SHIPPING AND NAVIGATION— COMMUNICATIONS 301
the United Kingdom, from and to South Australia in the last five years, the values being shown from the Board of Trade returns : —
_
1893
1894
189^3
1896
1897
Imports into U. K.
from S. Australia :
£
£
£
£
£ !
Wool .
1,340,492
1,417,933
1,472,145
1,454,188
1,060,475
Wheat & flour.
240,015
567,506
453,144
Nil
Nil
Copper and
copper ore .
160,207
119,973
35,739
60,029
33,028 '
1
Exports from U. K.
to S. Australia :
Iron
201,154
206,481
197,917
293,479
304,026
Apparel, &c. .
173,465
195,041
187,325
225,395
194,299
Cottons .
184,420
241,416
243,303
292,780
224,037
Woollens
141,137
182,341
154,003
193,550
153,689
Machinery
41,124
32,723
38,479
46,795
66,255
Shipping and Navigation.
The registered shipping in 1897 consisted of 109 sailing vessels of 30,641 tons, and 217 steamers of 22,229 tons ; total, 326 vessels of 52,870 tons.
In 1897, 1,178 vessels of 1,774,476 tons entered, and 1,191 vessels of 1,785,673 tons cleared the ports of the colony.
Communications.
The colony possesses 5,014 miles of made roads. It had 1,870 miles of rail way open for traffic in December 1897 (1,724 miles in South Australia and 146 in the Northern territory). The railways pay about 3 per cent, profit to the Government.
There were 5,862 miles of telegraph and telephone in operation at the end of 1897, with 14,447 miles of wire. Inclusive of the total is an overland line running from Adelaide to Port Darwin, a distance of 2,000 miles in connection with the British Australian cable. The receipts exceed the cost of the department after paying interest on moneys borrowed for construction. Attached to the telegraph department are a number of telephone exchanges.
In 1897 there were 681 post offices in the colony ; and during 1897 there passed through them 19,128,982 letters, 2,039,686 packets, and 9,421,986 newspapers.
Banks.
There are 8 banking associations. In 1897 their total liabilities were 6,919,882^., and assets 7,473,670^. The average note circulation was 380,802/. and deposits 6,466,994/.
The Savings Bank is managed by a board of trustees appointed by the Government, and has 132 branches. On June 30, 1898, there were 96,401 depositors, with a total balance of 3,069,762/.
Agent'Oencralof South Australia in London. — Hon. J. A. Cockburn, M. D Secretary and Registrar of Stocks. — T. F. Wicksteed.
