State.

The following table shows the proportions held by the principal denominations of the total population of each state at the enumerations of 1871, 1881, 1891, and 1901:

From the foregoing table it will be seen that while there were fluctuations in individual states, the relative strength of the principal denominations in the whole of Australasia showed but little alteration during the thirty years from 1871 to 1901. The Church of England at the census of 1871 embraced 39.1 per cent. of the population, and at that of 1901 40.5 per cent. The Roman Catholic Church receded from 23.1 per cent. in 1871 to 22.2 per cent. in 1881, and to 21.1 per cent. in 1891 while there was a slight increase to 21.6 per cent. in

All Others.

1901. The Presbyterian Church receded from 13.6 per cent. in 1871 to 13-4 per cent. in 1881 and 130 in 1891, rising again in 1901 to 13.5 per cent. The various Methodist bodies, which have been classed together, increased from 10.5 per cent. in 1871 to 10.9 per cent. in 1881, 11-4 per cent. in 1891, and 13-2 per cent. in 1901. Congregationalists remained almost stationary during the first three enumerations, but in 1901 the proportion receded to 18 per cent of the total. The percentage of Baptists at the enumeration of 1871 was 2 per cent., rising gradually to 2.4 per cent, at the census of 1901. At each of the four census periods the proportion of Jews remained the same, namely, 0·4 per cent. The column headed "All others" shows a decrease from 8.9 per cent. to 6.6 per cent. during the period. This column contains all the minor denominations, of which none are at all numerous except Lutherans in Queensland and South Australia; those whose denomination could hardly be classed as a religion; and all those who, from conscientious scruples, took advantage of the clauses of the Census Acts by which the filling in of the column "Religious Denomination" was left optional.

THE DENOMINATIONS IN 1901.

The numbers of adherents of the various denominations in each state of the Australian Commonwealth at the census of 1901 were as follows:

The last heading, "Others," includes persons of no professed religious persuasion, those who objected to state their religious belief, and those whose religion was not ascertained. The large number of non-Christians in Queensland is accounted for by the presence in that state of numbers of Asiatics and other coloured aliens.

The numbers in New Zealand and in the whole of Australasia were

The approximate strength of the various denominations in the Commonwealth and in Australasia at the end of 1903 was as follows:

889

FOOD SUPPLY AND COST OF LIVING.

ONSIDERING the comparatively high rate of wages which prevails,

food of all kinds is fairly cheap in Australasia, and articles of diet which in other countries are almost within the category of luxuries are largely used even by the poorer classes. The average annual consumption per inhabitant of the principal articles of common diet, based on the experience of the last ten years, is given below:

Beef

..

154 5 116 1
113.7

71.0

Mutton

Pork and Bacon

190 4 1270 1421 101.5 1345 900 125.8 38.2 75.0 134.3 73.8 91.0 110.0 94.2 12.0 11.8 13.5 11:4 32.5 12.2 13:5 12.5 13.3

It will be seen that the consumption of wheat in the Commonwealth. is 353 lb., ranging from 325 lb. in Victoria to 455 lb. in Western Australia, the average consumption for Australasia being 360 lb. per head. There is in all the states a tendency towards reducing the consumption of bread-stuffs, the place of bread being taken by potatoes and other vegetables. In Western Australia and in Tasmania the large influx of miners some years ago materially increased the consumption of bread-stuff's, as shown by the high figures in the above table, but of late years the tendency in these, as in the other states, is towards a smaller consumption. The consumption of rice remains about the same from year to year, the average being 9.9 lb., varying from 5.7 lb. in Tasmania to 17.9 lb. in Western Australia. The consumption of rice increases greatly as an advance is made from the temperate to tropical regions. At Port Darwin rice is not only the staple food of the Chinese, but of the great bulk of the European population, the average annual consumption per head being, Chinese, 450 lb. Japanese, 200 lb. Europeans 50 lb. The use of tea is universal in Australia, but there has been a perceptible decline in the quantity used during the last fifteen years. The consumption is largest in Western Australia, with 9.7 lb. per head, while South

Australia comes next with 8.2 lb. per head. Sugar also enters largely into consumption, the average in the two principal states being 109 lb. per head in New South Wales and 98 lb. in Victoria. The figure for Queensland is based on the returns of production and export; the consumption for 1903 appears to have been only 100.5 lb. per head. Coffee is not a universal beverage in Australasia, the consumption being only one-twelfth that of tea. It is used most largely in Western Australia, where the annual demand amounts to 12.8 oz. per head; but, like tea, the consumption of this beverage is not now so great as formerly. In some of the states the consumption of potatoes per head of population may be less than is shown in the table. It is probable that the high average consumption of 651.8 lb. in Tasmania and 536.5 lb. in New Zealand is caused by the failure of the New South Wales and other continental markets to absorb the production of potatoes in excess of local requirements in those states, with the result that a quantity has to be given to live stock and poultry. Under these circumstances, it is impossible to determine with exactitude the quantity entering into the food consumption of the population.

The consumption of meat has been ascertained with exactness for five of the states, but these may be taken as fairly representing the whole group. The average quantity of beef annually consumed in the Commonwealth amounts to 134.5 lb. per head; of mutton, to 91.0 lb. ; and of pork, 13.5 lb. ; in all, 239-0 lb. It would thus appear that each inhabitant requires daily nearly two-thirds of a pound of meat, and that during the year two sheep are killed for each member of the community, and one bullock to every five persons. It is obvious, therefore, that much meat must be wasted. The consumption in New Zealand cannot be accurately determined, but it is probable that about 212-5 lb. of meat is the average annual consumption per inhabitant, of which beef comprises 900 lb.; mutton, 1100 lb.; and pork, 12.5 lb.

The quantity of meat used by the Australasian people, as shown by the above figures, is the most remarkable feature of their diet. The consumption per inhabitant in Germany is 64 lb., while in Australia it is nearly four times that quantity. In the United States, a meat-exporting country, the consumption is about two-thirds of that of Australasia. The following table shows the meat consumption per head for the principal countries of the world :