2G Ohservations on Tasmanian Statistics. 



the colony, — unparalleled, perhaps, in the history of any 

 British Colony in the -world, Victoria not excepted. 



To complete the analysis of these bank returns, it re- 

 mains to say that the total liabilities of all the banks 

 amounted in 1853 to £2,122,644, and the assets to 

 £2,396,109, or an excess of assets of 11*4 per cent. 



Tables 26 and 27 show the relative amounts of the general 

 revenue and expenditure of the colony for the last ten years; 

 and, as might be anticipated, the annual returns since 1850 

 exhibit the influence of the gold discoveries. The revenue 

 in 1850 was £135,429; in 1851 the increase was 3'1 per 

 cent.; in 1852, 29 per cent.; and in 1853 it reached i£2 5 7,8 72 

 or 42'4 per cent, upon that of the preceding year. The 

 expenditure has also necessarily increased, though not in the 

 same proportion. For the years 1850 to 1852, it as much 

 as possible agreed with the amount of revenue ; but in 1853 

 the public expenditure was £l 9 1,443, leaving a surplus of 

 revenue of £66,429, or 26 per cent. These statements are 

 exclusive of the land revenue, which has already been 

 referred to. 



Table 28 presents the statistics of the Post Ofl&ce of the 

 colony for the past ten years, of which the return for 1853 

 possesses more than usual interest, as showing the effect 

 upon the revenue of the new postal arrangements, which have 

 been assimilated with those of the mother country by re- 

 ducing the postage, and making prepayment compulsory. 

 The result seems to have amply justified the expectations 

 entertained of its success. As compared with 1852, the 

 number of post offices have increased from 53 to 62, the 

 persons employed from 86 to 93 ; the miles of post roads 

 travelled over from 647 to 662; the letters sent from Hobart 

 Town from 203,305 to 220,473, or 8-4 per cent.; the letters 



