The foregoing table indicates that the gross earnings have increased from £626 per average mile open to £842, and the net earnings from £235 to £280, the return for last year being the highest secured during the decennial period-evidence of the fact that the extensions in recent years have been judicious, and that the volume of traffic has been maintained.

Coaching and Goods Traffic.

The following table shows the number of passengers carried on the lines of the Colony during the year ended 31st March, 1882, and for the last ten years, together with the receipts from the traffic, and the average receipts per journey :-

It will be observed that there was a falling off during the decennial period in the average receipts per journey. The continued increase in the number of passengers carried is, however, very marked, the advance for the closing year of the period being upwards of 1,112,000, while the receipts from the traffic rose by over £72,000. Taking the returns for the year ended 31st March, 1884, as a basis, it has been found that those for 1902 show an increase of only 29 per cent. in the number of passengers who travelled first-class, while the increase in those who travelled second-class was not less than 108 per cent. While the marked prosperity of the past four years has induced more passengers to travel first-class, it is none the less evident that the tendency is towards one class of carriage, as already exists in the case of tramways.

The amount of goods tonnage for a similar period is shown in the following table:

The large increase in the tonnage of goods carried during 1900 over preceding years was caused by the bountiful harvest in the Middle Island, which was carried at freight rates averaging 20 per cent. below those ruling in the previous year. The further increase of 211,813 tons for 1901, was contributed to by all descriptions of goods, with the exception of wool. The grain traffic for 1901 compared with that of 1899 shows an increase of 84 per cent. The increase during 1902 over the traffic of 1901 was 189,490 tons. Increases occur under all the various headings, the largest being in grain and timber, the traffic in each class, with the exception of wool, being the largest on record.

The subdivision of the tonnage of goods and live stock for the year ended 31st March, 1902, is shown in the following table. Particulars of the goods traffic are set forth in seven classes, but the average distance for which goods of each class were carried cannot be given, and there are no data available showing the average earnings per ton per mile.

TRAMWAYS.

In all the Australasian states tramways are in operation, but it is chiefly in Sydney and Melbourne, the inhabitants of which numbered at the latest date 496,990 and 501,580 respectively, that the density of settlement has necessitated the general adoption of this mode of transit

In New South Wales the three systems of electric, cable, and steam traction are in vogue. Within the metropolitan area, however, the electric is being substituted for steam power. The length of line under electric traction on the 30th September, 1902, was 45 miles 15 chains, comprising 11 miles 67 chains at North Sydney; 2 miles 27 chains, Ocean-street, Woollahra, to Dover Road, 3 miles 36 chains, George-street-Harris-street tramway; 4 miles 11 chains, Glebe Junction to Newtown, Marrickville, and Dulwich Hill; 2 miles 73 chains, Forest Lodge Junction to Leichhardt; 2 miles 57 chains, Newtown to St. Peters and Cook's River; 1 mile 53 chains, Railway to Bridgestreet; 5 miles 55 chains, Waverley and Bondi; 2 miles 28 chains, Railway to Glebe and Forest Lodge; 2 miles 66 chains, Forest Lodge to Balmain; 1 mile 26 chains, Redfern to Moore Park; 3 miles 20 chains, Pitt and Castlereagh streets to Fort Macquarie; and 55 chains, Georgestreet to Miller's Point. The only line worked by cable traction is that from King-street, Sydney, to Ocean-street, in the suburb of Woollahra, a distance of 2 miles 32 chains. On the remaining lines steam motors are still used. The length of Government tram lines open to 30th June, 1902, was 104 miles, which had cost for construction and equipment £2,829,363. The receipts for the year wele £631,757, and the working expenses £541,984, leaving a profit of £89,773, or 3·17 per cent. on the invested capital. The number of passengers carried during 1902 was 108,135,111.

In Victoria the cable system is in operation in the metropolitan area, the lines having been constructed by a municipal trust at a cost of £1,705,794. The tramways are leased to a company, and the receipts for the year ended 30th June, 1902, were £474,835. The number of passengers carried during the year was 47,261,571. The miles of track operated on were 43 cable and 3 horse lines, or 47 miles of double track. Besides the lines of the Tramway Trust, there are additional suburban systems worked by limited liability companies, as follows :— Horse, 8 miles; electric, 4 miles; and cable, 24 miles.

