STATISTICS OF NEW ZEALAND, 1860

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XVII, Issue 1415, 5 July 1861, Page 6

STATISTICS OF NEW ZEALAND, 1860

There i» no volume so instructive as a carefully compiled statistical blue book. In it the political economist can all but infallibly trace the causes which operate against national progress, or scan the development of results that shall ultimately add to the permanent resources of his country. Mere utilitarians, men whose mentjJ. perceptions are limited to the details of a particular department of trade, and who cannot grasp the outlines much less elaborate a comprehensive system of social economics, must also derive pleasure from data which bear especially on their annual balance sheets. The moralist is gratified at finding industrious habits piovaihng, which more than counterbalance the evidences of hitman depravity found in the tabulated records of judicial commitments ; and even pietists — " the men of the other world," a» Sidney Smith rather flippantly described ultra Exeter-hall professors — must have their tram-mundane imaginations slightly titilated by the somewhat sordid reflection (inseparable from their e»rthly_ itate) that with mci easing wealth among professing Christians, so shall there be proportionately increased contributions towards those schemes for human regeneration in which, no doubt, they are disintereitedly enthusiastic. But if this be true in regard to national statistics generally, it i« emphatically so in reference to the very comprehensive volume of statistics for 1860, compiled by Dr. Bennett, Registrar General of New Zealand, forming the fifth annual leries of our colonial returns. As a work of reference, it is all but unique. The tables are compiled from official recordi, and prefaced by a well-written digest, in the nature of a report to the Colonial Secretary, the Hon. E. \V. Stafford. Naturally enough the question of population suggests itself as one of vital importance ; *nd in this respect the statistics aie less explicit than we could have wished, but the fault does not lie with the compiler. After detailing the manner in which the European population tablet were compiled, the Registrar General thus states the results : — Meanwhile, definitely ascertained figures afford sufficient evidence of the rapid increase of the population of the colony. The total m December, 1*55, m shown by the census, was (exelusiTe of the Chatham Islands) 59,328. Since that date up to December, 1860, the return* show an increase from the two gieat source* from which population U to bo supplied amounting to upwards of 9,000 souU m each ) car, the excess or bulbs ovei deaths in the two years 1859-60 having been 3,997, and the excess of immigration (itnctlj limited to that o\ei seas) above emigration, 14,701, thus making, for tho«e two j ears together, an incrcatc from those source* amounting to 18,098, which, calculated ccnteumally, shons an increase of 31-53 pei cent, on the whole population; oi, taking the ioxcs separated , of 31-10 on the mulii, and of 32-09 on the females respectively. This is the lowest estimate that can bo formed, without including any allowance for increase by unregistered bnthk, or possibly unrecorded arrivals. According to the estimate gncn in Tnble No. 1, the increaie- would he 34-23 on the whole population, or 34-80 on the males and 33-41 on the females reipectuely. A centesimal calculation for the several provinces taken singly cannot (for reasons indicated elsewhere), bo positively accurate in itself, or in e\act agrcoinontwjth the lesults of tho calculation for the co'ony. It may, howe\or, bo acceptable, as ■howing tho propoi tioiw in w lnch the respective pro\ inccs inav bo assumed to have pail.cip.itid m the total increase. Calculated on the figures in Table No. 1, tho centesimal increase i i Auckland dining the two jeais 1859-60 would be 30-51. on the whole population, or 31-10 on tho males and 20-73 on the females respectively. In TaianaVi, as might be anticipated from the removal of families in consequence of tbc^nnr, there is a large deciea c, amounting to 63 2-1 on tU • « vole population, oi 33-23 on the malts and 70 13 on the females. A.l) tho other piovincessho.Tini.red'O in the following proportions, \tt, ;~rWellington, 17-73 on the whole, or 22 48 on the males and'lWO oa the f-in iles; Hike's Uttv, 55 28 oh the Whole, oi 5t 33 oh the male?, and M-09 on the female*; Nelson (including Marl-

