Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 14.djvu/544

* NEW SOUTH WALES. 472 NEW SOUTH WALES. The flora and fauna partake of the general char- acter of Eastern Australia. See Australia. Geology anu Mikebals. The mountain and plateau regions consist mainly of Paleozoic rocks, Silurian in the south. Carboniferous in the central portion, and Devonian in tlie north, while the northeastern and southeastern cuast districts are overlaid with lower Mesozoic strata. There are considerable outcrops of granites and metamorphic nn-ks in the higher regions, with dikes of volcanic trap, basalt, and greenstone. The great plains are formed by horizontal strata of Cretaceous and Tertiary sandstone, sands, and gravel. Kich and extensive coal beds cover large areas in the State, (iold exists in quartz veins in the Silurian rocks, and silver, tin, copper, iron, and precious stones are also found. Mi.NiNG. Mining rivals grazing in importance, and has been gaining, while the latter has de- clined. The first Australian gold was mined in New South Wales, and the total value of this product mined to date exceeds that of any other mineral in the State. The an- nual output in recent years, however, has been exceeded in value by silver and silver- lead and by coal, although nearly half the men employed in the mining industry, or 10.350 (1809), are engaged in gold-mining. The aver- age yield of gold between 1800 and 1000 was twice that of the preceding decade. The output in 1000 was valued at £1,194.521. The production of silver and silver-lead ore was insignificant prinr to 1884. when it increased rapidly until 1801. the record for that year not having been subsequently surpassed. In 1000 the value was £2,604,117. The production of coal in 1000 was valued at £1,668.011, an amount exceeded in only one pre- vious year. The decline in copper production from 1800 to 1895 was wholly regaineire is increasing in im- portance, but is still subsidiary to stock-raising. The soil is generally of great fertility, but the scantiness and uncertainty of the rainfall prevent it from being tilled in the great regions west of the mountain ranges. The unfavorable climatic conditions are most severe on the far western plains. In the coast district, and on the table- lands and the western slope of the tablelands, a considerable area is cultivated. The climate on the coast admits of the growth of a wide range of products, both temperate and tropical, being not unlike that of California in this respect. .- thoush the possibilities of fruit eulture are great, the industry in general has not made any consid- erable progress. Oranges anil gr:i|)es. however, receive no little attention. The remoteness from the world's markets has tended to limit the ]iro- duction of all agricultural products. The total area under tillage, excluding lands grassed, in- creased almost steadilv from 629.180 acn'« in 1881 to 8.52.704 acres in ISO], an<I 2.446.767 acres in 1001. The ])rineipal crop and the one that rep- resents the largest percentage of increase is wheat, to which 1.5.10.600 acres were devoted in the latter year. The other principal crops, with their acreages, were: hay, 66.2.16: corn, 206.051 ; oats, 29,383; sugar-cane, 22,114; and grapevines, 8441. Stock-Raisixg. The extensive area of grassed lands and the miklness of the winters are greatly favorable to grazing, which is the most charac- teristic industry of the State. The greatest at- tention is paid to sheep, about four-sevenths of the sheep of Australia being in Xew South Wales. The maxinnim number, nearly 62,000,000, was reached in 1801. This was reduced in 1900 to about 40,000,000. The decrease was attributed to the droughts, which were very severe during this period. The insutticient water supply is a serious disadvantage to the industry. The nuni- l)er of cattle in 1000 was 1,08.1.116; liorses, 481,- 417; and swine, 256,577. iluch of the pastoral land is owned by the State and leased to the stockmen. MAXtF.CTiRES. Prior to the establishment of the federation of Australian States, Xew South Wales diftered from the other Australian colonies in that it did not have a tariff fur the protection of its manufactures. However, the majority of the 60.770 hands employed in these industries in 1900 were engaged in domestic manufactures which were not subject to foreign competition — the preparation of food, drink, etc. The manu- factures centre largely about Sydney. Tka.nsportatio.v and Commerce. A railroad traverses the eastern part of the State from north to south and a branch line penetrates northwestward to the Darling River. In 1900 nearly the whole of the 2896 miles of line in operation were in the hands of the Government. The net earnings are almost equal to the annual cost of the debt incurred in the construction. The State has a large foreign trade. It is almost evenly divided between imports and exports. The value of the total trade in 1900 was £55.725..587, being in excess of that reached in any previous year. Considerably over three-fifths of the im- ports were for home consumption, and a like amount of the exports were of domestic origin. Wool is by far the greatest item of the State's ex- ports. It is followed in order of importance by silver, silver-lead, and ore, coal, copper, tallow, and tin. The great bulk of the conunerce is with the United Kingdom, but the trade with the I'nited States, France, Germany, and Belgium is rapidly growing. The largest export to the I'nited States is wool and the State's imports from the I'nited States are mainly manufactured products. In 1900. 3406 vessels," with 3.020.801 tonnage, cleared the ports of Xew South Wales. Government AXn Finance. Xew South Wales is governed by a (!ov?rnor, appointed by the Crown, a responsible Ministry, a Legislative Coinicil appointed by the Crown for life, and a Legislative .Xssendily elected by the resident vot- ers of the colony. Down to 1893 there was a property qualifi<'ation by law. In that year it was abolished. The sufTrage is exercised by every male subject twenty-i>ne years of age who has lived three years in the colony and three months in his electoral district. N^ew South Wales has six representatives in the .ustralian Senate and 26 in the .ustralian House of Representatives. In the fiscal year ending in 1900. out of a total net revenue nf £9.070.(!77. the Government re- ceived £2.618.066 from taxation. £2.116.076 from land-sales and leases, and £4. 092. .521 from ser- vice — railroads, etc. The greater part of the tnx receipts are from import and excise duties.