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414 THE BRITISH EMPIRE: — NORTHERN TERRITORY

The Commonwealth alone collects statistics relating to imports and exports, which are restricted to trade external to Australia. No information is available as to inter- State or to indirect foreign trade.

The exports are chiefly wool, gold, silver, tin, timber, fruit and jam, hops, grain, hides and skins, bark.

The registered shipping in 1918 consisted of 90 sailing vessels of 3,586 tons, and 102 steamers of 12,459 tons ; total, 192 vessels of 16,045 tons. For shipping, railways, posts and telegraphs, see under Commonwealth of Australia.

Savings Banks.

The number of depositors in Saviugs Banks, including the Commonwealth Savings Bank, at March 31, 1S*19, was 98,100, and the amount on deposit 3,152,435/.

Books of Reference.

Statistics of Tasmania. Annual. Pocket Year Bouk of Statistics. Annual.

Annual Reports of Departments : Mining, Hydro-electric, Education, Industrial, <fcc. Geological Survey Reports.

Reports on General Elections, 1913. Also 1909, 1912, 1916, 1919.

Tasinanian Handbook, 1914. Addenda, 1919.

Crown Lands Guide. Timber Pamphlets.

Johnston (R. M ), Systematic Geology of Tasmania, 1888.

liodway (L.), Tasmanian Flora, 1903.

Walker {3. B.), Early Tasmania. 2nd ed., 1914.

British Association Tasinanian Handbook, 1914.

(The above are published by the Government Printer, Hobart). Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania Hobait. Fenton (J.), History of Tasmania. Hobart, 1884.

Both (H. Ling), The Aborigines of Tasmania. 2nd ed. Halifax, 1914. •Smith (G ), A Naturalist in Tasmania. Oxford, 1909. Waich's Tasmanian Almanac. Hobart. Annual. West (J), History of Tasmania. Launceston, 1852. See also under Australia.

THE NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA. Government.

The Northern Territory, after forming part of New South Wales, was annexed by Royal Letters Patent, dated July 6, 1863, to South Australia. On the establishment of Federation in 1901, the Territory entered the Commonwealth as a corporate part of the State of South Australia. The Commonwealth Constitution Act of 1900 made provision for the surrender to the Commonwealth of any territory by any State, and under this provision an agreement was entered into on December 7, 1907, by the Commonwealth and South Australia for the transfer of the Northern Territory to the former. After the necessary legislation approving this agreement had been passed by the two parliaments concerned, the Territory formally passed under the control of the Commonwealth Government on January 1, 1911. The Commonwealth at the same time assumed responsibility for the State loans contracted by South Australia on behalf of the territory ; it took over by purchase the railway from Port Augusta to Oodnadatta ; and it undertook to construct a transcontinental railway from Pine Creek southwards to the boundary of South Australia, and to connect these two railways. On June 30, 1919, tho public debt was 3,470,46R

A local Advisory Council has been established, consisting of trade union representatives and (iovernment officials, the latter predominating. It is proposed to give tho territory representation in the Federal Parliament.

Administrator. — F. C. Urqulwrt.