While lacking hitherto ready sources of power (cf. imports of coal from New South Wales), Melbourne has nevertheless de veloped a considerable amount of the varied manufactures natural to a port (milling and food-preparation; leather, wool, wood and iron working industries, etc., carried on in e.g., Port Melbourne and Footscray). The abundant supply of cheap electrical power now available (see VICTORIA) should do much to stimulate this side of Melbourne's activity and further industrial expansion may be anticipated. Her climate, prevailingly cool and invigorating with warm and sunny summers—(ay. ann. temps. 67°-49.5° F, with occasional hot days—up to o° F—and hot north winds ["brick-fielders"] in summer and occasional winter frosts; ay. ann. rainfall: 251 in. ; 2,26o hours of sunshine per ann.)—together with her sturdy British stock has also helped to give Melbourne an air of solid and sober prosperity and of measured progress. The city proper—the "Square Mile City"—is solidly, even impres sively, built and contains numerous fine streets (Collins, Bourke, Flinders, etc.) geometrically laid out and adorned with numerous massive buildings, though the narrowness of the "lanes" (about 45 ft. broad) interspaced between the larger streets (99 ft.) is a difficulty tending to increasing congestion of road traffic. A good water-supply (Yan Yean, Upper Yarra, etc. supply schemes), excellent electric tram and (suburban) train services, some 6,25o acres of parks and reserves (including fine Botanic Gardens), watering-places (St. Kilda, Brighton, etc.), the deepened and regulated Yarra with its gardens and drives, the Flemington race course with its famous Melbourne Cup, and remoter holiday resorts in the hills, are amongst the amenities and conveniences of the city which possesses also many notable public and semi public buildings (Government House; Houses of Parliament and Government Offices, two Cathedrals, University, Technological Museum, and numerous others). In addition to its highly con
centrated facilities for banking, warehousing and trading, Mel bourne possesses over II miles of wharfage (55,000 ft. berthing space) with accompanying modern port equipment. Williamstown is the main overseas cargo port, Port Melbourne that for the (mail and passenger) liners, while the Yarra, deepened and straightened by the Coode Canal, has the largest wharfage space (c. 30,50o ft. including the Victoria Dock) and is used by inter state vessels. Depths alongside range from 17-32 ft. and there are three dry docks, floating docks, patent slips and facilities for repairing. The southern entrance to Port Phillip is being dredged to 36 ft. and considerable sums are continually being spent on the enlargement, deepening and improvement of the docks and ship ping accommodation in general. Melbourne's total trade for the two past years (1925-26 and 1926-27) has amounted to 5,000, 000-5,250,000 tons (exports = 1,5oo,000 tons). About half of this total trade was "overseas," as distinct from interstate and New Zealand trade, and was valued at £78,000,00o-483,000,000 in the two years respectively. Exports are predominantly the primary produce of the State (wheat, flour, dairy produce, fruits, cattle products, and wool—Melbourne deals with 35% of the total wool export of Australia). Imports, besides manufactured and other goods from abroad, include coal (1926: 971,00o tons). The shipping-4,000 vessels annually with tonnage of 6-7,000,000 tons—includes vessels which call twice on their way to and from Sydney.