fined in the Constitution. The Australian Senate consists of six members from each of the states, elected at the same election as the members of the lower house, but by all the electors of each state voting as one constituency except in Queensland, which is divided into two constituencies. The Representatives, elected in separate districts, will be kept down to double the numbers of the Senate. Members of both houses will be paid and will receive the same salary. Ministers in taking office do not vacate their seats, as in England. A measure that the House of Representatives has passed may be rejected by the Senate, and if brought before it in the succeeding session may be rejected again, after which the Government may dissolve both houses and order new elections. If the newly elected House of Representatives passes the same measure and the Senate again rejects it, then there is to be a joint session of both houses, in which the decision is made by a simple majority vote.

A constitutional amendment must first be passed by an absolute majority of both houses of Parliament, and then in not less than two or not more than six months be submitted in each state to the electors qualified to vote for members of the House of Representatives. If one of the houses of Parliament fails to pass the proposed amendment or makes an amendment to it to which the other will not agree, and if it is again passed by the former after three months in the same or the next session and it is again rejected by the other, the Governor General may submit it to the popular vote either with or without any amendments subsequently agreed to by both houses. The people shall vote in such manner as the Parliament prescribes; but until the qualification of electors becomes uniform throughout the commonwealth only half the votes shall be counted in states in which adult suffrage prevails. If in a majority of the states a majority of the electors approve of the proposed law, and if a majority of all the electors voting also approve, the proposed law shall be presented to the Governor General for the Queen's assent. No alteration diminishing the proportionate representation of any state in either house of the Parliament, or the minimum number of representatives of a state in the House of Representatives, or increasing, diminishing, or otherwise altering the limits of the state, or in any manner affecting the provisions of the Constitution in relation thereto, shall become law unless the majority of the electors voting in that state approve the proposed law.

Western Australia held out when the other colonies voted to join the federation, in the hope of securing special amendments in view of its undeveloped condition, such as differential railroad rates in favor of Western Australian coal and protective duties against the other colonies. After agreeing to railroad connection with South Australia without differential freight rates, the Western Australian Government still asked for the right to impose tariff duties, not to exceed the existing duties. The bill provided that the colony might tax imports from other colonies temporarily, the duties to be reduced by 20 per cent. a year until in five years they would disappear. Sir John Forrest, the Premier of Western Australia, asked for fiscal freedom for the five years, the other colonies to be equally free to tax Western Australian goods. To this the other Premiers would not agree, fearing that it might open the door for other amendments. The British Government, through which the request was presented to the Premiers, urged Western Australia to reconsider its attitude and take steps to enter the

federation as an original state. This Western Australia decided to do, and made arrangements to have a referendum taken previous to the proclamation of the commonwealth. The Parliament, summoned to a special session on May 17, decided to submit the bill as amended by the conference of Premiers to the people of Western Australia. The bill was passed on June 7, and the date of the referendum was fixed for Aug. 7. There were 44,704 affirmative and 19,691 negative votes. New Zealand sent a delegate to London to seek through the Imperial Government amendments to the bill providing for immediate action in organizing the common defense, giving New Zealand the right to take part at once in the Federal High Court, and reserving the right to join the commonwealth as an original state at any time within seven years. To these propositions the Premiers could not agree, replying to the inquiries of the Colonial Office that they had no authority to consent to amendments.

