Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/414

 362

THE BRITISH EMPIRE : — AUSTRALIA

Communications. Government Railways for the year ending June 30, 1919 : —

State or Federal

Miles Open

!Cost of Con- struction 

carried

£

Number

Tons

£,

£

N.S. Wales.

4,825

70,601,591

98,56S,76S 12,714,012

9,958,178

6,904,450

Victoria.

4,190

! 57,403,576

111,904,786 i 6,515,470

6,432,277

4,279,663

Queensland

5,460

1 3S,244,494

26,414,8171 3,783,834

3,964,597

3,690,445

S. Australia.

2,290

18,649,979

20,176,544 i 2,618,510

2,391,409

1,829,034

Western Australia.

3,588

1 17,995,941

17,325,424 i 2,379,403

1,872,897

1,567,591

Tasmania

601

5,076,014

1,8S9,102 472,926

401,364

324,595

Federal-

Trans- An s tralian

1,051

6,911,624

23,942

116,971

175,134

243,988

Oodnadatta.

478

2,282,973

51,516

57,565

58,286

111,302

Federal Territory

5

48,124 1,707,392

93

4,385 35,124

407 32,237

1,288

N. Territory

200

5,842

50,617

. Total.

22,647

224,021,708

276,360,834

28,697,700

25,306,781

19,003,633

In 1912 the building of the trans- Australian railway from Port Augusta in South Australia to Kalgoorlie in Western Australia was commenced, and was opened in November 1917, the length being 1,051 miles. A trans- continental railway from north to south, also over 1,000 miles in length, i9 under consideration.

In Victoria a scheme for the electrification of the railways is being carried out. Electric railways are also to be constructed in Sydney.

The State railway gauge is: — In N.S. Wales,. 4ft, 8£in. (40 miles, 3ft. 6in.) ; in Victoria, 5ft. Sin. (122 miles, 2ft. 6in.) ; in Queensland, 3ft. 6in. (29 miles, 2ft. Oin.); in South Australia, 5ft. 3in. for 1,080 miles, the rest, 3ft. 6in. ; in W. Australia, 3ft. 6in. ; and in Tasmania, 3ft. 6in. (24 miles, 2ft. Oin.). Of the Federal lines, the gauge of the Trans- Australian and Federal Territory is 4ft. 8iin. ; and that of the Oodnadatta and Northern Territory is 3ft. Sin- Private railways in Commonwealth, open for general traffic, 1919, 1,125 miles ; not open for general traffic, 1,885 miles.

Postal and telegraph business, year ended June 30, 1919 : number of Post and Receiving Offices, 8,334 ; letters and cards received and despatched, 553,958,599; newspapers, books, and circulars, 135,970,037; parcels, 6,002,890 : packets, 43,527,789 ; telegrams and cablegrams, 20,331,541. Receipts, 1918-19 : Post Office, 2,998,7247. ; telegraphs and telephones, 2,763,4667. Expenses: Post Office, telegraphs and telephones, 5,677,7837. (including interest on transferred properties).

Wireless telegraphy stations are in operation in all the state capitals, anc in certain other places.

Money and Credit.

On January 20, 1913, the Commonwealth Bank was opened at Sj Branches have been opened at the other State capitals, also at ToWBBI Canberra, London, and several country centres. Deposits at December 1918, were 50,823,6507. The bank started without capital, and began to niak: profits in 1913-14. Down to the end of 1919 its profits totalled 1,923,000

There are, besides, 20 private banks trading in the Commonwealth. Ttfl paid-up capital on June 80 1919, was 85,696,9407., and the amount reserved profits 21,620,5267.