In Queensland there is a system of electric trams controlled by a private company. The only information available shows that the capital of the company is £750,000 fully paid up, and that there are also debentures to the amount of £400,000. Particulars as to receipts and disbursements are not available, but the report presented to the shareholders in London during May, 1902, showed a net profit of £42,815 for the period from 20th November, 1900, to 31st December, 1901. The length of the tramways is 25 miles, or 43 miles of single line.

The company owned seventy-nine electric cars, and during the year 1901, 16,183,801 passengers were carried.

In South Australia there are no Government tramways, but horse trams are run in the principal streets of Adelaide by private companies. No particulars have been collected respecting the length of the lines, nor of the returns therefrom. A proposal is under consideration for the substitution of electric traction on these lines.

The Western Australian Government owns a line of horse tramway on a 2-foot gauge between Roeburne and Cossack, a length of 83 miles, constructed at a cost of £23,467. For the year ended 30th June, 1901, the gross earnings were £1,981, and the working expenses £2,285, leaving the loss on working expenses at £304.

The

In Tasmania there is an electric tramway from Hobart railway station, about 9 miles in length, owned by a private company. The cost of construction and equipment was £90,000; and the company possesses 20 cars. For the year ended 31st December, 1901, the receipts amounted to £16,097, and the working expenses, to £12,342. passengers carried during the twelve months numbered 1,284,552 There is also a steam system at Zeehan, 2 miles in length, constructed at a cost of £3,212. No information is available as to the receipts, but the working expenses for the year ended 31st December, 1899, were £1,948. The number of passengers carried during the twelve months was 24,219.

There are also tramways in existence in New Zealand under municipal and private management, but no particulars in regard to them are at present available.

919

POSTS AND TELEGRAPHS.

THE HE first Australasian post-office was established by Governor Macquarie in the year 1810, Mr. Isaac Nichols being appointed Postmaster. The office was in High-street (now known as George-street), Sydney, at the residence of Mr. Nichols, who was, "in consideration of the trouble and expense attendant upon this duty," allowed to charge on delivery to the addressee 8d. for every English or foreign letter of whatever weight, and for every parcel weighing not more than 20 lb., 1s. 6d., and exceeding that weight, 3s. The charge on Colonial letters was 4d., irrespective of weight; and soldiers' letters, or those addressed to their wives, were charged 1d. Very little improvement in regard to postal matters took place for some years.

In 1825 an Act was passed by Sir Thomas Brisbane, with the advice of the Council, "to regulate the postage of letters in New South Wales," giving power for the establishment of post-offices, and to fix the rates of postage. It was not, however, until 1828 that the provisions of the Act were put into full force. The rates of postage appear to have depended upon the distance and the difficulty of transmission. The lowest single inland rate was 3d., and the highest 12d., the postage on a letter increasing according to its weight, which was fixed for a single letter at ounce. Letters between New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land were charged 3d. each (ship rate), and newspapers 1d. Other ship letters were charged 4d. single rate, and 6d. for any weight in excess. The privilege of franking was allowed to the Governor and a number of the chief public officials, and letters to and from convicts passed free under certain regulations.

In 1831 a twopenny post was established in Sydney; and in 1835, under Sir Richard Bourke, the Act of 1825 was repealed and another Act was passed, fixing the charge on a single letter at 4d. for 15 miles, 5d. for 20 miles, 6d. for 30 miles, and so on up to 1s. for 300 miles. In 1837 a post-office was established in Melbourne, and a fortnightly mail was established between that city and Sydney. Stamps were introduced in the same year in the shape of stamped covers or envelopes, which are believed to have been the first postage-stamps ever issued. By 1838 there were 40 post-offices in the state of New South Wales, which at that time, of course, included the territory now known as Victoria and Queensland; and in the Sydney office about 15 persons were employed. The revenue of the Department for the year was £8,390, and the expenditure £10,347; while payments were made by