borough), 29-42 on the -whole, or 27-34 on the malci, and 82-07 on the females ; Canteiburv, 71-40 on the whole, oi- 07-79 on tho males, and 70-02 on the females; and Otago, 82-76 on the whole, or 92-28 on the males, oud 70-74 on the fomalci respectively. The defects noticeable in these returns, as to particulars connected with cultivations, stock, and some inteiesting aspects of the social condition of the white population, is to bo remedied next year, when the triennial census of the colony will be published ; but in tho meantime, the tables bearing on some of these particulars of colonization, published in the tuennial census, for 1858, have been embodied in the report, and enable us to form an approximation to the distribution of skilled and unskilled labour, and educated and uneducated persons over the various provinces The percentage of denominational Christians in the provinces may also be noarly arrived at ; but inasmuch as ne\t year reliable figures will be in our hands, wo deem it superfluous to do more than refer to the subject on this occasion as one of. considerable interest, and which it would be desiiable to asceitain with exactitude before commenting upon. Owing to the war and othei causes, the exact amount of the aboriginal native population has not been pro cisely ascertained. According to the latest data the following estimate has been made :— Taking as the basis the Maori Census of 1857-8 (of which a full nbstiaet appealed in the Volumo of Statistics for 1857), and correcting the nmnboi t for Canterbury by a later Census taken by Mi. W. Buller in Februaiy, 1860, — excluding- also Stewarts and the Chatham Islands— (in the former of \» Inch the numbeis -were estimated i\t 200, and m the latter at 510)— the Maori population in New Zealand was, at the latest attempt at enumeration, belic\ed to amount to 31,298 males, aud 23,893 females, makme (with 79, kk not stated) a total of 55,275. It is important, hovc\cr, toobseive ttie diitribution of the natnes in tho Northern and Middle Islands respectively :— Noithcrnlshnd (including Auckland, Tarnnaki, Wellington, and lU\\ Us' Bay)— mulfs, 29,984; female*. 22,993 ; boy not sUted, 79 , Total, 53,050. Middle Island (including Nelion, Can erbury, and Otago)— males, 1,314 ; females, 905 ; total, 3,319. Next in importance to the tables showing the fixed population of the colony, aie those returns bearing on immigration and eurigiation. We require constant accessions to our numbers to subdue the wilderness, and make the wastes of this land bear valuable crops, instead of being clothed with fern and butih. The shrubs whioh encumber the soil must be cleared off, the tall timber felled, and rendered useful for commercial pur poses, to a far greater extent than at present is the case, before we can hope to be a great corn producing country, admirably adapted as is the soil for agricultural pursuits. Labour must be more plentiful, and the settlers get free scope for tho legitimate acquisition of landed estate, before this can be the result. Just now stock-rearing and sheep-farming pay best, becauso the population is limited, and its energies are cramped, but a better state of things will no doubt shortly become general, when tdlage-f arming, and green-cropping, the basis of all good husbandry, shall prevail, and then the returns of impoits and exports will show a result very different from the present. The exports of New Zealand produce will consist not of wool, timber, gold, iron, gum, aud spars alone, but largely also of grain, as is the case with a more recently settled country — California. The immigrants during the year amounted to 8,935 against 2,871 who left the colony, thus giving a balance in favour of immigration of 6,064 souls. The births and deaths of peidons of European descent registered in New Zealand in 1860 are as follows • — Births, 1,560 males, 1,680 females,— total, 3,146 ; deaths, 1,092; excess of births over deaths, 2,064. 52 of these deaths (48 males and 4 females) were occasioned by drowning ; 16 males (civilians) by the hands of Maoris at Taianaki ; and 38 males and 8 females, by various other external causes, making a total of 102 males and 12 females whose deaths weie occasioned by causes out of the natural order. The numbers of unregistered biiths and deaths could not be ascertained. There is a table showing the comparative numbers of births and deaths of persons of European descent, registered in New Zealand, ainco 1855 inclusive. From this table we find that there has been an excess of births over deaths in tho sLx years of 9,525—4,609 males, an 1 4,916 females. In the past year we find that 689 marriages have been solemnized, against 406 in 1855, and 603 in 1859. [ The greatest proportion of marriagea was in the Province of Auckland, where 210 paira of loving hearts (it is to be hoped) were legally united. 215 marriages were celebrated by clergymen of the United Church of j England and Ireland, 8 by ministers of the Church of Scotland, 69 by Roman Catholic priests, 179 in tho Fiee Chuich of Scotland, 4 by ministers of other Presbyterian congregations, 78 by ministers of the Wesleyan Methodibt Society, 22 by Congregational Independents, 25 by Baptist ministers, 15 by Primitive Methodist preachers, 8 in the Lutheran Chuiph, 1 in the Hebrew Congregation, and 66 bj registiars. This will give our readers a pretty fair index to the denominational aveiages of the population. Having thus glanced at the population of the colony, so far as can be ascertained, we will next direct our attention to the moral aspect of the question, as embodied in the judicial returns, before adverting to the material effects of our colonization, deducible from the tables of impoi Is, exports, and shipping. In the past year we fiud that there have been 97 committals and 69 convictions before the Supreme Court of New Zealand. 64 males and 5 females were convicted, 90 males and 7 females being committed. There were 7 males convicted for felonies, and 3 for misdemeanours (offences against the person) ; and 41 males 5 females convicted for felonies, and 8 males for misdemeanours (offences against propeity). Theie were 5 convictions for miscellaneous offences The return showing the number of civil cases heaid before the Supreme Court in 1860 is defective, in one particular legarding the Piovince of Canterbury. There were 24 cas.es tried by juries ; 17 verdicts for plaintiffs and 6 for defendants weie returned, and in one case the special jury disagreed. 20 cases were disposed of by the 3udge, and in 58 instances judgment went by default. The cuminal convictions before the District Courts of New Zealand duiing the yeir 1860 show a total of 22 convictions out of 31 committals — males. There were no convictions in the District Couits of Auckland, Taranaki, and Wellington ; but 15 were in Otago province, 3 each in Wanganui and Nelson, and 1 in Hawke's Bay Courts. Of the civil cases heard in the District Couita the largest proportion was in Auckland, as might be expected from its large trading population. 809 cases were commenced, 13 were tried before juries, 454 were disposed of by the judge, and in 162 instances judgment went by default. The criminal records of the Eesident Magistrate and Justices' Comts show a total for the Colony of 432 charges for assault against Europeans, and 217 convictions. There were 1 ,427 cases of drunkenness and 1,381 convictions, 214 charges of felony and 38 convictions, 3,059 charges of miscellaneous offences and 1,267 convictions, giving a total of 5,132 criminal charges preferred against Europeans in tho Magisterial Courts for the past year, and 2,903 convictions. There were 121 Maoris charged before the magistrates and 103 convicted during the same peuod. There weio 12 convictions for assault, 36 for drunkenness, 16 for felony, and 39 for other offences. On referring to the summary of criminal convictions before the Magistrates' Courts, for the past 8 yeara, we find that drunkenness has not perceptibly increased in proportion to the increased population. In 1855 there were 1,176 convictions for drunkenness, as against 1,417 in 1860, although the population has increased fully 34 per cent. During the eight years to which these returns extend, there had only been 82 convictions for vagrancy ; a pleasing contrast, it must be admitted, to what we had been accustomed in Great Britain. Poor laws are, as yet, un thought of in New Zealand. There were 5,588 civil cases heard before the Magistrates' Courts, in which Europeans only were concerned. The amount sued for was £42,291 3s. o{d., and tho sum recovered £21,227 18s. 6d. There were 145 civd cases in which Maories were defendants, and 89 in which Europeans were defendants, and 65 cases in which Maories only were concerned. The amount sued outagainst Maori defendants was£l,4B7 6a. Hid.; recovered, £502 Os. o£d. Amount sued ouj; against European defendants, by Maori" plaintiffs, £1,389 lls. Id. ; recovered £640 10s. Id. Amount sued for in cases in which Maoris were concerned, £721 14s. 4d. ; i recovered £303 Bs. 2d. Contrasted with these results, it is pleasing to find that in six Savings' Banks in New Zealand, in the year 1860, there were 1,066 European and 38 Maori depositors, representing deposits (European) covering £23,795 ls._ lid., and (Maori) £806 2s. Id. The Maori depositors reside in the provinces of Auckland and Wellington alone. The total amount withdrawn during the year was £12,151 45., of which £658 os. 8d was by Maori depositors. The post office returns show the despatch of letters to have amounted to 890,369, for the year, and of newspapers, to 1,029,356. Without going into the specialities of our imports and -exports, we will make an extract from the Registrar General's report, which summarises the total results. Taking these statistics as a whole, we agree with the compiler that, " with some fluctuation, involving, however, no falling-off o£ any real importance, the colony has not only maintained its ground, "but has continued to make steady advance." The following is from the report : — The pcnorul l emits shown by an examination of these table, arc Rittisfjctorv. ItMilh'bo seen that (with some fluctuation! m\olving, houe\er, no filling-offof anj renl importance), tb« colony ha§ not only maintained Its ground but has continued to make itcady advance. The total value of impoits »ho\\» a decrease of £2,097, the amount m 1800 having bo-n £1,518,333, while in 1850 it was i1,5j1,030; but lliu (rifling decrease is to be viewed in connection with tln> iact that there was an increase in 1858 as cpinpaic<l«itU the picvious ytttr amounting to no Ic»ii tlun &v) 9,707.

