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THE BRITISH EMPIRE: — QUEENSLAND

In the western portion of the State water is comparatively easily found by sinking artesian bores. Up to June 30, 1919, 3,578 bores were recorded as having been sunk. Total depth bored, 626 "28 miles. The continuous yield of water is estimated at 429,708,150 gallons per diem ; 1,218 bores are flowing and from 1,307 more supplies are pumped.

Commerce and Shipping.

The commerce of Queensland, exclusive of inter-State trade, is com- prised in -the Statement of the Commerce of the Commonwealth of Australia.

The total value of the oversea imports and exports of Queensland in recent years is given in the following table : —

Years

Imports

Exports I

Tears

Imports

Exports i

1914-15 1915-16 1916-17

£

6,428,688 7,000,912 6,263,102

13,015,484

8,106,123

14,542,270

1917-18 2 1918-19 2 1919-20 3

£ 4,492,746 6,075,674 7,219,589

£ 10,960,411 12,447,416 14,403,922

i Excluding live stock, borderwise, 1,73S,960J. in 1915 ; 1916-17, 1,479,7831 1,909,5261. ; 1918-19, 1,375,957*. ; 1919-20, 2,385,404*. 2 Excluding bullion and specie.

1917-18,

Trade with other Australian States has ceased to be recorded by the Commonwealth Authorities.

In 1919-20 the net customs revenue amounted to 1,438,3882., including excise 511,1742., or about 23'66 per cent, of the total value of oversea imports. The chief exports are gold, silver, copper, tin, coal, meat (preserved or frozen), hides, skins, tallow, wool, and sugar.

The registered shipping in 1919 consisted of 150 sailing vessels of 6,094 net tons, and (including river steamers) 112 steamers of 16,974 net tons ; total, 262 vessels of 23,068 net tons.

For Shipping, Railways, Posts and Telegraphs see under Commonwealth of Australia.

Banks.

There are ten banks established in Queensland (excluding the Commonwealth Bank), of which the following are the statistics for the end of 1919 : — due to the Treasury on account of notes issued by the Government through the banks, nil; deposits, 27,017,5782.; total liabilities, 28,385,8432. ; coin and bullion, 2,308,9632. ; advances, 19,536,7962.; landed property, 758,2092.; total assets, 28,904,2622. There is a State Government savings bank; at June 30, 1920, there were 275,428 depositors, with 14,851,1362. to their credit. Average value of each account, 532. 18s. 5d. The Commonwealth Savings Bank had in Queensland at Dec. 31, 1919, 85,989 depositors, and 3,096,9392. in deposits.

Books of Reference.

A. B.C. of Queensland Statistics (Norman J. Macleod, Government Statistician). Annual, Brisbane.

Statistical Kegisterof Queensland. By Norman J. Macleod, Government Statistician. Annual.' Brisbane.

Census of Uh: Colony of Queensland, taken on March 31, 1901. Fol. Brisbane, 1902.

Queensland Official Year-Book. Brisbane, 1901.

Our First Half-Century. A Review of Queensland Progress. Brisbane, 1909.