at Coolgardie in 1892, however, had a most important influence in drawing population, and in three and a half years the population was doubled: during a portion of this time the rush of miners to the gold-fields was so great as to be reminiscent of the experience of the eastern colonies during the 'fifties. At the end

of 1905 the population was 254,779, comprising 150,495 males and 104,284 females. The slowness of the early growth and the more rapid strides of later years will be gathered from the following figures: pop. (1860) 15,227, (1870) 25,084, (1880) 29,019, (1890) 46,290, (1895) 101,238, (1901) 194,889. The chief towns of Western Australia are:

Perth— the capital— 56,000,

Fremantle 23,008, Kalgoorlie 6780, Boulder 5658. The number of people in all gold-field towns fluctuates very greatly. Coolgardie, for example, was returned in July 1894 as having within its municipal boundaries 12,000 people; in 1905 it had only 3830. The births during 1905 numbered 7582 and the deaths 2709, the rates per thousand of population being respectively 30-30 and 10-83, showing a net increment of 19-47 per 1000. In the period 1861-1865 the birth-rate was 39-07 per 1000. Between 1886 and 1890 it stood at 36-88; then came a rapid decline, and in 1896 was reached the low level of 22-67 per 1000. In 1904 the rate was 30-34 per 1000. The decline in the birth-rates has been a common experience of all the Australian states; in Western Australia it was due in a large degree to the decline in the proportion of females to males. In 1870 the females numbered 62% of the males, and in 1880 75%, while in 1895 the proportion was only 45%. The illegitimate births during 1905 were 4-19 % of the total births. The

death-rate, which in 1897 was 16-99 per 1000, has steadily declined in recent years. The large influx of young unmarried men in the years 1894-1898 was followed by the arrival of a large number of single women, and the marriage-rates increased from 7 per 1000 in the five years 1891-1895 to 10-7 per 1000 in 1897. In 1905 the rate stood at the more normal level of 8-48. Except for a slight influx of population in the three years 1885-1887, due to the gold discoveries at Kimberley, there was very little immigration to Westbrn Australia prior to 1891; in that year, however, there was a considerable in pouring of population from the eastern colonies, notably from Victoria and South Australia, and in the seven years which closed with 1897 the population of the colony gained nearly 110,000 by immigration alone.

In 1898 there was still a large inflow of

population, but the outflow was also great, and in 1898 and the following year the two streams balanced one another; but 1900 showed an excess of 6000, and 1905 of 7617 gained by immigration. Western Australia is the most sparsely populated of all the states; only the coastal fringe and the gold-fields show any evidences of settlement, and if the area were divided amongst the population there would be but ten persons to 52 sq. m . The population is almost exclusively of British origin, and only diSers from that of the other states in that there is a larger body of Austrahan-bom, who are' not natives of the colony itself.

About 45% of the population are members of the Church of England; one-fourth belong to other Protestant denominations, and one-fourth are Roman Catholics. Administration. — In 1890 Western Australia, up to that time a crown colony administered by a governor, was granted responsible government. The legislative authority is vested in a parliament composed of two Houses— a Legislative Council, whose thirty members are elected for six years, and a Legislative Assembly of fifty members, elected by adult suffrage (men and women). As a portion of the Commonwealth, Western Australia sends six senators and five representatives to the federal parliament. In a country so sparsely settled municipal government has little scope for operation.

So far forty-four municipalities have been gazetted. Besides the municipalities there are district roads boards, elected by the ratepayers of their respective districts to take charge of the formation, construction and maintenance of the public roads throughout their districts. There were in 1905 ninety-four such boards in existence. Some of the districts are of enormous size: Pilbarra, for example, has an area of 14,356 sq. m .; Coolgardie North has 75,968 sq. m.; NuUagine has 90,438 sq. m ., and the Upper Gascojme has 136,000 sq. m . Over areas so vast little effective work can be accomplished, but where the districts are small the administration is much the same as in the municipalities. The receipts from rates of all local districts in 1905 was £104,760, and the grants by the government £80,938, making a total of £185,698.

Education. — Attendance at school is compulsory upon all childrei over six years and under fourteen years of age. Instruction

imparted only in secular subjects, but the law allows special religiou teaching to be given during half an hour each day by clergymen ti children of their own denomination. Children can claim free educa tion on account of inability to pay fees, of living more than: mile from school, or of having attended school for more than 401 half-days during the preceding year,

The state expended in 190;

£'31.585 on public instruction, the great bulk of which wa devoted to primary schools. The number of schools supported b the state in that year was 335, the teachers numbered 888, th net enrolment of scholars was 27,978, and the average attendant 23.703 - There were in 1905 99 private schools with 350 teacher and 7353 scholars, the average attendance being 6128. Judged by the number of persons arrested, crime is more prevalen than in any other part of Australia. The gold-fields have attracte( some of the best and most enterprising of the Australian population at the same time many undesirable persons flocked to the stat expecting to reap a harvest in the movement and confusion of thi gold diggings.

