Auckland Wellington Lyttelton Dunedin Invercargill. Total Port of arrival. Table showing the number, tonnage, and crews of vessels entered, &c.—Continued. Port. VESSELS REGISTERED BELONGING TO EACH PORT. Table showing the number and tonnage of the registered vessels (distinguishing sailing and steam) which belonged to each of the ports of New Zealand on the 31st December, 1880: The history of the fauna of New Zealand is highly interesting, from the fact that the sole representative of the terrestrial mammalia is a small rat, which, it is said, was brought here from Hawaika. The species is now almost extinct. There is a Maori or native proverb that the Paheka (European) rat has eaten up the Maori rat; so will the Europeans destroy the Maoris. The marine mammalia are represented by the whale, dolphin, grampus, bottled-nose seal, sea-lion, and sea-bear. The edible fish are patiki, or flat-fish, schnapper, mullet, kahawai, and gurnard. The hapuka, barracoata, and rock-cod are not unfrequently met with. There are one hundred and thirty-five different varieties of birds in the colony, the greater part of which are land birds. It is now be lieved that the moa, a gigantic, wingless, bird, is extinct, notwithstanding the evidence of the natives to the contrary, although there is strong reason to believe that its disappearance is of a recent date. If any are living, they are said to be in the primeval solitudes of western Otago, protected by the natural fortalices of precipice and glacier. The kiwi (ap. teryx), another large wingless bird is also becoming extinct. It is covered with hairy feathers, and is highly prized by the natives on account of Ships. Tons. Crews. its skin, which is used for making mats. There are six different varieties of parrots and a large number of songsters; the most notable of which are the tui and the korimako. The former is often used as a household pet, and imitates domestic noises. The latter, the korimako, is the bell-bird of New Zealand; its notes resemble the clear, prolonged ringing of a silver bell. Ducks and pigeons are found in great abund ance. New Zealand, like Ireland, is destitute of snakes. The only venomous insects are the katipo, a species of spider, and the centipede, and it is said that people are seldom bitten by them. At all events, no fatal case has ever been recorded. G. W. GRIFFIN, UNITED STATES CONSULATE, Auckland, N. Z., August 15, 1882. Consul. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. Annual report by Consular-Agent Smith, for the colony of South Australia. UNITED STATES CONSULATE, Port Adelaide, February, 1882. PROGRESS OF THE COLONY. It is satifactory to be able to report from year to year that the colony is making substantial progress, notwithstanding the occasional drawback of a bad harvest or a depressed copper market. During the past year the colony has made considerable advancement in material prosperity in spite of both these unfortunate circumstances. At first sight it would seem difficult to account for the apparent anomaly of increased general prosperity, when two such important industries as wheat-growing and copper-mining were in a depressed condition. There is no doubt it is owing in part to the abundance and cheapness of money, and to the rapid increase of population, and the steady pushing forward of railways and other reproductive works throughout the country. The general industry and thrift of the colonists enable them to take advantage of everything that tends to assist their individual efforts, and the settlement of the interior of this vast country is proceeding with wonderful rapidity. At the same time it must be confessed that as regards wheat-growing the seasons beyond a certain limit to the north of the capital, Adelaide, are too uncertain in the matter of rainfall, and many farmers have, by sad experience, learned that in some cases it is useless to contend against nature. The average wheat produce of the colony has diminished during the last three or four years, and in the more remote districts farming is found not to pay, in spite of the facilities afforded by railway carriage to get the wheat cheaply to a port of shipment. Population.-Perhaps the first item to mention in a report of this kind should be the population of the colony. The estimate given in my last report, to the end of 1880, two hundred and sixty-seven thousand six hundred and sixty-two souls, would appear to have been below the mark. From a carefully conducted census of the population taken on April 3, 1881, just three months later, gave the number, 279,865 whites and 6,346 aborigines; together, 286,211, showing an increase in five years of 68,987, or 31.67 per cent. Of the total population there were 153,008 males and 133,203 females. The probable population of the colony at the close of 1881 would not be far short of 300,000. It is interesting to compare the relative increase of the diferent colonies during the past decade. That of South Australia has been 50 per cent.; that of New South Wales 48 per cent., and that of Victoria 17 per cent. Births and deaths.