Our First Half-Century Part 27

DAIRYING.

The phenomenal growth of the dairying industry is shown by the table headed "Dairying." It shows that, whereas in 1860 10,400 lb. b.u.t.ter were imported and 450 lb. exported, in 1908 there were 23,838,357 lb.

made, 13,752,118 lb. exported, and only 201,924 lb. imported. Even in 1896 Queensland could hardly be accounted a b.u.t.ter-exporting country, when the s.h.i.+pments were only 13,942 lb., the imports 1,003,680 lb., and the quant.i.ty made 6,164,240 lb., for in that year the excess of imports was 989,738 lb.; while in 1908 the excess of exports was 13,550,194 lb., or more than a moiety of the amount manufactured. Of cheese, in 1896 the quant.i.ty made was 1,921,404 lb., whereas in 1908 it had increased to 3,199,510 lb., and the amount exported was 732,090 lb., the excess of exports over imports being 685,629 lb. Twenty-five years ago the excess of imports over exports was 1,068,033 lb., which meant that there were practically no exports. Even in 1896 the cheese exported totalled only 8,505 lb. It is evident that the dairying industry in Queensland is yet only in its youth, and that in another quarter of a century the exports of both cheese and b.u.t.ter will have increased enormously.

SUGAR PRODUCTION.

Sugar first appears as a Queensland export in 1870, the quant.i.ty being, however, only 26 cwt. By 1879 the quant.i.ty had reached 206,269 cwt., the quarter-century closing in 1884 with 368,626 cwt., valued at 454,759. But these figures do not represent the quant.i.ty of sugar manufactured, the total in 1884 being given at 33,361 tons, the export being 18,431 tons. In 1885 the export, as compared with the previous year, increased by 58 per cent. in value. In 1888 the value declined to 384,375, or by more than one-half as compared with 1886. Thence for many years there was a fluctuating export, a drop to 681,038 in 1897 being followed by a jump to 1,329,876 in 1898. Two years later there was a heavy fall to 669,389 worth; then two years'

progression followed by a fall to 646,875 in 1903. In 1904, owing to the Commonwealth bounty and good seasons, there was a recovery to 1,257,815, followed by substantial progression each following year, till 1907, when the record export of 1,779,624 was made. In 1908, owing to abnormal frosts, there was a decline to 1,482,320.

The quant.i.ty of sugar made of course showed corresponding fluctuations. In 1896 the 100,000-ton limit of manufacture was for the first time pa.s.sed. It was followed by a slight drop in the following year, but in 1898 the record to that date in manufacture, as well as in export, was made, the product of the mills reaching the high figure of 163,734 tons. After that year there was a fluctuating decline in manufacture to the minimum of 76,626 tons in 1902, the great drought year; but there was an improvement in 1903, and in 1905 152,722 tons were manufactured, the two following years being very close together with a mean production of 186,342 tons. In 1908 the sugar manufactured was 151,098 tons, a decrease, through frost, of 37,209 tons for the year. In glancing through the figures not only will the effects of good and bad seasons be recognised, but also of the suspension of kanaka labour importation in 1888, its revival in 1890, and the payment of the Commonwealth bounty during the last five years.

MINERAL PRODUCTION.

When in 1866 railway construction suddenly ceased, both on the Southern and Central (then called the Northern) lines, there was general distress, mitigated shortly afterwards by the discovery of gold at the Crocodile Field, near Rockhampton; and in 1867 by the opening up of the Gympie Goldfield. The first important discovery of gold, however, had been on the Peak Downs in 1862, after which the production of that metal advanced from 2,783 oz. in 1863 to 15,660 oz.

in 1864, slightly in excess of which level it remained for the next two years. The gold raised then jumped to 35,581 oz. in 1867, and to 111,589 oz. in 1868. During the next two years the production dropped by about 19,000 oz., but it recovered to 115,986 oz. in 1871. In 1874 it made another big jump to 254,959 oz., owing to the discoveries at the Palmer, Charters Towers, and elsewhere in the North. This volume of production was rather more than maintained during the next two years, after which there was a fluctuating annual diminution until 1887, when there was a recovery to 348,890 oz. For seven years of the first quarter-century the value of gold won exceeded a million sterling per annum, high-water mark being touched in 1875--a year of heavy rainfall and abundant water--with a gold yield of 1,196,583.

In gold production the second quarter-century opened well with a total of 250,137 oz., and this yield for 1885 was followed by continuous progression until 1889, when the total of 634,605 oz., valued at 2,695,629, was reached. Thence for seven years there was a fluctuating decline, the minimum of 477,976 oz. being touched in 1891.

