Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/460

 408

THE BRITISH EMPIRE : — WESTERN AUSTRALIA

1918

1919

Quantity

Value

Quantity

ValuS

Pig Leads. . tons

8cheelite a

Taiitalite^. . . ,, Arsenical Ore*. . ,, Molybdenite. . ,, Asbestos ,, Corundum. . . ,, Unenumerated 2.

5,489 5

679

£

103,880 720

2,561 172

1,780

6-45

•25

7

53

1

£

48,462

772

~'>

100

1,443

1

Total values.

-

4,205,577

— 3,561,204

^ Exported.

Commerce and Communications.

The external commerce of Western Australia, exclusive of inter-State trade, is comprised in the statement of the commerce of Australia, given under the heading of the Commonwealth.

The total value of the imports and exports, including inter-State trade, in 6 years is shown in the subjoined statement : —

June

1914-15

1915-16

1916-17

1917-18

1918-19

1919

Imports Exports

£

8,301,280 5,352,140

£ 8,983,000 8,040,484

£

9,385,010

14,683,027

£ 7,649,233 5,807,335

£

7,977,450

10,922,675

£ 12,368,331 15,258,301

By far the most important of the exports are gold and gold specie, others being timber (465,734?. in 1919-20), wool (3,937,106/.), pearls, and shell (431,8252.), hides and skins (623,029/.), silver (49,289/.) : sandal- wood. (240,579/.), wheat (2,541,698/.), flour (2,526,602/.), fruit (150,087/.), and other local products.

There were on the West Australian register on December 31, 1919, 58 steamers of 16,753 tons, ami 363 sailing vessels of 12,066 tons; total, 421 vessels of 28,819 tons. Tonnage inwards and outwards, 1919-20, from and to ports outside the State, 5,331,703.

For the year ending June 30, 1920, the State had 3,539 miles of State Government railway, and 450 miles of Commonwealth line, the latter being the western portion of the Trans-Australian line (Kalgoorlie-Port Augusta), which links the State Railway System to those of the other States of the Commonwealth.

Money and Credit.

There are seven banks in Western Australia, besides the State Government Savings hank and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and .Savings Bank. The total paid-up capital of the cheque paying banks (including the Common- wealth Hank) in the quartet ended June 30, 1920, was 14,819,809/. ; the notes in circulation (1920) were 26,498/. ; deposits, 12,502,477/. ; total average liabilities,- 12,972,185/. ; total assets, 16,205,677/.

State Government Savings Hank. — The amount due to depositors on June 30, 1920, inclusive rjf interest, was 5,739,029/. , whilst in addition 1 an amount of 45,510/. was I dub under the head ' Schools Savings Bank.'