The British Colonial Secretary, Joseph Chamberlain, requested the several colonies to send delegates to explain and give assistance when the commonwealth bill should come before the Imperial Parliament. The Premiers agreed in conference that each colony should appoint a delegate, and that such delegates when appointed should represent all the federating colonies in unitedly urging the passage of the bill without amendment and in explaining any legal and constitutional questions that might arise. When the delegates arrived in London Mr. Chamberlain suggested several amendments to the draft constitution, in answer to which they signed a memorandum reciting their instructions to advocate the passage of the bill without amendment. Mr. Chamberlain, in dispatches to the several Australian governments, requested that the instructions be enlarged to enable the delegates to consider with the Colonial Secretary the form in which amendments might be made so as to render them acceptable to the Australian people. The Premiers declined to accept amendments, urging that the bill as it was embodied the Constitution desired by the Australian people, having been prepared by an elected convention and ratified by a referendum. The Secretary of State for the Colonies objected to the clause making the Federal High Court, instead of the Privy Council, the final court of appeal. He considered that an important link of empire would be impaired and divergency would spring up where in the general interests unity is most desirable. In interpreting the constitution and fixing the boundary between the powers of commonwealth and states the final decision, in his opinion, should lie with the highest tribunal of the empire, beyond suspicion of local bias or predilection. The Imperial Parliament could scarcely allow the Australian High Court to decide whether commonwealth laws, those affecting British shipping or laws on the fisheries, for instance, are ultra vires. Banking houses and commercial institutions that had investments in Australia had a strong feeling against the limitation to the right to appeal to the Privy Council. The objections to the existing imperial court of appeal would not hold against the new court which the Government proposed to create by amalgamating the judicial committee of the Privy Council with the House of Lords and providing for the adequate representation of the great colonies in the new court by calling into the House of Peers a number of colonial jurists. Another amendment upon which Mr. Chamberlain insisted was an express statement that the colonial laws validity act of 1865 will apply to laws of the commonwealth.

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The question of the right of appeal from the Australian High Court to the Privy Council has been under discussion since the scheme of federation was discussed at the first meeting of the convention at Adelaide. When the Premiers visited England, on the occasion of the Queen's Jubilee in 1897, Mr. Chamberlain urged reconsideration. It was accordingly reconsidered at Melbourne, and finally the compromise contained in the bill was adopted. The Australians were unwilling to resign the right of having their Constitution interpreted by their own tribunal, and believed that by excepting cases in which the public interests of the United Kingdom or of other colonies were involved they conceded all that was necessary and right. But the term public interests seemed to the Colonial Secretary vague and indefinite. In the course of further discussion between the delegates and the Colonial Secretary, James R. Dickson, the Queensland delegate, separated himself from his colleagues and expressed himself in favor of accepting the proposed amendments in order to get the commonwealth bill passed as early as possible. Sir Julian Salomons, serving provisionally as delegate from New South Wales, approved the amendments for similar reasons. The Australian governments, however, contended that the right of deciding Australian constitutional questions should reside in the tribunals of Australia. After further conference Mr. Chamberlain arranged a compromise with the delegates, allowing the Executive Government to determine whether an appeal from the High Court to the Privy Council should be allowed. This proposal to confound executive and judicial powers was universally condemned in Australia. The Victorian delegate was superseded. The Government of Queensland asserted the right to leave to Parliament and people the decision whether they would accept a constitution into which such a principle was introduced. Further conferences between the delegates and the Secretary of State resulted in a new compromise, according to which interstate and constitutional questions shall be finally settled by the Federal High Court unless that tribunal rules that the question is one which ought to be settled by the Privy Council. Private litigants may carry their cases from the state Supreme Court either to the Federal High Court or to the Privy Council. If they desire to appeal from the decision of the High Court to the Privy Council they must obtain permission from the Privy Council. This amendment proved accept able in Australia and was adopted by the British Parliament, though New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia would have preferred the clause in the original draft, while Queensland and Western Australia objected to any restriction of the right to appeal to the imperial court, and New Zealand also desired the plenary right to appeal. The new clause runs as follows: No appeal shall be permitted to the Queen in Council from a decision of the High Court upon any question howsoever arising as to the limits inter se of the constitutional powers of the commonwealth and those of any state or states or as to the limits inter se of the constitutional powers of any two or more states, unless the High Court shall certify that the question is one which ought to be determined by her Majesty in Council.

The position taken by Mr. Dickson was approved by his Government, which had opposed from the beginning the restricting of the right of appeal to the Privy Council. Newspapers and commercial bodies in the other colonies sustained the view of the Imperial Government, and so did

the chief justices of all seven Australasian colonies. The Government of New Zealand protested against the transfer of the appellate jurisdiction from the metropolitan to the Australian authorities. The Premiers of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania, while pleading for the passage of the bill as it stood, did not question the constitutional right of the British Parliament to alter its provisions.

