AUSTRALASIA. 



working expenses 040,404. There were 0,973 

 miles <>f telegraph, with 17,<>22 miles of win-. 

 'I'lic total number of messages was 1,198.842. 

 Tin- receipts were 95,147, and the expenses 

 !'lli;.-|aV '1'lit! post-office carried during the 

 \ejn- I.V::i:.s-J2 letters, 12.07-UM2 newspapers, 

 an. I 2.-l!U.!:>7 packets. Receipts were 127,443, 

 and expenditures 210,476. 



Sou tii Australia, at the end of 1891, had 1,812 

 miles of railroad open for traffic, the cost of con- 

 struction and equipment of which, up to June 

 :JO. l.ssil. was 11,898,8:39, x-ing at the rate of 

 L'li.s (2 per mill'. The receipts for the year were 

 .l'!.22:!.!i!i'.; working expenses, 017,179. U>ing 

 ;"( 12 per cent, of the gross earnings. The net 

 earnings yielded .v3:J2 per cent, on the capital 

 <H>st. There were 5,040 miles of telegraph and 

 telephone lines, with 12,707 miles of wire. This 

 is inclusive of the line of 2,000 miles from Ade- 

 laide to Port Darwin connected with the British 

 Australian cable. The receipts of the depart- 

 ment exceed the working expenses and fixed 

 charges. The post-office handled 17,830,092 let- 

 ters, 8,888,108 newspapers, and 1,314,724 packets. 



In Western Australia, at the end of 1891, there 

 were 051 miles of completed railroad, of 'which 

 about 200 miles belonged to the Government. 

 There were 287 miles under construction and 258 

 miles under survey. There were in operation 

 2,921 miles of telegraph, with 3,546 miles of 

 win-, and 080 miles were under construction. 

 The number of messages sent was 224,390, on 

 which the net revenue was 12,643. The post- 

 office handled 4,425,609 letters and postal cards, 

 2,976,895 newspapers, and 548,453 packets. 



Tasmania had 425 miles of railroad in opera- 

 tion at the end of 1891, and 47 miles under con- 

 struction. The sums expended on the Govern- 

 ment railroads up to the end of 1890 amounted 

 to 3,088,882, or 7,740 per mile for the 399 

 miles then open. The main line now pays work- 

 ing expenses. At the end of 1891 there were 

 2,082 miles of telegraph lines. The number of 

 overland messages was 593,583, in addition to 

 which the submarine cable connecting with the 

 continent of Australia transmitted 137,187. The 

 revenue of the telegraph and telephone system 

 was 25,940, and the expenditure 24,144. The 

 post-office handled during the year 5,088,034 let- 

 ters, 5,370,124 newspapers, and 1,305,589 packets. 

 The revenue amounted to 50,404, and the ex- 

 penditure to 50.277. 



y The total length of railroads in New Zealand 

 on March 31, 1892, was 2,011 miles, embracing 

 (i'.Mi miles of Government railways on the North 

 Island, 1,170 on the Middle Island, and 142 miles 

 of private lines. The total expenditures on the 

 Government lines had then reached 15,497,783. 

 For the year the revenue was 1,115,431, and the 

 working expenses were 706,517. At the end of 

 1891 there were 5,349 miles of telegraph, with 

 13.194 miles of wire. The number of messages 

 was 1.908,204, and the total receipts were 117,- 

 :;::. The post-office handled, in 1891, 47,612.804 

 letters, 2,278,929 postal cards, 18,501,912 news- 

 papers, and 7,170,701 parcels. The revenue was 

 209,894. The expenditures of the post and tele- 

 graph department were 208,343. 



Federation. The movement for the federa- 

 tion of the Australasian colonies made little 

 progress during the year. At the session of the 



Federal Council, which opened at Ilobart on 

 Jan. 20, the colonies of Victoria, (Queensland, 

 Western Australia, and Tasmania were r-pr<- 

 scnted, and Sir Samuel Griffith WHS c]e< ii d pr<-M- 

 dent. The discussion turned largely upon the 

 federation of the colonies, as embodied in tin- 

 Commonwealth bill adopted by the National 

 Australasian Convention held at Sydney in 1891. 

 A resolution was passed to the effect that the 

 council observed with satisfaction the proceed- 

 ings of the convention of 1891, and trusted 

 that the federal unity of the colonies upon the 

 general basis recommended by that convention 

 would be accomplished. The resolution further 

 declared that in the event of serious delay in 

 the acceptance by the colonies of those recom- 

 mendations the number of members of the coun- 

 cil should be increased. Sir John Forrest, Pre- 

 mier of Western Australia, said the colony he- 

 represented was not opposed to federation, al- 

 though it did not agree with the bill passed 

 by the National Convention. He thought the 

 Council would be more useful if the number of 

 members was increased. Under the leadership of 

 Attorney-General Barton, of New South Wales, 

 one of the most pronounced advocates of federa- 

 tion in Australia, the Legislative Assembly early 

 in the year reaffirmed its adhesion to the general 

 plan of federation laid down by the convention 

 of 1891 ; but, on account of failing health, Mr. 

 Barton decided to postpone taking up the ques- 

 tion in a practical form until the next session. 

 Sir George Dibbs, Premier of New South Wales, 

 expressed himself in favor of federation, although 

 upon different lines from the Intercolonial Con- 

 vention. On Feb. 7 the Chamber of Commerce 

 of Melbourne adopted a resolution declaring 

 Australasian federation both difficult of realiza- 

 tion and remote, and that a customs union would 

 be more easily established and more helpful. On 

 June 22, pursuant to a call issued by Attorney- 

 General Barton, a well-attended meeting was 

 held in Sydney, at which steps were taken for 

 the formation of a central federation league, 

 entirely independent of political influences, with 

 a view of promoting the common aim of Austral- 

 asian patriotism. It was announced, however, 

 that Sir Henry Parkes and G. H. Reid, the leader 

 of the Opposition, would not join in the scheme, 

 and Sir Thomas Mcllwraith, Premier of Queens- 

 land, declined to assist, on the ground that it 

 would be best to pursue the course already begun. 

 A federation conference was held in Sydney on 

 July 31, at which many distinguished residents 

 of New South Wales and Victoria were present. 

 Resolutions were adopted favoring federation 

 and the establishment throughout both colonies 

 of branches of the new federation league. On 

 Aug. 1 the New Zealand Government definitely 

 announced its declination to participate in the 

 proposed federation of the Australasian colonies. 

 The assemblies of Victoria and Tasmania agreed 

 to a proposal to petition the Queen to increase 

 from 2 to 5 the number of representatives of each 

 colony in the Australasian Federal Council. 



Banking Crisis. Until near the close of 1891 

 the business of banking in the Australasian colo- 

 nies had enjoyed a steady and almost uninter- 

 rupted prosperity. The growth of population 

 and rapid development of the country had cre- 

 ated a large demand for money and for bank- 



