Emigration and Colonies.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1907, 26 November 1886, Page 3

Emigration and Colonies.

fifteen million! of people have emigrated from Europe since 1850— two thirds to the United States, three*fourths of them in the bloom ef life, and about 90 per cent of the peamnt class. The annual average from the United Kingdom alone has been upwards of 370,000. In Australia every settler is found to insnaae the revenue in the same degree as if L 360 had been added to the public wealth, and, speaking generally, it is estimated that new settlers add to the wealth, revenue, and commerce of a country to an extent equivalent to a productive capital of L2OO per head. The British Colonies absorbed 2J million settlers from 1850 to 1881, 81 per oent of whom were British. The population of Canada has risen from 2,170,000 to 1,560,000, and its commerce from 6 7 millions sterling to 511 millions ; the population of Australia has risen trom 180,000 to 3,220,000, and its commerce from 10 5 millions sterling to 115-3 millions. Taking the British colonies as a whole, the ratio of commerce to population is L2O per head, against L 7 in 1850, the ratio in Europe being only L 7 now, and in the United States L 5 per head. The colonies are also the best customers for British manufactures, Australia consuming to the value of 166 shillings per bead, South Africa 67, and Canada 12, as against the Biver Plate 13, France 16, Oer. many 11, Brazil 11, the United States 13, Spain 6, Italy 6. Bussia 2, Ac., or an average 1 of 98 in the colonies to 6 in Europe and 11 in America. The revenue ol Australia rose from L 930.000 in 1850 to L 22.610.000 in 1881, and the debt from L 10,680,000 to LU2.720.000 ; the revenue of Canada roee from L 1,080,000 to L 7.910.000 and its debt from L 11.230,000 to L 38.210.000 ; the revenue of South Africa roee from L 516.000 to L 7,940,000, and the debt from L 120.000 to L 23,365,000. The following table shows the public revenue, debt, and commerce in pounds sterlings per inhabitant of the colony ae compared with some European states :

2 Q I . I I 1 i 2*l Australia .. 7 31 35 I bij to 100 Canada ~ 2 9 11 150 to 100 Cape Colony .. 5 19 12 380 to 100 France .. 3 27 9 900 to 100 IWy .. 2 16 3 800 to 100 Great Britain .. 2j 20 1!) 800 to 100 •• 1 6 IJ 600 to 100 Spain .. 2 23 1 HSO to 100