The bill was introduced in the British House of Commons by Mr. Chamberlain on May 15, with the amendments on which the Imperial Government insisted. The only alteration in the Constitution as drafted in Australia was the deletion of the entire clause restricting the right of appeal from the High Court to the Privy Council, and empowering the commonwealth Parliament to make further restrictions. The bill was altered so as to allow Western Australia to come into the federation as an original state, and an amendment was added which provides that, notwithstanding anything in the Constitution, the Queen's prerogative to grant special leave to appeal to the Privy Council may be exercised with respect to any judgment or order of the High Court of the commonwealth or the Supreme Court of any state.

The Earl of Hopetoun, born Sept. 20, 1860, who was Governor of Australia from 1889 to 1895 and since Lord Chamberlain, was appointed to be the first Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia, and Jan. 1, 1901, was fixed for its proclamation, its inauguration to take place at Sydney, but the future capital to be determined by the Federal Parliament. The Federal Parliament, as is provided in the Constitution, will sit at Melbourne until the new seat of Government is fixed. It is to be placed within territory granted to or acquired by the commonwealth and vested in it, of not less than 100 square miles in area, situated in the state of New South Wales, but distant not less than 100 miles from Sydney. The representation in the Federal House of Representatives, as calculated for the five colonies that applied for federation, is as follows: New South Wales, 23 members; Victoria, 20; Queensland, 8; South Australia, 6; Tasmania, 5; total, 62 members.

New South Wales.-The Legislative Council contains 69 members, who are nominated for life by the Governor. The Legislative Assembly has 125 members, elected in separate districts by all males of full age who are qualified by a residence of twelve months in the colony. At the election of July 27, 1898, the number of electors registered was 324,338, which was 24.28 per cent. of the population; the number who voted was 178,717, which was 56.41 per cent. of the number registered in contested districts. The Governor, appointed in January, 1899, is Earl Beauchamp. The ministry at the beginning of 1900 was composed as follows: Premier and Colonial Treasurer, Sir William John Lyne; Chief Secretary, John See; Attorney-General, Bernhard Ringrose Wise; Secretary for Lands, Thomas Henry Hassall; Secretary for Public Works, Edward William O'Sullivan; Minister of Public Instruction and of Industry and Labor, John Perry; Minister of Justice, William Herbert Wood; PostmasterGeneral, William Patrick Crick; Secretary for Mines and Agriculture, John Lionel Fegan; VicePresident of the Executive Council, James Alexander Kenneth Mackay.

The new Cabinet has endeavored to show that the surpluses shown in G. H. Reid's budgets were fictitious, and that he left behind him an accumulated deficit of a million sterling. The expenditures are still increasing faster than the revenue,

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and no surplus is anticipated until the new Federal tariff comes into force. In order that this shall be ample not only for revenue but for protection the New South Wales Protectionists are agitating for the adoption of the Victorian tariff, which is vaunted as a scientific one. The Parlia ment met on June 12. When the bubonic plague appeared at Sydney the city corporation showed itself incompetent to deal with the difficulty. Inspectors appointed by aldermen would not apply the sanitary laws when dealing with the premises of these aldermen or their supporters. Very soon the Government saw the necessity of taking the matter into its own hands, and its thorough work in sanitation led to the opinion that the public health should be taken from the corporation and placed in charge of a responsible Government department. The Government pulled down buildings and did other things that were illegal but effective as preventive measures. these it obtained a bill of indemnity. The wharves and foreshore of the harbor, where the disease first appeared, were resumed by the state. more thorough public health act was carried through Parliament. Another provided for the better government of Sydney. A bill dividing the country into the proper number of electorates was based on the report of a commission. A harbor trust was established. To replace guns sent to South Africa the Government purchased in England 4 4.7-inch naval guns fitted with carriages for field service, and several Vickers-Maxim guns. A bill was carried putting the volunteer force on a better footing. Various Government measures showed that the Labor party held the balance of power and was inclined and able to dictate to this Cabinet as effectually as it did to Mr. Reid's Cabinet. A bill was introduced giving municipalities power to raise their revenues by taxing the unimproved value of land. Another provides for the safe working of metalliferous mines, and establishes a fund for the relief of workers in case of death or accident. Eight hours is made the maximum day's labor. The Government also brought forward a measure establishing compulsory arbitration in labor disputes and one dealing with old-age pensions. A far-reaching measure provides for the purchase of large estates by the state in order to divide them up for the purpose of closer settlement. An early closing act passed in the preceding session was found to work badly, giving opportunities to some for evasion, while small suburban shops that have been accustomed to do most of their business after working hours suffered unduly. Changes in this law were proposed, and numerous subjects of minor importance were introduced for legislation, more than there was time to discuss. The advancement of public works was approved, especially light railroads, water conservation, and artesian wells.

