Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price 1d. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15,1886. The Progress of the Colony.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1884, 15 September 1886, Page 2

Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price Id. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15,1886. The Progress of the Colony.

A short time ago, Mr Stead, the President of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, delivered a very important address to the members of that body, on the progress made by the colony from 1881 up to the present time, a period of five years. The facts and figures adduced by Mr Stead are so important to country settlers that we note some of them for the information of our readers. Mr Stead shows that since 188i;the population of the colony has increased by over 100,000. He then states that New Zealand, as an agricnltmral country, occupies the highest position [amongst the Australian Colonies. In proof of this he gives the following figures:—

Average produce per acre of Wheat Oats Barley Potatoes Hay Bush, Bush, Bush. Tons Tons. Victoria .. .. 9.62 23.40 17.33 4.16 1.09 New South Wales .. .. 15.27 21.57 21.18 2.52 1.24 Queensland .. .. 16.17 15.17 24.73 2.98 1.40 South Australia .. .. 7.53 12.20 13.43 4.10 .93 Western Australia .. .. 13.00 18.00 16.50 3.00 1.00 Tasmania .. .. 19.20 28.05 29.53 4.7 1.24 N. Zealand.. .. 25.43 34.84 30.37 5.78 1.41

The above figures show that with natural resources which, taken as a . whole, are unequalled by those of any other country, it will, indeed, be our own fault if we do not succeed.

With respect to the progre° made in agriculture, Mr Stead remarked “ The number of holdings had increased from 24,079 in 1881 to 31,763 in 1886 ; and while the total extent of laud under cultivation and broken up for crop, in 1881, waa 4,843,718 acres, it bad increased in 1886, to 6,740,993 acres, or by nearly 40 per cent. These figures are most staking when compared with the returns of 1885 . England, which show a total area u: illivation of every description, includin b permanent pasture, of only 24,880,307 acres. The comparative magnitude of operations in this country becomes manifest when it is noted that the ratio of cultivation in New Zealand is 11.65 acres per head of population against barely one acre per bead in England. Referring to the sheep returns, we find that a considerable increase is taking place in our flocks as shown by these figures SHEEP RETURNS

The Colony.—May (81,1880, 11,530,523; May 31, 1885, 14,515,8011; total increase, 3,016,178, or an increase of 25.15 per cent.

Canterbury—May 31,1880, 3,289,163 ; May 31,1885, 4,410,233 ; total, 1,120,775, or an increase of 34.07 per cent.

lilts increase in sheep flocks bears a most favorable comparison with the progress made by our neighbors, as well as with that of every other country. In 1880 the sheep in Australia and Tasmania numbered 59,173,024, and in 1884 they bad only increased to 60,289,688, or by barely 2 per cent. In the United States, as shown by official returns, there were 50.360,244 sheep in 1884, and only 48,322,331 on December 21, 1883, or a decrease in the twelve months of 2,037,913. The total number of sheep in Europe m 1884 was returned at 191,000.000, which shows a slight falling off as compared with ten years ago. The other countries of importance are the Argentine and Uruguay Republics. In the Argentine confederation, there were 61,000,000 sheep in 1880, 69,000,000 in 1883 and they are supposed to have increased to 73,000,000 in 1885, but there are no official returns to that date. This increase, however, vast as it appears, is only some 1967 per cent for the five years, as compared with 26.16 in New Zealand. In Uruguay there frere 18,000,000 sheep in 1874. and the number had fallen to 14.536.000 iu 1884, m a decrease of about 3.500.000 in the ten years. It is thus seen that, with the exception of the Argentine Republic, New Zealand is the only country in the world that is increasing its flecks in any marked degree. An examination of the figures giving the respective shipments of wool from Australia, the Argentine Republic, and New Zealand, and the comparative values of wool per sheep from the Argentine Republic and New Zealand, is still further re assuring, as showing the rapid increase in our production and the advantages we possess over oar South American competitors. The following figures give the exports of wool from the other countries named for the years specified, ending Dec. 81

1880 1883 1885 lb lb lb Argentine Republic .. 213,500,000 261,000,000 277,500,000 Australia and Tasmania .. 340,155,000 346,400,000 352,560,000 The official figures of the number of sheep in New Zealand in 1880 and 1885, and the corresponding shipment of wool, are as follows 1880 1885 Number of Sheep, May 31 .. 11,530,623 14,545,801 1881 1860 lb lb Exports of wool for year ending June 30 .. 81,494,771 88,255,330 Ratio of wool per sheep .. 5,33 5.07

These figures show that there has been

~;c mai vellous increase iu our production oi wool of <!G 770,5681b5, or over 43 per cent within the five years, and this increase is the more encouraging in that it is partly owing to the average clip having improved from 5331b per sheep iu ]8 H to 6.07 ib per sheep in 1885. It may •, be noted the River Plate sheep averag only 3,81b of wool against 6.071b from the New Zealand sheep ; and furthermore, that the average price realised in Europe during 1885 is estimated at s{d per lb for La Plata wool against 9d for New Zealand. These figure* indicate I that the wool growete i« New Zealand enjoy much greater advantages than their oongeners in South America. Mr Stead finally remarks " that if we estimate the expense of selling New Zealand wool in London at the extreme rate of 1 Jd pet lb, and the clip at 6d, we have a net return to the farmer on these figures of 3s 9d pet sheep, whereas, deducting only Id per lb for expenses on the River Plate wool, there is left 4jd per lb for 3-81b, or or-ty « fraction over Is 6d per sheep.” We have given prominence to the foregoing (aoti and figures to show that although

temporary licpiebsi--- Ss b..i- iu tin.’ colony, ye l at the same li-uo t!i■ increase of produc'bm in agricultural produce, shtep and wool lias been very great.