362
THE BRITISH EMPIRE : — AUSTRALIA
Communications. Government Railways for the year ending June 30, 1919 : —
State or Federal
Miles Open
!Cost of Con- struction <fe
Passengers Carried
Goods and Live Stock
Gross Receipts
Working Expenses
] G\£UipillCUI>
carried
£
Number
Tons
£,
£
N.S. Wales .
4,825
70,601,591
98,56S,76S 12,714,012
9,958,178
6,904,450
Victoria .
4,190
! 57,403,576
111,904,786 i 6,515,470
6,432,277
4,279,663
Queensland
5,460
1 3S,244,494
26,414,8171 3,783,834
3,964,597
3,690,445
S. Australia .
2,290
18,649,979
20,176,544 i 2,618,510
2,391,409
1,829,034
Western Australia .
3,588
1 17,995,941
17,325,424 i 2,379,403
1,872,897
1,567,591
Tasmania
601
5,076,014
1,8S9,102 472,926
401,364
324,595
Federal-
Trans- An s tralian
1,051
6,911,624
23,942
116,971
175,134
243,988
Oodnadatta .
478
2,282,973
51,516
57,565
58,286
111,302
Federal Territory
5
48,124 1,707,392
93
4,385 35,124
407 32,237
1,288
N. Territory
200
5,842
50,617
. Total .
22,647
224,021,708
276,360,834
28,697,700
25,306,781
19,003,633
In 1912 the building of the trans- Australian railway from Port Augusta in South Australia to Kalgoorlie in Western Australia was commenced, and was opened in November 1917, the length being 1,051 miles. A trans- continental railway from north to south, also over 1,000 miles in length, i9 under consideration.
In Victoria a scheme for the electrification of the railways is being carried out. Electric railways are also to be constructed in Sydney.
The State railway gauge is: — In N.S. Wales, . 4ft, 8£in. (40 miles, 3ft. 6in.) ; in Victoria, 5ft. Sin. (122 miles, 2ft. 6in.) ; in Queensland, 3ft. 6in. (29 miles, 2ft. Oin.); in South Australia, 5ft. 3in. for 1,080 miles, the rest, 3ft. 6in. ; in W. Australia, 3ft. 6in. ; and in Tasmania, 3ft. 6in. (24 miles, 2ft. Oin.). Of the Federal lines, the gauge of the Trans- Australian and Federal Territory is 4ft. 8iin. ; and that of the Oodnadatta and Northern Territory is 3ft. Sin- Private railways in Commonwealth, open for general traffic, 1919, 1,125 miles ; not open for general traffic, 1,885 miles.
Postal and telegraph business, year ended June 30, 1919 : number of Post and Receiving Offices, 8,334 ; letters and cards received and despatched, 553,958,599; newspapers, books, and circulars, 135,970,037; parcels, 6,002,890 : packets, 43,527,789 ; telegrams and cablegrams, 20,331,541. Receipts, 1918-19 : Post Office, 2,998,7247. ; telegraphs and telephones, 2,763,4667. Expenses: Post Office, telegraphs and telephones, 5,677,7837. (including interest on transferred properties).
Wireless telegraphy stations are in operation in all the state capitals, anc in certain other places.
Money and Credit.
On January 20, 1913, the Commonwealth Bank was opened at Sj Branches have been opened at the other State capitals, also at ToWBBI Canberra, London, and several country centres. Deposits at December 1918, were 50,823,6507. The bank started without capital, and began to niak: profits in 1913-14. Down to the end of 1919 its profits totalled 1,923,000
There are, besides, 20 private banks trading in the Commonwealth. Ttfl paid-up capital on June 80 1919, was 85,696,9407., and the amount reserved profits 21,620,5267.
