United Kingdom, and the bulk of the remainder to the Australian colonies.

The subjoined table shows the commercial intercourse of South Australia with the United Kingdom, according to the Board of Trade Returns, exclusive of gold, for the five years from 1884 to 1887 :

The following were the values of the principal exports to and imports from the United Kingdom, the values being shown from the Board of Trade returns:

In 1886, 859 vessels of 777,922 tons entered and 878 vessels of 787,554 tons cleared the ports of the colony. The total shipping belonging to the colony is 312 vessels of 38,483 tons.

Communications.

The colony possesses 4,500 miles of made roads. It had 1,500 miles of railway open for traffic in December 1888, and 324 miles of lines in course of construction.

There were 5,509 miles of telegraph and telephone in operation at the end of 1888, with 11,448 miles of wire. Inclusive of the total is an overland line running from Adelaide to Port Darwin, a distance of 2,000 miles, in connection with the British Australian cable. Attached to the telegraph department, a telephone exchange has been established.

In 1888 there were 594 post offices in the colony; and during 1888 there passed through them 17,012,577 letters, 816,579 packets, and 7,884,453 newspapers.

Banks.

There are 9 banking associations. In 1887 their total liabilities were 5,402,774, and assets 10,430,8901. The average note circulation was 383,6857., and deposits 49,565,4521.

The Savings Bank is managed by a board of trustees appointed by the Government, and has 107 branches. At the end of 1887 there were 56,685 depositors, with a total balance of 1,581,1007.

Agent-General of South Australia in Great Britain.-Sir Arthur Blyth, K.C.M.G., C.B. Assistant Agent-General.-Samuel Deering.

Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning

Queensland,

Annual Statistical Register and Blue Book.

Census of South Australia, taken on the 3rd April, 1881. Summary Tables. Fol. Ade laide, 1881.

South Australia: its History, Productions, and Natural Resources, by J. P. Stow. Adelaide, 1883.

Harcus (William), South Australia: its History, Resources, Productions, and Statistics. 8. London, 1876.

Newland (S.), The Far North Country. Adelaide, 1887.

TASMANIA.

Constitution and Government.

The Constitution of Tasmania was established by Act 18 Vict. No. 17, supplemented by Act 34 Vict. No. 42, passed in 1871, and by Act 49 Vict. No. 12, passed in 1885. By these Acts a Legislative Council and a House of Assembly are constituted, called the Parliament of Tasmania. The Legislative Council is composed of eighteen members, elected by all natural-born or naturalised subjects of the Crown who possess either a freehold worth 201. a year, or a leasehold of 801., or are barristers or solicitors on roll of Supreme Court, medical practitioners duly qualified, and all subjects holding a commission or possessing a degree. Each member is elected for six years. The House of Assembly consists of thirty-six members, elected by all whose names appear on valuation rolls as owners or occupiers of property, or who are in receipt of income of 607. per annum (of which 301. must have been received during last six months before claim to vote is sent in), and who have continuously resided in Tasmania for over 12 months. The Assembly is elected for five years. The number of electors for the Legislative Council in 1887 was 55,721, or 3.91 of the total population, and for the House of Assembly 25,066, or 17-59 of the total population. The

legislative authority vests in both Houses, while the executive is vested in a Governor appointed by the Crown.

Governor.-Sir Robert G. C. Hamilton, K.C.B. Appointed January 1887.

The Governor is, by virtue of his office, commander-in-chief of the troops in the colony; he has a salary of 5,000l. per annum. He is aided in the exercise of the executive by a cabinet of responsible ministers, consisting of four members, as follows:

Premier and Chief Secretary.-Hon. Philip Oakley Fysh.
Treasurer.- Hon. Bolton Stafford Bird.

Attorney-General.-Hon. Andrew Inglis Clark.

Minister of Lands and Works.-Hon. Alfred Pillinger.

Each of the ministers has a salary of 9007. per annum. The position of Premier has a salary of 2001. per annum attached in addition. The ministers must have a seat in either of the two Houses.

Area and Population.

The first penal settlement was formed in Tasmania in 1804; and till 1813 it was merely a place of transportation from Great Britain and from New South Wales, of which colony it was a dependency until 1825. Transportation ceased in 1853.

The area of the colony is estimated at 26,215 square miles, or about 16,778,000 acres, of which 15,571,500 acres form the area of Tasmania Proper, the rest constituting that of a number of small islands, in two main groups, the north-east and northThe colony is divided into eighteen counties. The population has increased as follows:

west.

