before them works of art of the highest character, and in this way propagating sound principles of taste, and awakening a love for the beautiful; and that it has led to the establishment of a technological musuem, formed in great part of gifts and purchases procured from exhibitors. The same remarks apply, for the most part, to the Melbourne exhibition. Although it is perhaps too soon to realize, to any great extent, its beneficial results, still it cannot be doubted that it has done much to further promote commercial relations with foreign countries. Not to speak of less prominent competitors, France and Germany bid high for a share of the Australian trade, and are following it up by subsidizing direct lines of steamers to carry it on. The United States, although competing at a great disadvantage, more than maintained her own, while Great Britain stoutly resisted any attempt to invade the field of her old commercial supremacy. It is, however, unnecessary to say anything further on this point, as I am preparing a full and detailed report on the subject, as United States commissioner to both the Sydney and Melbourne exhibitions. O. M. SPENCER, Consul-General. UNITED STATES CONSULATE-GENERAL, Melbourne, December 23, 1881. NEW SOUTH WALES. Statement showing the imports and exports between New South Wales and the United States for the year 1880. NEWCASTLE. Report by George Mitchell, United States consular agent at Newcastle. Newcastle, New South Wales, is the greatest coal port in the southern hemisphere, and is 60 miles north of Sydney, the capital of the colony. The principal business carried on is the exporting of coal, which amounts to about 25,000 tons per week. Vessels, after discharging their inward cargoes at the adjacent colonial ports, visit this to load our staple exports for the various intercolonial and foreign ports. Shipments are made by both steam and hydraulic cranes, the latter being used only in this port. Nearly the whole of the cargoes that are carried to the United States ports are taken in British vessels, the charters being generally effected in England and a wheat charter combined from California to the United Kingdom. Colonial vessels have recently been engaged in the timber trade from Puget Sound to these colonies, and they find payable business carrying coal from this to Japan, and proceeding thence in ballast to the timber ports. This trade was previously done by vessels of the United States. Mines. We have eleven mines, the principal being within 10 miles of the port. They employ, in the aggregate, 3,800 men, and can, when required, send 8,000 tons of coal daily to the surface. The two principal industries of this district, outside the collieries, are the copper smelting works of Waratah, 4 miles from the port, and at New Lambton, 5 miles. The ore is brought from South Australia, from New Caledonia, a French penal colony A very large number of men are employed at the works. Manufactured goods.-The principal wholesale establishments are at the capital. We have four steamship companies between the ports, the passage occupying about six hours. Nearly all imports for this colony are through Sydney, except in occasional direct shipment of general cargo from England to this port. The following articles of United States manufacture are a good deal used, and are steadily gaining popularity, viz, agricultural implements, stoves, and kitchen ranges, hardware, edge tools, cutlery, sewing machines, house furnishing goods, plated wares, watches, and clocks. GEORGE MITCHELL, UNITED STATES CONSULAR AGENCY, NEW ZEALAND. Annual report by Consul Griffin, of Auckland. UNITED STATES CONSULATE, Auckland, August 15, 1882. AREA AND POPULATION. The colony of New Zealand consists of two large and several small islands lying between the parallels of 340 and 473° of south latitude. The total area is a little over 100,000 square miles. The area of the north island is 44,000 square miles, and that of the south island is 55,000 square miles. The census of the population was taken on the 3d of April, 1881, and it represents the population, exclusive of Maoris or natives, to be 489,702. The males numbered 269,452, the females 220,250. Of these 1,897 are half castes, not living as members of a Maori tribe, and 4,944 are Chinese. The native population of the colony is set down at 44,099. The subjoined table shows the population in the various provincial districts: The immigration of the colony between July 1, 1880, and March 31, 1881, was 833, including 416 Irish, 297 English, and 114 Scotch. LANDS AND AGRICULTURE. Lands are acquired in New Zealand in various ways. First, by absolute sale; second, by leasing; third, by deferred payments; and fourth, by what is called the homestead system. This last is applicable only to the provinces of Auckland and Westland. The report of the secretary for crown lands shows that during the year ended March 31, 1881, 197,074 acres of land, both country, town, and suburban, were absolutely disposed of for cash, land scrip, &c.; the revenue derived being £275,896 16s. 7d. in cash, and £10,158 118. 7d., in scrip. Under the deferred-payment system 146,431 acres were disposed of, the cash received on account being £53,706 12s. 1d. From the 12,382,614 acres held under lease for pastoria purposes, the revenue derived was £117,803 28. 6d., and from agricultural leases on gold-fields, £6,457 18. 1d.; £7,000 was derived from miscellaneous sources-coal and mineral leases, timber licenses, &c.-thus making the total land and territorial revenue for the year, £460,863 12s. 6d. During the financial period, ended March 31, 1880, the revenue derived by the government from the public estate was £332,463. Seventy-seven persons took advantage of the provisions of the home stead act and selected 11,984 acres. FINANCIAL. From the budget submitted to Parliament at the last session by the colonial treasurer, I learn that the gross public debt of the colony was |