Victoria. The members of the Legislative Council, 48 in number, are elected for six years by citizens owning property worth £10 per annum or leasing property rated at £25 per annum. The members of the Legislative Assembly, 95 in number, are elected for three years by universal manhood suffrage. The number of electors for the Assembly enrolled in 1898 was 252,560. The Governor is Lord Brassey. The ministers in office at the opening of 1900 were the following: Premier and Chief Secretary, Allan McLean; Treasurer, W. Shields; Attorney-General, W. H. Irvine; Minister of Mines, Railways, and Water Supply, A. R. Outtrim; Minister of Public Works and Agriculture, G. Graham; Postmaster-General, W. A. Watt; Minister of Education and Customs, Carty Salmon; Minister of Lands, J. H. McColl;

Solicitor-General, J. M. Davies; Minister of Defense, D. Melville.

The Parliament was opened on June 27. Projected legislation included female franchise, oldage pensions, the state purchase of land for closer settlement, the establishment of a department of labor, and the prevention of the adulteration of wine. The expenditure for the year exceeded the estimate, but revenue increased in a greater ratio, leaving a surplus of £132,000. For the war in Africa £63,000 had been spent, and £20,000 of the surplus was required to send a naval contingent to China. Revenue for 1901 was estimated at £7,482,000 and expenditure just under that amount. For increased educational expenditure £19,000 would be required; for additional military expenses, £18,000; for old-age pensions, £25,000. The women in Victoria who are opposed to female suffrage started a movement on the lines of the American women's antisuffrage movement, and when the woman's suffrage bill was under discussion in Parliament they obtained many thousand signatures to a petition against the measure. The Government borrowed £500,000 for railroad purposes, obtaining the money in Melbourne at the price of 963 for 3 per cent. debentures.

Queensland. The Legislative Council contains 38 members, nominated by the Crown; the Legislative Assembly of 72 members is elected for three years by the ballots of male residents of six months' standing. The Governor is Lord Lamington. The ministry was composed of the following members at the beginning of 1900: Treasurer and Secretary for Mines, Robert Philp; Chief Secretary, James Robert Dickson; Secretary for Agriculture, J. V. Chetaway; Home Secretary, J. F. C. Foxton; Postmaster-General and Secretary for Public Instruction, George Drake; Secretary for Public Lands, W. O'Connell; Secretary for Railways and Secretary for Public Works, John Murray; Attorney-General, A. Rutledge: without portfolio, George Wilkie Gray and D. Dalrymple.

South Australia.-There is an elective Legislative Council of 24 members, one third of whom are replaced every third year. The House of Assembly has 54 members, elected for three years by the vote of adult citizens of both sexes whose names have been registered six months previous to the election. There were 151,143 qualified electors in 1898. The Governor is Lord Tennyson. The Cabinet at the beginning of 1900 was composed as follows: Treasurer and Premier, F. W. Holder; Chief Secretary, J. G. Jenkins; AttorneyGeneral, J. H. Gordon; Commissioner of Crown Lands, L. O'Loughlin: Commissioner of Public Works, R. W. Foster; Minister of Education and Agriculture, E. L. Batchelor.

