342 THE BRITISH EMPIRE: — WESTERN AUSTRALIA

There were in the State, in 1911, 2,199 leases of gold mines; men em- ployed in the mines, 14,794, viz., 6,532 above and 8,262 underground ; output of gold, 1,370,867 fine oz., value 5,823, 075Z. In 1911, the expoit of silver from the State was 169,043 oz., valued at 18,333^., all locally produced ; of copper ore, 9,825 tons, value 33,709Z. ; of copper ingot, matte, &c., 828 tons, value 44,409/; ; of tin ore, 495 tons, value 55,220Z. ; output of coal, 249,890 tons, value 111,154Z. The number of coal-leases was 88 ; of copx>er-leases, 48 ; of tin-leases, 75. Gold exported (exclusive of gold received at the Mint and subsequently exported) crude gold, during 1895, 231,513 oz., valued at 879,748Z. ; in 1900, 999,767 oz., value 3,799,124Z. ; in 1905, 655,090 oz. of fine gold, in 1907, 431,803 oz. ; in 1908, 356,354 oz., in 1909, 386,370 oz., in 1^910, 233,970 oz., and in 1911, 160,422 oz., of fine gold (value 41. 4.';. lli\c?. per ounce).

Commerce and Shipping.

The external commerce of Western Australia, exclusive of inter-State trade, is comprised in the statement of the commerce of Australia, given uuder the heading of the Commonwealth.

The total value of the imports and exports, including inter-State trade, in six years is shown in the subjoined statement : —

— ,

1906

1907

£ 6,522,998 9,904,860

1908

£ 6,178,197 9,518,020

1909

1910

1911

Imports. Exports.

£ 6,820,933 9,832,679

£ 6,406,960 8,860,494

£ 7,908,386 8,299,781

£

8,645,938

10,606,863

By far the most important of the exports is go]d, others being timber, wool, pearls and shell, hides and skins, copper, tin and silver, sandalwood, mallet bark for tanning, wheat and flour.

There were on the West Australian register on December 31, 1911, 52 steamers of 12,038 tons, and 316 sailing vessels of 7,974 tons; total, 368 vessels of 20,012 tons.

Money and Credit.

There are six banks in Western Australia besides the Post Office Savings Bank. The following statement relates to the quarter ended June 30, 1912:—

Banks

Capital paid up

Notes in , Circula- Deposits tion 1

Total

Average

Liabilities

Total Average

Assets

£

4,382,987

1,853,640

2,423,735

1,203,292

733,475 1,011,014

Reserved Profits

Western Australian Bank

National Bank of Aus- tralasia, Ltd. .

Union Bnnk of Aus- tralia, Ltd.

Bank of New South Wales

Commercial Bank of Australia, Ltd.

Bank of Australasia .

£

250,000

1,498,220

1,500,000

3,000,000

2,212,969 1,600,000

£ : £

19,728 2,890,221

• 0,301 806,072

10,563 1,228,004

2,022 807,192

1,858 : 516.383 6,289 652,286

£ 3,148,897

828,840 1,250,663

818,640

530,905 663,722

£

651,984

300,617

1,412,511

2,0F5,O00

4,877 1,926,000

Total . .

10,061,189

^ 45,821 6,900,758 ! 7,241,067

11,608,143

6,440,989