These latter form a large part of the crimina population of the state.

The arrests in 1905 numbered 14,646

of which 2104 were for serious offences; so that for every thousan( of the population 49 were arrested for trivial and 8 for seriou crimes.

Finance. — The discovery of gold and the settlement on the gold fields of a large population, for the most part consumers of dutiabl goods, has entirely revolutionized the public finances of the state In 1891 the revenue was £497,670, that is, £10, 15s. per inhabitant in 1895 it rose to £1,125,941, or £12, los. per inhabitant; and ii 1897 to £2,842,751, or £20, I2S. 2d. per inhabitant. For 1905th figures were £3,615,340, or £14, i8s. 5d. per inhabitant. The chie sources of revenue in 1905 were: customs and excise, £1,027,898 other taxation, £221,738; railways, £1,629,956; public land (including mining), £207,905; all other sources, £527,843. Th expenditure has risen with the revenue, the figures for 1905 bein; £3,745,224, equal to £15, 9s. 2d. per head of population. The chie items of expenditure in 1905 were: railway working expense; £1,297,499; public works, £337,927; interest and charges upo: debt, £578,704; mines, £248,496; education, £149.552. Th

public debt is of comparatively recent creation. In August 187

an act was passed authorizing the raising of certain sums for th construction of public works; in 1 881 the amount owing was no more than £511,000, and in 1891 only £1,613,000 or £30, 5s. 8d . pe inhabitant; from the year last named the indebtedness has in creased by leaps and bounds, and in 1905 had mounted up t £16,642,773, a sum equal to £66, ios. 4d. per inhabitant, involvin an interest charge of £574,406 or £2, 5s. id . per inhabitant. Th proceeds of the loans were used largely for the purpose of railwaextension— the expenditure on this service at the middle of 190 was £9,618,970; on water supply and sewerage works, £2,892,390 on telegraphs and telephones, £269,308; on harbour and rive improvements, £2,182,529; on development of gold-fields, £973,082 on development of agriculture, £597,189.

Defence. — The local defence force of Western Australia in 190, comprised 57 permanent artillerymen, 772 militia, 580 volunteers and 2534 riflemen —a total of 3943. The defence of the state undertaken by the federal government.

AfzHsra/j. — - Gold-mining is the main industry, and in 1905 16,83: miners were directly engaged in it; as large a number is indirect! engaged in the industry. Gold, silver, coal, tin and copper are th chief minerals mined; the mineral production of the state in 190, was valued at £8,555,841. The value of the gold produced wa £8,305,654, a falling off of £118,572 as compared with 1904. Th dividends paid by the gold-mining companies for that year amountei to £2,167,639 as against £2,050,547 in 1904. Up to 1905 the tola recorded mineral production of Western Australia amounted i; value to £65,012,499 —gold representing £63,170,911 of that sum while £13,739,842 had been paid in dividends. Western Australia ranks as the largest gold producer of th Australian group. Coal is worked at Collie, 25 m. E . of Bunbury boring operations which had been going on between Greenough an( Mullewa on the Geraldton-Cue railway line were discontinued i: 1905, the bore hole, carried to a depth of 1418 ft. having failed t disclose any coal seams. The export of copper in 1905 was valuer at £16,266; of tin, £86,840; of silver, £44,278. The value of th coal produced in that year was £55,312.

Industries. — The agricultural possibilities of the state are mor restricted than those of the eastern states, as the rainfall in th southern and temperate portion does not extend far from the coast and the land where the fall is satisfactory is only good over smal areas.

The area cultivated in 1871 was 52,000 acres; in 1881 was 53,000 acres; in 1891, 64,000 acres; and in 1905, 467,12: acres.

The principal crops grown in the year last named were wheat, 195,071 acres; oats, 15,713 acres; hay, 124,906 acres The wheat yield was 11-83 bushels per acre, and the hay crop l-l: tons per acre. In 1905 the number ofsheep depastured was 3, 120,703 cattle, 631,825; horses, 97.397. These figures show an increase fo all classes of stock. There are in the state about 2000 camels The number of sheep has increased considerably in late years. I;

1871, 2,000,000 lb of wool were exported; in 1881, 4,100,000 lb; ii