-The statistics of births and deaths for the year are as follows: Births: Males, 5,502; females, 5,206; total, 10,708. Deaths: Males, 2,223; females, 1,789; total, 4,012; leaving a balance of births over deaths of 6,696, or 346 more than the excess of births over deaths in the preceding year; but as there were 446 fewer births in 1881 than in 1880, the proportion shows a much smaller death rate last year. The marriage returns cannot be made up to the end of the year for some weeks to come. The number, roughly estimated, is about 2,300. Live stock. In the year 1881 there was an increase in the number of all classes of live stock in the colony. Sheep increased from 6,140,396 in 1880 to 6,463,897 in 1881; horned cattle, from 266,217 to 307,177; horses, from 130,052 to 157,912; pigs, from 90,548 to 131,011; and goats, from 11,277 to 15,177; these were the numbers at the date of the last census (April 3, 1881). Area. The total area of land in the colony alienated from the Crown at the close of 1881 was 12,793,059 acres, leaving unalienated 565,568,541 acres. The total area of land alienated during the year 1881 was 3,580,644) acres; the total revenue derived from the land during the year being £639,115, or £42,215 more than the previous year. The total sales of land for cash were 34,138 acres for£64,914. The total area of land sold on credit was 597,147 acres, the purchase money for which amounted to £710,037; the deposit paid on which was £71,036. Land under cultivation in 1881 amounted to 2,574,480 acres, showing an increase of 303,422 acres over the previous year. Of this area, that under wheat was fully, in round numbers, 2,000,000 of acres, from which the small return of about 11,000,000 of bushels is expected, or an average of 53 to 5 bushels per acre. The probable total quantity will be about 3,400,000 bushels more than the previous year's harvest; the quantity available for export is not likely to exceed 180,000 tons. The area of land under cultivation is nearly 150 per cent. more than it was ten years ago. The estimate given in last year's report of the total area under cultivation was a very close approximation, being 23,422 acres within the actual amount. It is difficult to arrive at an estimate of the area of land under other crops than wheat, until the official returns are published in April or May, as the acreage of barley, oats, pease, &c., varies very considerably from year to year. In 1880-'81 there were 272,567 acres under hay; 13,074 of barley. The land held under pastoral leases comprises 220,500 square miles. Public works have been rapidly pushed ahead during the last year; 320 miles of railway have been completed and opened since December, 1880, making a grand total now in work of 984 miles, or one mile to every 305 head of the population, whereas last year it was one mile of rail to every 422 head of the population. There are, in addition to the lines already open, 146 miles authorized or in course of construction. Of the lines opened for traffic, 2734 miles are on the 5 feet 3 inches gauge and 7104 on the 3 feet 6 inches gauge. This break of gauge has proved to be a great blunder, though probably the 5 feet 3 inches gauge was not the best that might have been selected in the first instance. Had the best English gauge of 4 feet 8 inches been adopted at first a great deal of expense might have been saved, and probably the break of gauge, which has since caused so much inconvenience, would never have been proposed. Nearly all the new lines are now being constructed on the 3 feet 6 inches gauge. While the railways have been the principal public works carried out, they have not been the only ones; a good deal has been done in extending our system of water supply. The rapid increase of population in the city and suburbs and the growth of our shipping trade have necessitated arrangements for a larger supply of water from various reservoirs in the hills, and 50 miles of new water-mains have been laid. The population of the district served by these works is nearly 90,000. The Hope Valley reservoir has had a depth of 45 feet of water, which gives a capacity of 563,000,000 of gallons. The other reservoir at Thorndon Park contains 138,000,000 of gallons. At the important northern ports, Augusta and Pirio, the new mains are nearly completed, and arrangements have been made for collecting an increased supply of water from springs in the hills beyond those towns. At Kapunda and Gawler, two of the oldest provincial towns in the colony, reservoirs have been constructed. That at Kapunda, depending on the supply collected from surface drainage, is nearly dry; that at Gawler is built of concrete and supplied from a well by means of steam-pumping machinery. The reservoir holds only 250,000 gallons, but the supply obtainable from the well is considered practically inexhaustible. In other localities near the city auxiliary res ervoirs have been constructed to equalize the distribution of the water pressure. During the latter half of the year a powerful boring machine, imported from England, has