The Parliament was opened on June 14. Household franchise, early closing, the assessment of land values, local government, land consolidation and repurchase, factories, a graving dock for Port Adelaide, railroads, a company law, aborigines, and other subjects were brought forward by the Government for legislation. The proposal to give all householders votes for members of the Legislative Council did not obtain the consent of the Council, although an extension of suffrage was agreed to. Both houses passed an act disqualifying members of the Federal Parliament from sitting in the South Australian Parliament, and compelling members of the local Parliament to resign on taking seats in the Federal Parliament. A royal commission examined into the condition and prospects of village settlements started some time ago in South Australia, and reported that

the attempt to apply communistic principles in the management of these settlements has resulted in total failure. The settlers received Government advances amounting to £85,000, of which they have paid back only £9,465.

Western Australia.—The Legislative Council contains 24 members, who are elected for six years by householders and occupants of property; the Legislative Assembly of 44 members, who are elected by adult males who have resided six months in the district or who own or rent property. The Governor is Col. Sir Gerard Smith, who was appointed in 1895. The Cabinet at the beginning of 1900 was composed as follows: Premier and Colonial Treasurer, Sir John Forrest; Commissioner for Railways and Director of Public Works, F. H. Piesse; Commissioner of Lands, George Throssell; Minister of Mines, H. B. Lefroy; Attorney-General, Richard William Pennefather; Colonial Secretary, George Randell.

The people of the gold fields started an agitation in the beginning of 1900 for separation from the older part of the colony. They declared that they had been viewed with suspicion by the earlier settlers from the time when they began to come in upon the discovery of gold in 1892; and that, although they had converted what was looked upon as a worthless desert into the largest gold fields in the world, in which over £100,000,000 of English capital was invested, the older colonists persistently used the powers granted them under responsible government to the detriment of the people who had created this industry and settled and improved a country four times the size of Great Britain. At a conference of representatives from all the settlements east of 119° of latitude and south of 24° of longitude a demand for separation was carried almost unanimously, and a monster petition was sent to the Imperial Government, setting forth that although numbering over 80,000 persons, nearly half the population of the colony, they had only 3 members in the Legislative Council and 6 in the Assembly. This proportion would be changed, but in a very inadequate degree, by the redistribution act recently passed, increasing the Legislative Council to 30 and the Assembly to 50 members. Under the new law the gold fields have only 6 members in the Council and 10 in the Assembly. The Government in the last four years had spent, it was asserted, over six times as much on the coast districts as on the eastern part of the colony, had spent, in fact, all the money raised by loans, all the revenue of the coast district, and in addition half a million of the revenue collected from the gold fields. This statement was controverted by the delegate from Western Australia, who said that nearly all the revenue drawn from the gold fields had been expended there and some of the loan money as well. The residents of the eastern districts found fault also with the tariff by which food, clothing, and other necessaries must pay duties for the benefit of the farmers and manufacturers of the coast. Differential railroad rates are paid on all that is brought to the gold mines and a progressive tax is levied on the value of ore sent away. Recently a dividend tax had been imposed. The people of the mining districts were denied their natural harbor of Esperance and a railroad line to the south coast. A petition for a referendum on the question of federation, in favor of which the gold fields were unanimous, had been rejected by the Legislative Council by a majority of 13 to 4, although the signatures of 18,000 voters of the eastern district had been re-enforced by 5,000 names from the coast. The petition to the Queen was signed by 26,000 persons. Mr. Chamberlain sug

