison is instituted, it will be f ound that New Zealand stands remarkably well. The revenue returns, showing the

receipts and expenditure of each colony, are not so complete as is desirable, but thov may be taken as roughly reliable. It is rather strange, by the way, to find the expenditure side of the Victorian account blank; — Receipts. Expenditure. Victoria ... £3,244,601 New South Wales ~ 2,490,203 122,638,264 South Australia ... 857,570 782,289 Queensland ... 743,058 7 1 *4,491 Western Australia 98,131 103,124 Tasmania ... 258,895 282,339 New Zealand ... 1,663,380 1,981,719 If we rely on the above figures, which it would not be altogether safe to do where complete accuracy is required, the cost of government in each colony would stand as follows per head of the population : Victoria ... (say about) £4 6 New South Wales “ 5 0 South Australia „ 4 11 Queensland ... „ 610 Western Australia „ 4 0 Tasmania ... ~ 2 12 New Zealand ... „ 5 14 Tasmania would appear to be quite a model of economy in the matter of government, but then it must be remembered that this little island of the Southern Hemisphere is very compact, and content to dream its life away in a sort of drowsy comfort. A few are accumulating wealth without much exertion, but it would seem that the population gradually decreases, and that trade is almost stagnant. We often hear about the “ frightful expense” of government in New Zealand, and we remember to have seen in a recent issue of a Melbourne paper some highly exaggerated remarks on the same subject. Comparatively, the government of this colony costs more a good deal than it ought, but the figures quoted above do not tell the whole truth, or, for that matter, put the case at all clearly. The expenditure quoted includes, of course, the grants to the provinces out of the general purse, and these ought to' be deducted if we wish to arrive at the exact cost of the government proper of the colony. Each tub, iu point of fact, ought to be made to stand on its own bottom —the General and Provincial —and then the two tubs put together would represent the amount we pay. In the matter of public indebtedness, New Zealand takes a prominent position, bub the comparison is not so unfavourable as some people would lead us to believe. The figures are not, and cannot be under the circumstances, quite accurate, but they are not very far from the mark:— Victoria ... ... £11,924,800 New South Wales ... 11,781,630 South Australia ... 1,944.600 Queensland 3,509,250 Western Australia ... Nil. Tasmania ... ... 1,343,500 New Zealand 7,841,891 Remarking on the fact that Western Australia is the only colony in the group without a public debt, the Argus says that “ she is not much to be con- “ gratulated,” and most people will be of the same opinion. Dealing with the public indebtedness as we dealt with the cost of government, and taking the figures given above, the liability per head of the population is as follows: Victoria ... (say about) £l4 11 New South Wales „ 23 0 South Australia „ 10 12 Queensland „ 30 6 Tasmania „ 13 8 New Zealand „ 30 5 In commenting on these figures, the Argus says that whilst Victoria is much less burdened than most of the other colonies rateably to their respective populations, she has much more to show for what she has done with the money borrowed : “ Her railways and “ other public works are rising into a “ high state of productiveness, and “ will, there is every reason for be- “ lieving, ultimately fully justify the “ outlay upon them.” ' In the case of New Zealand, there is very little to show indeed, and as we all know pretty well the reason why it is not necessary to go into details. By far the larger portion of our public debt has been incurred on behalf of the North Island and has been spent there. What makes the reflection more bitter is, that the expenditure cannot be called in any sense reproductive. It will perhaps surprise most people to find New Zealand occupying such a forward place in pastoral and agricultural matters. We must confess to having had no idea that this colony could “ foot up ” nearly as many sheep as Victoria, but so it is :

The agricultural condition of the several colonies is not very clearly, and certainly it is not comprehensively, indicated by a table showing only the land in cultivation and the acreage under wheat, but that is all we get. It is very satisfactory to note that New Zealand shows so well ;

New Zealand ... 1,041,675 77'073 Two other tables are given by the Argus, showing the export of wool and the export of gold, but both are so obviously inaccurate that we do not care to quote them. Victoria, in each case, is credited with the produce of other colonies to a very large extent. It should be remembered that these tables have been compiled from the official statistics published by each colony for 1870, and that consequently additions have to be made in many instances, allowances in all. One remark made by the Argus deserves special attention and consideration, particularly on the part of those who are always croaking about the colonies borrowing beyond their resources and capabilities. Taking them as a whole, our contemporary observes, it cannot be said that £38,345,671 —the total sum of their indebtedness—is a large amount. They would be

justified in doubling the sura for ex penditure on reproductive works.

Tiikiie is no mistake whatever about the wheat surplus of South Australia. An Adelaide telegram to the Argus, dated April 17, says the wheat statistics just published give the whole area under cultivation at 692,508 acres, and the total yield at 3,967,097 bushels, or an average of 5 bushels 44 lbs per acre. After providing for home consumption and seed, and taking into account the export up to date—say the end of March —there remained about 20,000 tons on hand. Referring to these figures, the Australasian of April 20 says the facts appear to have been in some measure forestalled. The public hud been informed, first of all, that at least 15,000 tons must be taken off the original estimate of available surplus, and a few weeks later a reduction of that estimate by 60,000 tons was announced. Under the circumstances, it will be readily understood that the Victorian statistics are very anxiously looked for. Taking the population of the Australasian colonies at 2,000,000 —a very moderate estimate —the food requirement# alone amount to 12,000,000 bushels. At the outside, the three principal wheat-producing colonies—South Australia, Victoria, and New Zealand—will not yield more than 11,000,000 bushels, and all the others combined will barely make up the difference. The actual position of the grain market can thus be pretty accurately measured.

Imports. Exports. Victoria £12,455,758 £12,470,014 New South Wales... 7,577,000 7,740,038 South Australia ... 2.029,793 2,419,488 Queensland 1,577,339 2,533,732 Western Australia 213,258 200,984 Tasmania 792,916 648,709 Now Zealand 4,639,015 4,822,756 Totals £29,285,079 £30,885,721

Inwards. Outwds. Tons. Tons. Victoria 663,764 681,098 New South Wales ... 689,771 ' 771,942 South Australia ... 140,081 147,908 Queensland 133,292 127,992 Westem Australia ... 65,716 105,647 67,730 Tasmania ... ... 107,263 New Zealand 273,151 265,407

Horses. Cattle. Sheep. Victoria 167,220 721,096 10,761,887 New South. Wales 337,597 2,195,096 16,308,585 South Australia 83,744 136,832 4,400,656 Queensland ... 83,358 1,076,630 8,163,818 Western Australia 22,174 45,213 608,892 Tasmania 22,679 101,459 1,349,775 New Zealand... 81,028 436,592 9,700,629

Land in Under Cultivation. Wheat. Acres. Acres. Victoria 909,015 284,167 New South Wales 434,012 147,997 South Australia 959,006 604,761 Queensland 52,210 2,891 Western Australia 54,527 26,660 Tasmania 330,257 • 57,382