Seeing that since the outbreak of) war the population of Australia has increased by less than half a million, and that the total population barely exceeds five million, one is inclined to marvel how the country can produce the enormous revenue of £68;000,000, or over £14 per head of the whole population, including women and children.
Some explanation may be found in the fact that our primary and secondary production has risen since 1913 by £80,000,000, the trading and savings banks' deposits by £138.000,- 000, while imports and exports have risen from £177,000.000 to £246,000, 000, with a trade balance last year in our favour of £51,000,000. These are remarkable figures, but they make it easier to understand how the country has been able to bear an added burden of £20,000,000 from direct taxation, and how, by its increased purchasing power, it has been able to raise the customs and excise duties from £15,000,000 before the war to an estimate of £28,- 000,000 for the current year.
It is interesting to note that the Commonwealth Government has throughout the war been trading on a huge scale. Owing to the destruction or diversion of shipping the Government had to take control of all exports, and during the war years it handled and marketed goods to the gross value of £335,- 900,000. Now that shipping is again becoming nearer normal the control is being lifted, but the organization which made it possible has taught a lesson, and many of the producers are seeking to establish their own control on a similar basis.
It is interesting also to find that the fleet of steamers acquired by the Commonwealth during the war, and which is still the subject much heart-burning with the British shipping conferenceer combine, made a profit last year of well over one million sterling, and this despite the fact that the Government insists upon charging con siderably lower rates than the combined companies. How far these Government. activities would justify themselves in normal peace times may be very open to question, but there is no doubt that Australia owes much of her prosperity to them during the war.
Tue Lracun oF Nations.
Mr. Hughes, the Prime Minister, has definitely decided (or his party was decided for him) that he will not attend the League Assembly at Geneva next November. Instead Senator E. D. Millen, Minister for Repatriation, will go.
Senator Millen has made a remarkable name for himself in connexion with the unprecedented business of yestering nearly 400,000 soldiers to civil life, after several years of soldiering. He is an able and keen debater, and the reputation of Australia will be safe enough in his hands. Exactly why Mr. Hughes is not going is not altogether clear. Of course he has been away from Australia a great deal during his tenure of the Prime Ministership, and it is expected he will go to London again next year to attend the Imperial Conference in regard to the naval defence of the Empire. Then Mr. Watt, the ex-Treasurer, who so dramatically resigned while in London, is due to arrive shortly, and while it is believed that he will cause no trouble with Mr. Hughes in Australia, the Prime Minister's party is not' so sure that he will remain quiescent if Mr. Hughes is out of the country. They feel that it is most undesirable to risk the defeat of the government while the Prime Minister is attending the first big meeting of the League of Nations, and Mr. Hughes, it is understood, has given way to their urging him to' remain.
There are many other matters calling for attention at the other end of the world, including the reorganization of the High Commis-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.