gested that under federation their complaints could be dealt with in Australia. The representatives of the Western Australian Gold Fields Reform League in London pointed out that the division of Western Australia into two colonies, which was the condition on which the British Parliament had granted self-government in 1890, could no longer be dealt with by the Imperial Government if federation became a fact. Mr. Chamberlain nevertheless declined to receive the deputation. A congress of workingmen sitting at Perth called for the total exclusion of colored and other undesirable aliens from the future commonwealth. The Western Australian ministry induced the governments of the eastern colonies to consent to having the mail steamers call at Freemantle, although this lengthens the voyage a full day. Although the revenue of the colony for 1900 was only £1,875,395, a decline of nearly a third, the previous deficit was wiped out and a surplus was expected. The regular session of Parliament began on Aug. 15, a special session having been held to enable Parliament to authorize a referendum on the commonwealth bill. Federation having been approved, the Government petitioned to have Western Australia admitted into the commonwealth as an original state, and the Imperial Government took the necessary steps to have this colony included. The session was a short one because it was necessary to dissolve the Legislative Assembly in order that members might be elected under the extended franchise. Bills were discussed concerning municipalities, the public service, and conciliation and arbitration in industrial disputes. The Government desired to encourage immigration and the settlement of land. The farming population is so small that the colony is a large importer instead of an exporter of agricultural produce. The railroad company to which large strips of land had been granted retarded settlement by leaving the land unimproved. Nevertheless, under the liberal laws of the colony, land settlement is making progress. The tin and coal mines are being rapidly developed. The export of timber shows signs of improvement. Western Australian timber suitable for street pavements is in growing request in Europe. Railroad business has been very satisfactory, and the railroads in the gold fields are being duplicated. The Government did not ask Parliament to sanction public works of magnitude on account of the impending dissolution. The Coolgardie water scheme is nearing completion.

Tasmania.—The Legislative Council consists of 19 members, elected under a property qualification for six years; the House of Assembly of 38 members, elected for three years, also by a qualified franchise. The electors for the Council in 1899 numbered 9,466; for the House of Assembly, 34,528. The Governor since 1893 has been Viscount Gormanstown. The Cabinet was composed as follows at the beginning of 1900: Premier and Attorney-General, N. E. Lewis: Chief Secretary, G. T. Collins; Treasurer, B. S. Bird; Minister of Lands and Works, E. Mulcahy: without portfolio, F. W. Piesse. In Tasmania the imports in 1899 were £119,000 in excess of those of 1898, and the exports showed an increase of £774,000, the exports of minerals in particular having increased £590,000 in value. Deposits in savings and other banks and investments in Government bonds attest the growing wealth of the people. The Government closed its accounts for 1899 with a surplus of £72,500, the revenue having been £36,000 in excess of that of 1898. In 1900 a revenue of £1,040,000 was anticipated, and the expenditure was expected to amount to

£926,000. The deficiency in the public revenue, which six years ago amounted to £455,000, will probably be extinguished by 1901.

New Zealand. The Legislative Council has 48 members, appointed formerly for life but since 1891 for seven years. The House of Representatives consists of 74 members, of whom 4 are Maoris, elected for three years by the suffrage of adult persons of both sexes who have resided a year in the colony. There were 339,230 registered electors in 1896, of whom 196,925 were men and 142,305 women. The Governor is the Earl of Ranfurly. The ministry was composed at the beginning of 1900 of the following members: Premier, Colonial Treasurer, Commissioner of Trade and Customs, Minister of Labor, and Minister of Defense, R. J. Seldon; Minister of Lands, Commissioner of Forests, and Minister in Charge of the Advances to Settlers Office, J. Mackenzie; Commissioner of Stamp Duties and Minister of Native Affairs, J. Carroll; Minister of Immigration, Minister of Education, and Minister in Charge of Hospitals and Charitable Aid, W. C. Walker; Minister of Public Works, Minister of Marine, and Minister in Charge of Printing Office, W. Hall-Jones; Minister of Justice, J. Thompson; Minister of Mines, A. J. Cadman; Colonial Secretary, Postmaster-General, Telegraph Commissioner, Minister of Railways, and Minister of Industries and Commerce, J. G. Ward. On Jan. 25 Mr. Thompson and Mr. Cadman retired and James McGovern took both their portfolios.

