meridian of east longitude. The erection into separate colonies of South Australia in 1836, Victoria in 1851, and Queensland in 1859, greatly reduced its area. It now contains an area of 310,938 square miles, being enclosed within the parallels of 28° and 37° south latitude, and 141° and 154° of east longitude. Its greatest length is 900 miles, but averaging only 500. The greatest breadth is about 850 miles, but the average does not exceed 500 miles. Its boundaries are, on the north, the colony of Queensland; on the east, the Pacific Ocean; on the south, the colony of Victoria; on the west, South Australia. The 141st meridian is the dividing line from South Australia; and the 29th parallel, with an irregular line to Point Danger, from Queensland.

In 1788 the total population of the colony, including the Government establishment and convicts, amounted to 1,030, and in 1810 the population, free and felon, had risen to 8,293. In 1821 the inhabitants of New South Wales had increased to 29,783, and in 1828 to 36,598. Of this number, 14,156 were male, and 1,513 female convicts. The colony was relieved from the transportation of criminals in 1840.

According to the returns of the last census, taken April 2, 1871, the total population of the colony, exclusive of aborigines, was 503,981, comprising 275,551 males and 228,430 females. The preceding census, taken April 7, 1861, showed a total population of 350,860, of whom 198,488 were males and 152,372 females. The population on April 3, 1881, was 740,836-405,578 males and 335,258 females. The excess of immigration over emigration averaged 10,100 annually in the five years from 1874 to 1878. There is a high birth-rate in the colony. The excess of births over deaths amounted to 14,565 in the year 1878.

The population of Sydney, capital of New South Wales, numbered 220,427 at the census of April 3, 1881, the total comprising 99,670 inhabitants within the city, and 120,757 in the suburbs. The increase of population in the decennial period 1871-81 was 89,272, or 664 per cent.

Trade and Industry.

The trade of New South Wales more than quadrupled in the fifteen years from 1850 to 1864. The total value of the imports in 1850 amounted to 2,078,3381., and in 1864 had risen to 10,135,7081. The exports in 1850 were valued at 2,399,5801., and in 1864 at 9,037,8321. From 1864 till 1870 there was a decline in both imports and exports, but a new rise took place in 1871, continuing, with interruptions, till 1878.

The value of the total imports and exports, including bullion

and specie, in each of the six years 1875 to 1880, was as follows:·

Rather more than one-third of the total imports into New South Wales come from the United Kingdom, and about one-t e-third of the exports are shipped to it. The rest of the trade is chiefly with British Possessions. The commercial intercourse of the colony with the United Kingdom is shown in the following tabular statement, which gives the total value of the exports from New South Wales to Great Britain and Ireland, and of the imports of British produce and manufactures into New South Wales in each of the six years from 1875 to 1880:

The staple article of exports from New South Wales to the United Kingdom is wool, the quantities and values of which were as follows in each of the six years from 1875 to 1880:

Next to wool, the most important articles of export to Great Britain are tin, of the value of 627,3391.; copper, of the value of

376,6947.; tallow, of the value of 423,0697.; and preserved meat of the value of 140,7217. in 1880. The imports from Great Britain consist of all the chief articles of British manufacturing industry, chief among them iron, of the value of 775,4281., and cotton goods, of the value of 527,7017. in 1880.

In March 1881, New South Wales had 32,399,547 sheep; 2,580,040 horned cattle; 395,984 horses; and 308,205 pigs. The total area of land under cultivation embraced 706,498 acres, of which about one-half was under wheat and maize.

New South Wales is believed to be richer in coal than the other territories of Australasia. In 1880 there were raised 1,466,180 tons of coal, valued at 625,3361.

The gold mines of New South Wales cover a vast area, extending over three districts, called the Western Fields, the Southern Fields, and the Northern Fields. The gold produce of the colony was estimated as follows in each of the six years from 1873 to 1878:

In 1880 the total yield was 118,600 ounces, valued at 441,5431. New South Wales likewise possesses valuable copper and tin mines, the former producing 6,027 tons of copper in 1877.

New South Wales has three lines of railway, the Southern, the Northern, and the Western. In March 1881 there were 958 miles of railway open for traffic, and 487 miles under construction. The whole of the lines were built by the Government.