From that year there was a gradual recovery until in 1898 647,487 oz.

was reached, the record being made with 676,027 oz. in the last year of the century. Since then there has been a continuous annual decline until the total gold raised in 1908 had fallen to 465,085 oz., which is rather less than half the quant.i.ty declared to be exported in 1898 and 1903. But the export and production figures of course differ, the former being the actual weight exported in the year, which may be less or more than the production. Moreover, the production figures are stated in fine ounces, so that the difference between gold won and exported is considerably less than the figures would at first sight indicate.

Of copper the recorded quant.i.ty produced in 1860 was only one ton, valued at 50; but two years later the value reached 10,332 through the discovery of the Peak Downs mines. The two following years showed an almost entire cessation of export, although some 90,000 worth had been won. In 1865 the value of copper produced was 58,440. Thence there was fluctuating progression until 1871, when the value rose to 174,300, with a further rise to 196,000 in 1872. Declension followed until in 1882 the production had dropped to 14,982, the quarter-century closing in 1884 with a total of 30,872 worth. The explanation is that during the period there was practically only one copper mine at work in Queensland, and that in 1871 the policy was commenced of smelting all the richer ores and paying the highest possible dividends. In one year an amount of about 300,000, equal to the total capital of the company, was distributed, and shortly afterwards the mine was closed for want of remunerative ore. Had money been freely spent in exploration, as at the Mount Morgan Gold Mine, and only moderate dividends paid to the shareholders, it is believed that the life of the Peak Downs Copper Mine would have been indefinitely prolonged.

During sixteen years of the second quarter-century copper mining languished, the highest production in any one year being valued at 20,340, while in 1891 the lowest descended to 865. In 1901, however, through the opening of the Chillagoe mine, the production rose to 194,227 worth; by 1906 it had continuously ascended to 916,546, and in 1907 to 1,028,179. In 1908 there was a phenomenal decline in production value, owing to the low price obtainable for copper, the total being stated at 882,901.

The first production of tin is recorded in 1872, when the yield was valued at 109,816, through the discovery of stream tin in the Severn River district of Queensland. The record year for tin production of the half-century was in 1873, when the value raised was 606,184.

Thence there was a fluctuating decline in output till 1884, which closed with 130,460 worth for the year.

In the second quarter-century there was a fluctuating diminution of production, till in 1898 it was only worth 36,502. After that date there was a continuous improvement, the figures reached in 1907 being 496,766. The tin won in 1908 was declared to be of the value of only 342,191, the reduction arising chiefly from lowered market prices.

The coal raised in Queensland in 1860 was only 12,327 tons; in 1884 120,727 tons were raised; and in 1908 the production was 696,332 tons, valued at 244,922.

IMPORTS AND EXPORTS.

The imports into Queensland in 1860 were of the declared value of 742,023; at the close of the first quarter-century they exceeded 6 millions a year; in 1900 they exceeded 7 millions; in 1908 they totalled nearly 9 millions.

The declared value of exports totalled a little more than half a million in 1860; the first quarter-century closed in 1884 with a total of under 4 millions. In 1889 the value was slightly under 7 millions, and in 1908 it reached over 14 millions. During the last quarter-century the exports have trebled in value, while the imports have increased by only about 484 per cent. These figures indicate that the State is rapidly liquidating its external indebtedness on private account, whatever may be the increase in public loan obligations.

RAILWAYS.

Railways form a very gratifying a.s.set. In 1865 there were only twenty-one miles open for traffic, and they yielded no net revenue.

In 1884 there were 1,207 miles open, of which the net earnings were 273,096. In 1898 2,742 miles open had 534,992 of net earnings. In 1901 there were 2,801 miles open, with net earnings of 223,853 only, the cause being the historic drought of the period. Since then there has been a rapid increase in both traffic and profit, the net earnings of 3,498 miles in 1908-9 having been 885,622. These figures afford complete justification for a policy of vigorous construction, for they show that the capital invested in our railways, 25,183,529, earned 3 10s. 4d. per cent. in 1907-8. In 1908-9 the net earnings were 883,610, the return on capital invested being 3 7s. 6d. per cent.

With the object of supplying the latest official data, the Government Statistician, Mr. Thornhill Weedon, has compiled the following tables, which practically divide the half-century into four equal periods. It must be borne in mind that, except under the heading "Finance," the statistics are for the calendar year and not for the financial year, which closes on 30th June:--

COMPARATIVE STATISTICS.

VITAL STATISTICS.

-----------------------+------------------------------------------------- CALENDAR YEAR.

+---------+---------+---------+---------+--------- 1860. 1872. 1884. 1896. 1908.