At the census of 1881 there were 61,162 males and 54,543 females. The estimated population on December 31, 1889, was 151,470, giving an average density of 54.77 persons to a square mile, and an increase of 364 per cent. during the year. Of the total population in 1881, 79,991 were natives of Tasmania, 28,243 natives of the United Kingdom, 3,987 natives of other Australasian colonies, 844 Chinese, 782 German. In 1881 there were 17,744 males and 17,134 females married, 40,364 males and 34,429 females unmarried, 2,378 males and 2,974 females widowed, 5 males and 6 females divorced, and 71 males unspecified. The aborigines of Tasmania are entirely extinct.

Of the population in 1881, 2,320 were returned as professional, 68,962 domestic (including wives, children, and dependents), 3,884 commercial, 19,408 agricultural, 14,484 industrial.

The births, deaths, and marriages for six years have been as follows:

Of the total births in 1888, 173, or 3.62 per cent., were illegitimate. The number of immigrants and of emigrants was as follows in each of the five years from 1884 to 1889 :

The direct movement of population is mainly between the Australian colonies (chiefly Victoria) and Tasmania.

The population of the capital, Hobart, was 21,118 in 1881, and of Launceston 12,752.

Religion.

The Government contributes 5,3301. annually for various religious purposes. On January 1, 1889, there belonged to the Church of England 78,058 of the population, Roman Catholics 32,504, Wesleyan Methodists 10,566, Presbyterians 13,328, Independents 5,788, Jews 336.

Instruction.

There are 16 superior schools or colleges in the colony, with an average attendance of 1,420; 220 public elementary schools, with 17,125 scholars on roll; and 134 private schools, with 4,701 scholars. Education is compulsory. There were also 582 children attending ragged schools. Two technical schools were started in 1888 at Hobart and Launceston. The higher education is under a council, who hold examinations and grant degrees; and by Act passed in last session the governing body have been constituted a university. Elementary education is under the control of a director working under a ministerial head. There are several valuable scholarships from the lower to the higher schools, and from the higher schools to English universities. At the census of 1881 the number of persons returned as unable to read and write was 31,080, or 27 per cent of the population.

The total cost to Government of education in 1887-88 was 37,5937. There are 37 public libraries and mechanics' institutes, with 57,340 volumes. There are 5 daily, 4 weekly, and 4 monthly journals.

Justice and Crime.

There is a Supreme Court, courts of petty, general, and quarter sessions, the former presided over by a stipendiary magistrate, assisted by justices of the peace. The total number of prisoners that came before all the criminal courts in 1887 was 4,964 males, and 999 females; of these, 3,992 males

and 832 females were summarily convicted, mostly for fraud; and 78 males and 11 females committed for trial. Before the Supreme Courts and ses sions courts 56 persons were convicted. The total police force is 200. There were 3 gaols, with 151 male and 50 female inmates, at end of 1887.

Pauperism.

Besides hospitals and benevolent institutions, there are two establishments for paupers, with 517 male and 193 female inmates at the end of the year 1887, the daily average number of persons maintained during the year being 607 males and 203 females. The total expenditure during the year was 10,7561. mainly contributed by the colonial Government. During the year outdoor relief was administered to 1,286 people.

Revenue and Expenditure.

Of the total yearly revenue for 1887, 63 per cent. was derived from taxation, chiefly customs; 21 per cent. from railways, postal, telegraph, and other public services; and the remainder principally from the rental and sale of Crown lands. Of the expenditure 38 per cent. is for special public works, 27 30 per cent. for interest, 10 per cent. for general purposes, and 5 per cent. for religion, science, and education. In 1887 10,810. was spent in defence. The subjoined statement shows the total general revenue and expenditure during each of the five years from 1885 to 1889 :

Not included in the above receipts and disbursements are certain sums raised and expended for 'redemption of loans,' under the name of Territorial Revenue.'

The revenue for 1890 is estimated at 717,255l., and expenditure 705,5931.

The total imperial expenditure in 1888 was 18,1027, mainly by the War Office.

The public debt of Tasmania amounted, December 31, 1889, to 4,595,7507.; the debt, except 1,000,000l. at 3 per cent., consists of 4 per cent. debentures, redeemable from 1876 to 1920, and the whole was raised for the construction of public works. The interest on the amount realised on the last 4 per cent. loan floated was equivalent to 3.98 per cent. at par. The following is an abstract of loans expenditure up to December 31, 1888 :— Public works: railways, 1,686,3781., or 40-20 per cent.; telegraphs, 93,6267., or 2.23 per cent.; roads, bridges, jetties, &c., 1,222,1537., or 29-13 per cent. public buildings, 487,3897., or 11.63 per cent.; defences, 103,4117., or 2.46 per cent.; other public works, 82,8237., or 1·97 per cent.-total