Of electric telegraphs there were in the colony 13,188 miles of line in 1881, constructed at a cost of 462,2251. The paid messages transmitted in 1880 numbered 1,319,537. There were 289 telegraph stations at the end of 1880.

The Post-office of the colony transmitted 20,323,200 letters, 12,907,000 newspapers, and 603,000 packets in the year 1880.

Agent-General of New South Wales in Great Britain.-Hon. Saul Samuel, C.M.G., appointed August 1880.

NEW ZEALAND.

Constitution and Government.

THE present form of government for New Zealand was established by statute 15 & 16 Vict. cap. 72, passed in 1852. By this Act, the Colony was divided into six provinces, afterwards increased to nine, namely, Auckland, Taranaki, Wellington, Nelson, Canterbury, Otago, Hawke's Bay, Westland, and Marlborough, each governed by a Superintendent and Provincial Council, elected by the inhabitants according to a franchise which practically amounts to household suffrage. By a subsequent Act of the Colonial Legislature, 39 Vic., No. XXI., passed in 1875, the provincial system of government was abolished, and the powers previously exercised by superintendents and provincial officers were ordered to be exercised by the Governor or by local boards. By the terms of this and other amending statutes, the legislative power is vested in the Governor and a 'General Assembly,' consisting of two Chambers, the first called the Legislative Council, and the second the House of Representatives. The Legislative Council consists of forty-five members, nominated by the Crown for life, and the House of Representatives of eightyeight members, elected by the people for five years. Members of both branches of the legislature receive payment of 2101. for every session, to cover the expenses of their attendance. The members of the House of Representatives include four aborigines, or Maories, elected by the natives. Every owner of a freehold worth 501., or tenant householder, in the country at 5l., in the towns at 107. a year rent, is qualified both to vote for, and to be a member of, the House of Representatives.

The executive is vested in a Governor, appointed by the Crown. Governor of New Zealand.-Hon. Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon, G.C.M.G., born 1830, a younger son of the Earl of Aberdeen; M.P. for Beverley, 1854-57; Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick, 1861-66; Governor of Trinidad, 1866-70; Governor of Mauritius, 1870-74; Governor of the Fiji Islands, 1875-80; appointed Governor of New Zealand, August 11, 1880.

The Governor, who is, by virtue of his office, commander-in-chief of the troops, has a salary of 5,000l. and of 2,500l. allowance. The general administration rests with a responsible ministry, consisting of nine members. Besides the nine ministers, there are two native members of the Executive Council, but not in charge of any depart

ment.

The control of native affairs, and the entire responsibility of dealing with questions of native government, were transferred in 1863 from the Imperial to the Colonial Government. In 1864 the seat of the general Government was removed from Auckland to Wellington, on account of the central position of the latter city.

Revenue and Expenditure.

The revenue of the colony is divided into Ordinary and Territorial revenue. The chief source of ordinary revenue is from customs receipts on imports. Separately treated in the financial accounts of the government is the territorial revenue, derived partly from the sale of crown lands, depasturing licenses and assessments, and partly from export duties on gold and mining licenses. The following table exhibits the ordinary and the territorial revenue, and the total, in each of the ten financial years, ending June 30, from 1870 to 1879::

The sources of ordinary revenue are from customs, producing, on the average of the last few years, 1,250,000l. per annum, while the territorial revenue is derived almost entirely from land sales. The largest branch of public expenditure, which amounted to an average of 2,000,000l. in recent years, was for public works, chief of them a complete system of railways as well as of ordinary roads. The total ordinary expenditure in 1879 amounted to 4,366,9381. In 1880 there was a deficit of 961,455l. In the year ending March 31, 1881, the total revenue of the Consolidated Fund was 3,461,8621., and the expenditure 3,461,8621., thus leaving a surplus of 26,7061. The estimated expenditure for 1881-2 is 3,276,1991., and the revenue 3,297,650l.

The public debt of the colony, dating from 1856, amounted to 77,1747. in that year, and rose to 594,0447. in 1860, to 1,289,750l. in 1863, to 2,219,450l. in 1864, to 4,368,6827. in 1865, to 5,435,7297. in 1866, to 7,579,000l. in 1867, to 7,178,1437. in 1868, to 7,360,6167. in 1869, to 7,841,8917. in 1870, to 8,496,0167. in 1871,