The session of Parliament began on June 22. The general prosperity of the colony and the increasing volume of its exports are attributed to the policy of securing the acquisition of lands for close settlement more than to any other cause. The colonies of Australia are adopting the same policy. The granting of pensions to deserving aged persons is pronounced by the Government so great a boon to old colonists requiring assistance that there is no intention of repealing the law. The buoyancy of trade has added largely to the revenue raised by indirect taxation, but the ministers deem it advisable to reduce the customs duties levied on necessaries of life. With increased revenues New Zealand is able to undertake military expenditure on an unprecedented scale. By such activity it is sought to impress the mother country with its ability to aid in extending the British flag over the unclaimed islands in the Pacific, and perhaps to take some of them into its own jurisdiction. The New Zealand contingent was the first of the colonial forces to arrive in South Africa. Four other bodies of troops were sent, making in all the largest contribution in proportion to population of any of the British colonies. To meet the cost of these contingents and of others measures designed to place the defenses on a safer and more satisfactory footing a large increase in the vote for defense was necessary. The establishment of a fully equipped reserve force for imperial and colonial purposes was proposed to the Imperial Government. Mining in New Zealand is more active than it has been for a long time. The largest yield of gold in a quarter of a century was obtained in 1899. The output of the coal mines is also increasing. The improvement in machinery for alluvial mining has been the means of giving employment to a large number of men. On July 3 J. Mackenzie resigned the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture. He was succeeded by Thomas Duncan. The Premier and Colonial Treasurer announced a surplus for 1900 of £605,000, exceeding all previous records. The revenue amounted to £5,700,000, not including a balance of £45,000

from the previous year, and expenditure was £5,140,000. Customs exceeded the estimate by £127,000, railroads by £146,000, stamps by £61,200, and territorial revenue by £24,200. Large areas of land were acquired for settlement during the year at a cost of £370,000, and £100,000 had been loaned to public bodies. The land tax produced £294,000 and the income tax £128,000. The public debt increased £900,000 during the year, but two thirds of this yields interest, making it no burden on the taxpayers. The expenditures for 1901 were estimated at £5,441,000. Of the excess of £301,000 over expenditures for the preceding year £95,000 were required to pay for the troops in South Africa. The cost of equipping the defense forces and volunteers also largely increased the expenditure. To extend the public schools into outlying districts and to establish a system of technical education it was necessary to augment the vote for educational purposes, which would be £462,000. The sum of £140,000 was required for surveys in connection with the close settlement of lands. Notwithstanding the large expenditures it was decided to reduce the customs duties by making mining, agricultural, dairy, and dredging machinery, engines, and boilers free, involving the sacrifice of £157,000. Penny postage within and without the colony was voted, to begin on Jan. 1, 1901, entailing a loss of £80,000 in revenue. Concessions in freight and passenger rates on the railroads cost £70,000 more.

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Fiji. The Fiji Islands, which have been a British possession since 1874, are administered by a Governor, who is also High Commissioner and Consul General for the Western Pacific. Sir G. T. M. O'Brien holds the office at present. Legislative Council is composed of the 6 principal officials and 6 other members appointed by the Crown. Five of the provinces into which the colony is divided have European commissioners and 12 others are left in charge of the native chiefs.

British New Guinea. The southeastern part of the island of New Guinea, with the D'Entrecasteaux and Louisiade groups, was proclaimed a British possession after the Germans had occupied the northeastern part. Queensland guaranteed £15,000 a year to pay the cost of administration, and subsequently New South Wales and Victoria agreed to share the expense. The Lieutenant Governor, who administers the Government, is George Ruthven Le Hunte. The revenue, derived mostly from customs, was £10,300 in 1898. For 1900 the revenue was estimated at £12,500 and expenditure at £27,000. The area under British rule is about 90,540 square miles, with 350,000 inhabitants. There are 250 European traders and missionaries, besides 300 or more gold miners, on the Louisiade Islands, Woodlark island, and the mainland. The value of the imports in 1898 was £46,971. They consist of food and tobacco, cloth, and hardware. Copra gathered by the natives from natural cocoanut groves, trepang, pearls, pearl shells, sandalwood, and gold are exported. The total value of the exports in 1898 £49,859. Gums, rattan, ebony, and other cabinet woods and the cocoanut and sago palms are abundant. The acquisition of land by whites was not permitted until in September, 1899, the British Government made arrangements to grant large tracts to a syndicate, which proposed to sell to settlers at 2s. 6d. an acre for agricultural, and 18. for pastoral, land. The colonial governments objected strongly to this grant, and the arrangement was consequently made conditional on their approval.

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