been erected in the yard of the water-works department, at the eastern boundary of the city. This machine combines the diamond drill with a sort of shell-auger arrangement, for boring through the softer strata. It is capable of boring a hole 12 inches in diameter, and is considered one of the most perfect boring machines yet invented. It is said to be at present the only one of the kind in existence. The total amounts expended during 1881 by the hydraulic engineers' department was £216,000, of which £141,000 was for water-works and £75,000 on the city sewers. The main sewers are now completed and many of the street sewers also. The principal sewage has for more than twelve months been flowing through the mains to the sewage farm, about 8 miles from the city. The scheme so far has proved completely successful. A considerable sum has been appropriated by the government to be expended in providing wells, dams, and reservoirs for water in the far interior of the colony, which is unfortunately deficient in rivers or springs. The amount of £250,000 has been put down for these important works, but probably not more than one-third of it will be expended during the current year. Street tramways are being extended through the suburbs, and generally prove paying speculations. The increase of traffic which follows their construction is surprising. A large number of handsome and costly buildings for commercial and private purposes have been erected during the year, and every month witnesses some improvement in the architectural appearance of Adelaide. 4277-51 Referring again to the outer-harbor scheme, for the accommodation of large ocean steamers not requiring to come into port. Conflicting interests, however, have caused any practicable scheme to be abandoned. Exports.-The exports for 1881 show a considerable falling off when compared with those of the previous year, the figures being respectively £4,624,930 and £5,574,505. The imports for the two years were (1881) £5,377,517 and (1880) £5,581,497. The deficient harvest of last year caused a difference in the exports of breadstuffs alone to the value of £1,142,148, the total value of breadstuffs exported in 1881 being only £1,324,426, as against £2,466,574 in 1880. The export of wool was somewhat less, but this does not necessarily prove the produce of the year to be smaller, as the export in the year depends to a great extent on the facility of river communication, and of cartage from the far interior. The wool exported in 1881 was 137,177 bales, valued at £1,883,362, as against 148,734 bales, worth £2,065,156, in 1880. The export of minerals, though still very low in comparison with that of former years, when copper was at a higher price, shows a little improvement on the previous year. The value of these exports in 1881 and 1880 were, respectively, £415,796 and £346,147, but even the larger amount of last year was barely over half what it was in the year 1866. The progress of mineral discovery, however, has received a great impetus during the past twelve months, and further reference will be made to this presently. The wine export of 1881, though still much smaller in amount than what the colony is capable of producing, showed an increase of more than 50 per cent. over that of 1880, the respective values being stated at £12,724 and £8,244. The quantity exported in 1881 was, however, much larger, and it is difficult to account for the discrepancy in the proportionate value, especially as the quality of the native wines is improving every year. The quantities exported were 53,308 gallons in 1881 and 29,650 gallons in 1880, in which year the statistical returns in April gave the acreage in vineyards as 4,337, and the quantity of wine made as 500,955 gallons. At the annual wine show, open to all nations, held in Adelaide in January, 1882, the improvement in the South Australian wines was very marked, and there was not one exhibit of inferior quality. In former years occasionally many samples have been condemned by the judges. The wines produced are of almost all classes, from the light wines, like those of France and Germany, to the stronger and richer products of Spain and Portugal; and the South Australian wines are rapidly competing with those of the older continental countries, while for purity they are far more to be relied upon than those imported from British manufacturers. Banks and banking.-The savings-bank returns to the end of the financial year, June 30, 1881, show a marked improvement, which is a tolerably sure index of the general prosperity of the people; the following is a summary: Number of new accounts opened during the year, 8,481, being 1,025 more than the new accounts opened in the previous year. Number of depositors at the close of the year, 37,742, showing an increase of 3,455. Amount deposited during the year, £823,259, being an increase of £218,622 over the previous year. Amount drawn out. £662,433, or £45,412 in advance of 1880. Amount of depositors' balances at the close of 1881, £1,249,467, or £215,510 more than in 1880. Average |