The amount raised by taxation (exclusive of taxes collected by Commonwealth) as shown in the last table, viz. 950,1837., was equivalent to a proportion of 15s. 8d. per head of population. Victoria has a debt, incurred in the construction of public works, which amounted, on June 30, 1903, to 51,097,9007. (exclusive of temporary treasury bills). Of this sum, 38,903,1147. was borrowed for the construction of railways, 7,818,8157. for waterworks, 1,226,7327. for State school buildings, and 3,149,2397. for other public works. The nominal rate of interest on the public debt varies from 3 to 4 per cent., and averages 3.73 per cent. The net local ordinary revenue and expenditure (Municipalities, Harbour Trust, Metropolitan Board of Works, and Fire Brigade Boards) for 1903 were respectively 1,741,7757. and 1,669,1287. amounts borrowed first by Government) amounted to about 12,156,0777. on The net local debt (exclusive of June 30, 1903. The estimated total value of the rateable property of the State in 1904 amounted to about 209,143,7307., and the annual value was 11,437,8307. For defence, see under Commonwealth of Australia. The Naval flotilla of the State consists of the coast-defence ironclad Cerberus, and two first-class and three second-class torpedo boats. Production and Industry. I. AGRICULTURE. Of the total area of Victoria about 24,526,255 acres are either alienated or in process of alienation. Of the remainder about 6,476,177 acres are at present suitable for agriculture; 11,999,333 acres for pastoral purposes; 555,693 acres are held under perpetual lease; State forests, timber, water, and other reserves, 7,295,699 acres; auriferous land, 938,236 acres; roads, 1,614,773 acres; and unsold land in towns, &c., 2,839,594 acres. The total number of holdings in 1903-04 was 49,112. The following table shows the areas under the principal crops and the produce of each for five years : 6,116 80 1,000 1,000 1,000 1901 1,466 55 3,717 173 2,017 17,847 450 363 723 9,582 59 1902 3,647 1,215 1903 3,739 1,994 1904 4,022 1,754 12,127 329 694 561 13,435 733 1,233 The produce per acre of the principal crops has been :-- In two years the area and yield of vines and of tobacco were :— In addition to these, green forage covered about 33,165 acres, and gardens (both market and private) and orchards occupied an extent of about 59,812 acres in 1903-04. At the census of 1901, there were in the state 392,237 horses, 1,602,384 head of cattle (including 521,612 milch cows), 10,841,790 sheep, and 350,370 pigs. The wool produced in 1902 amounted to 65,981,164 lbs., value 2,447,451.; in 1903 to 51,606,597 lbs., value 1,945,8727. At the end of 1903 the area of State Forests in Victoria was 4,327,142 acres, and of timber reserves 332,133 acres. 38,841,322 super feet timber sawn in 1903 in Victoria Saw Mills from Victorian logs valued at the mill at 116,8457. II. MINING. The subjoined statement gives, from official returns, the estimated quantities of gold, with value, obtained in Victoria in each of the six years : The total quantity of gold raised from 1851 to 1903 is estimated at 66,736,336 oz., of an aggregate value of 266,718,7017. The estimated number of miners at work on the gold-fields at the end of 1903 was 25,852. In 1902, 225,164 tons of coal, valued at 155,850., were raised in Victoria; in 1903, 64,200 tons, valued at 40,8187. In 1903, about 481 persons were employed in coal mining. Other minerals raised in 1903 were brown coal, 2,8271.; copper, 500l.; tin, 2,1657.; gypsum, 8971.; infusorial earth, 2,4007.; other metals and minerals, 62,5977. III. MANUFACTURES. The total number of manufactories, works, &c. in 1903, was 4,151, of which about 2,040 used steam or gas engines; the aggregate horse-power used was 42,750; the number of hands employed was 73,229; and the lands, buildings, machinery, and plant were valued at 12,978,8417. The manufactures are almost entirely for home consumption. Commerce, Shipping, and Railways. The commerce of Victoria, exclusive of inter-State trade, is included in the statement of the commerce of the Commonwealth of Australia. The total value of the imports and exports of Victoria, including inter-State trade, in each of the six years, was :— The customs duties collected in 1903 amounted to 2,090,8407., equal to about 11 per cent. of the total value of imports. The chief exports are gold, wool, live-stock, cereals, butter, hides, and skins, and meat frozen or preserved. The registered shipping in 1903 consisted of 223 sailing vessels of 36,055 tons, and 159 steamers of 77,071 tons, total 382 vessels of 113,126 tons. The shipping inwards and outwards has been as follows for five years: The British tonnage entered and cleared in 1903 amounted to 6,010,865 tons. The railways in Victoria all belong to the State. There were 3,401 miles of railway completed at the end of 1902-03, of which 3,323 miles was of 5ft. 3in. and 78 miles 2ft. 6in. gauge. The total cost of the lines open to June 30, 1903, was 40,965,8491.