54 THE FARMER'S OUTLOOK 



occurrence pointing to the same conclusion is that 

 the Indian Government proposes to apply part of 

 last year's surplus revenue to much needed capital 

 expenditure on railways. Perhaps i\ustralia will 

 follow the same course, though the considerable 

 rise in working expenses of the Commonwealth 

 railways for the } T ear ending June 30th, 1912, 

 would seem to preclude this possibility. 



Another all-important factor is the question of 

 population, in which is included immigration. 

 Canada is now attracting some 350,000 immi- 

 grants a year, Argentina about 300,000, Siberia at 

 least as many. The returns for Australia are as 

 follows : 



1909. 1910. 1911. 1912. 

 Arrivals . . 83,609 95,692 141,909 166,958 

 Departures 54,6/6 58,145 64,206 73,541 



Net Increase 28,933 37-547 77>7°3 93.4 I 7 



Though the greater distance from Europe places 

 Australia at a disadvantage compared with 

 Canada or Argentina, this cannot sufficiently 

 account for the small number of immigrants. Nor 

 is the number of departures a satisfactory feature. 

 Better organization in the means of communica- 

 tion and improvements in other directions 

 would undoubtedly bring with them increased 

 immigration. 