-----------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+--------- Births No. 1,236 5,265 10,679 14,017 14,828 Marriages No. 278 1,125 2,661 2,823 4,009 Deaths No. 478 1,936 6,861 5,645 5,680 Population, State No. 28,056 133,553 309,913 472,179 558,237 " Brisbane [a] No. 6,051 15,002 23,001 110,554 137,670 -----------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------

[Footnote a: The area in 1860, 1872, and 1884 is not quite the same as that in 1896 and 1908, but the population quoted is fairly representative.]

FINANCE.

----------------------+---------------------------------------------------- FINANCIAL YEAR.

+---------+---------+----------+----------+---------- 1860. 1872. 1883-4. 1895-6. 1907-8.[b]

----------------------+---------+---------+----------+----------+---------- REVENUE-- From Customs and Excise 59,210 419,853 900,916 1,361,212 1,498,131 From other sources 119,379 576,471 1,665,442 2,280,371 3,953,501 Total Revenue 178,589 996,324 2,566,358 3,641,583 5,451,632 EXPENDITURE-- From Revenue 161,503 865,743 2,532,045 3,567,947 5,336,330 From Loan ... ... 19,384 156,424 1,665,823 592,158 1,033,676 ----------------------+---------+---------+----------+----------+----------

[Footnote b: The figures for 1907-8 include both Federal and State collections and disburs.e.m.e.nts on Queensland account.]

BANKING.

----------------+----------------------------------------------------------- CALENDAR YEAR.

+---------+-----------+------------+------------+----------- 1860. 1872. 1884. 1896. 1908.

----------------+---------+-----------+------------+------------+----------- BANKING COMPANIES-- a.s.sets 574,661 2,200,346 11,155,423 18,850,945 19,122,646 Advances 490,861 1,489,515 9,338,716 15,481,960 14,698,195 Liabilities 332,173 1,842,848 7,662,543 11,346,303 16,072,757 Deposits 286,917 1,590,283 6,322,025 10,879,640 15,440,427 SAVINGS BANK-- Depositors No. 163 8,121 33,067 58,226 100,324 Amount to credit at end of year 7,545 466,754 1,220,614 2,329,381 4,921,881 ----------------+---------+-----------+------------+------------+-----------

CROWN LANDS.

-----------+--------------------------------------------------------------- CALENDAR YEAR.

+-----------+------------+------------+------------+------------ 1860. 1872. 1884. 1896. 1908.

-----------+-----------+------------+------------+------------+------------ Area Alienated Acres 108,870 1,069,208 7,099,275 12,850,843 15,108,439 In Process of Alienation Acres ... ... ... 1,776,034 6,200,930 Leased or otherwise occupied Acres 41,027,200 123,737,093 316,113,760 254,787,200 273,180,864 Not occupied Acres 387,983,930 304,313,699 105,906,965 159,705,923 134,629,767 -----------+-----------+------------+------------+------------+------------

LIVE STOCK.

-------------+------------------------------------------------------------ CALENDAR YEAR.

+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+----------- 1860. 1872. 1884. 1896. 1908.

-------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+----------- Horses 23,504 92,798 253,116 452,207 519,969 Cattle 432,890 1,200,992 4,266,172 6,507,377 4,321,600 Sheep 3,449,350 6,687,907 9,308,911 19,593,696 18,348,851 Pigs 7,147 35,732 51,796 97,434 124,749 -------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------+-----------

DAIRYING.

------------------+------------------------------------------------------------ CALENDAR YEAR.

+-----------+------------+-----------+-----------+----------- 1860. 1872. 1884. 1896. 1908.

------------------+-----------+------------+-----------+-----------+----------- b.u.t.tER-- Made Lb. ... ... ... 6,164,240 23,838,357 Imported Lb. 10,400 454,698 1,271,964 1,003,680 201,924 Exported Lb. 450 1,310 12,724 13,942 13,752,118 Excess of Imports Lb. 9,950 453,388 1,259,240 989,738 ...

Excess of Exports Lb. ... ... ... ... 13,550,194 Estimated Wholesale Price of b.u.t.ter Per Lb. 1s. 11d. 9d. 11d. 10d. 10d.

CHEESE-- Made Lb. ... ... ... 1,921,404 3,199,510 Imported 1,559 lb. 186,916 1,069,620 77,275 46,464 Exported 247 lb. 20 1,587 8,505 732,093 Excess of Imports 1,312 lb. 186,896 1,068,033 68,770 ...

Excess of Exports ... ... ... ... 685,629 ------------------+-----------+------------+-----------+-----------+-----------