—of which 2,803,7407. was provided out of the general revenue and the remainder from loans-being about an average of 12,0457. per mile for the lines opened. The gross receipts in the year 1902-03 amounted to 3,046,8587.; and the expenditure to 2,032,0877., or 667 per cent. of the receipts. The profit on working was thus 1,014,7717. being equivalent to 2:49 per cent. of the mean capital cost, or 2.66 of the borrowed capital, which bears interest at the average rate of 3 8 per cent. Besides the sum of 2,803,7407. paid towards construction (before mentioned) certain other sums amounting in the aggregate to over eleven millions have been paid from time to time out of the consolidated revenue towards meeting deficiencies in the working of the railways (after payment of interest). The number of passengers conveyed in the year 1902-03 was 54,798,073, and the weight of goods and live stock carried was 3,093,997 tons. The train mileage in 1902-03 was 10,286,272 miles. The proportions of receipts from passengers and goods traffic to the total receipts were 52 and 48 per cent. respectively. Money and Credit. A branch of the Royal Mint was opened at Melbourne on June 12, 1872. Up to Dec. 31, 1903, 26,860,024 oz. of gold, valued at 106,055,3687., was received at the mint, and gold coin and bullion issued of the value of 106,042,5067. No silver or bronze coin is struck at the Melbourne Mint. On 30th June, 1903 the Savings Bank of Victoria (with which have been amalgamated the Post Office Savings Banks) had 53 banks and branches with 325 agencies at post offices in the State. At the end of the financial year there were 418,511 depositors, with a total balance of 10,341,8577. By recent legislation, a special branch of the Savings' Bank, called the "Advances Department," has been created for the purpose of making advances to farmers at a low rate (4 per cent.) of interest, repayable by instalments extending over a term not exceeding 31 years. The requisite funds are raised by the issue of bonds, taken up either by the Commissioners of Savings Banks or by the general public, and repayable by half-yearly drawings. The amount advanced during 1902-03 was 224,9747. During the last quarter of 1903 Victoria had 11 banks of issue, with 525 branches and agencies, with notes in circulation, 913,5907., deposits 30,429,3037., the total liabilities being 31,553,3347; gold and silver, coined and in bars, 6,452,6877.; landed property, 1,957,5447.; advances, &c., 30,401,8077.; total assets, 39,291,1257. Total paid-up capital, 14,392,3207. Annual Statistical Register. Books of Reference. Mineral Statistics of Victoria. Annual. Fol. Melbourne. Report on the Vital Statistics of Melbourne and Suburbs. Melbourne. Statistics of Trades Unions in Victoria. Annual. Melbourne. Victorian Year Book. By Wm. McLean. Melbourne. Bannow (W.), The Colony of Victoria. London, 1897. Blair (David), Cyclopædia of Australasia. Melbourne, 1881. Finn (Edmund), Chronicles of Early Melbourne. 2 vols. illustrated. Melbourne, 1889. Jenks (E.), The Government of Victoria. 8. London, 1891. Labilliere (Francis Peter), Early History of the Colony of Victoria, from its Discovery to its Establishment as a Self-governing Province of the British Empire. 2 vols. 8. London, 1878. Mackay (G.), History of Bendigo. Melbourne, 1891. Mennell (Philip), The Dictionary of Australasian Biography. Melbourne, 1892. Murray (A. S.), Twelve Hundred Miles on the River Murray. London, 1898. Rusden (G. W.), The Discovery, Survey, and Settlement of Port Phillip. 8. London, 1872. Smith (R. B.), The Aborigines of Victoria, 2 vols. 8. London. Turner (H. G.), History of the Colony of Victoria. 2 vols. London, 1904. Westgarth (Wm.), The Colony of Victoria: its History, Commerce, and Gold-mining; its Social and Political Institutions. 8. London, 1864. QUEENSLAND. Constitution and Government. The form of government of the State of Queensland was established December 10, 1859, on its separation from New South Wales. The power of making laws and imposing taxes is vested in a Parliament of two Houses—the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly. The former consists of 44 members, nominated by the Crown for life; but no limit is put to the number. The Legislative Assembly comprises 72 members, returned from 61 electoral districts for three years, elected by ballot, a six months' residence qualifying every adult male for the franchise. Members of the Assembly are entitled to payment of £300 per annum, with travelling expenses. Owners of freehold estate of the clear value of 100l., or of house property of 10%. annual value, or leasehold of 107. annual rent, or holders of pastoral lease or license from the Crown, have the right of a vote in any district in which such property may be situated. At the end of 1903 there were 98,251 registered electors. Governor of Queensland.—Vacant. Lieut.-Governor.—Rt. Hon. Sir H. M. Nelson, K.C.M.G. The Executive Council of ministers consists of the following members : : Prime Minister, Chief Secretary, and Secretary for Railways.-Hon, Arthur Morgan. Secretary for Public Instruction.-Hon. A. H. Barlow. Treasurer.-Hon. W. Kidston. Secretary for Public Lands.-Hon. J. T. Bell. Attorney-General and Secretary for Mines.-Hon. L. W. Blair. Home Secretary.-Hon. P. Airey. Each of the ministers who holds a portfolio has a salary of 1,000l. per annum, subject to reduction of 7 per cent. for one year from August, 1904, under Special Retrenchment Act of 1902. The Vice-President of the Executive Council receives 300l. per annum. They are jointly and individually responsible for their acts. Agent-General for Queensland in Great Britain. -The Hon. Sir Horace Tozer, K. C. M.G. Chief Clerk.-J. M. Grant, 1, Victoria Street, Westminster. |