COMMERCE, SHIPPING, ETC.
413
Agricultural production and yield per acre :—
1919-20
Crop
Yield per Acre
Wheat, bushels. Oats, „ .
Pease, ,,
•218.5S9
1,242,2. : >S
300,545
18-6 35-8 IS *
V I A* R, to:.- Hay
Fruit, bushels
1919-20
Crop
88,fli
143.053
Yiela per
Acre
1 4 9-4
Wheat-growiug has declined to insignificance. The production of oats, pease, potatoes and hay is steady, with seasonal variations. Fruit-growing (chiefly apples) i* increasing. Tho last four seasons have been poor. The prospects tor 1920-21 are very good. Live-stock in 1920 : Horses, 39,452 ; cattle. 214,442 ; sheep, 1,731,425 ; pigs, 35,530. The numbers of all live- stock remain steady. There is a temporary shortage of pigs. The wool-clip, 11 million pounds in 1919-20, is a little above the average.
forests cover a considerable part of the island. The mills cut 56,800,000 s. feet of timber in 1919. The export of logs is not recorded. The present demand for timber is causing a boom in saw-milling. Value of mineral pro- duction in 1919 :— Copper, 504,961/. ; tin, 395,794/. ; silver-lead, 189,967*. ; ziuc, 75,001/. ; tungsten, 69.794/. ; coal, 47,004/. ; osmiridium, 39,614/. ; gold, 32,650/. The total mineral production has averaged 1,500,000/. for the last 20 years, increased prices balancing decreased quantities. Copper, tin and coal remain fairly steady in total value, but gold has fallen away greatly. Osmiridium is growing in importance, and silver-lead mining gives promise of revival. Tungsten ores (wolfram and scheelite) fell greatly in price in 1920, and production is decreasing.
Mantkacturrs — The two important manufactures for export are metal extraction and fruit-preserving. Others that have an output beyond local requirements are woollen mills and breweries. The carbide works at North- West Bay are expected to supply the needs of all Australia. The chief recent industrial development has been the provision, by a State department, of cheap hydroelectric power for manufacturing purposes. The Great Lake scheme is designed to supply 70,000 h.p. At present 18,000 lip. are being generated, and an extension to 42,000 h.p. under construction. The total power so far surveyed for practicable schemes is 216,000 h p. Power in large blocks has been sold as low as 21. per h p. per annum. Important applications of this power are to metal extraction and manufacture of carbide of calcium. The Electrolytic Zinc Works at Kisdon, with an output of 15 tons per day, arc being enlarged to a capacity of 100 tons per day. This plant will treat the complex ores of the West Coast, as well as the Broken Hill ore, on which it is now operating.
Commerce, Shipping, &c.
The commerce of Tasmania, exclusive of inter-State trade, is comprised in the statement of the commerce of Australia, given under the heading of the Commonwealth. Imports and exports : —
-
una
1915-16
1916-17
1917-181
1918-19
Total imports .... Total exports ....
£
1.0-J'..l.sl
o-22, S<k.
982,849
£
1,161,576
900,161
£
£
smjst
t Excluding bullion and specie.