Tho totnl value of expoi ti, which lit 1859 showed an increase i of £93,461 over 1858 (of which £87,858 wai on, artlolM of New. Zcnlnml produce and manufaoture), shows for 1880 a ftirthw, increase (over 1859) amounting to £37,409 in tho wholo, 1 <"i& to £27,823 on New Zealand produoo nod manufacture!. Tho ■ value of articles In this latter olnu, excluding the nieio o^poi t» of goods impoi ted fioiu other countries, to«, la 1859, £521,308; in 1800, £519,133. Taking tho article of wool singly, tho compaiativo table »howi how remarkably thii rudttveo of' tho colony has progre-'sed. In 1800 tho\aluo of this export, calculated Ht the uniform rate of one shilling and. fourpenct perlli.i was £141,892, being an increase of £104,613 over th* pieceHliilf'jeiu 1859; an inoieiu>o In one jcav Which orceeds the total value of all tho wool oxpoited in 1833 by £38,105; In 1854, by £34,508; and in 1855, by £11,507. - , „ The returns of shipping show an increase of tonnage, although. a deoieaie in tho number of vessels, indicating the employment" of it larger «lass of vosioli m the intorcotn Be with New Zealand-, cipeciallyifrom the United Kingdom, 'file veMolj entered mr wardi in 1800 numbered 398, being 40 less than in 18,59, but (he tonnage was 140,276, being an inoieato of 3,'()9G. The vested cleared outwtuds nuinboied the nine in both yean, but' the tonnage in 1800 win 19,901 above that of 1859. 'flic numboi of icgutered \e«scl§ belonging; tp pprtiin New Zealand increiised from 213 with n tonnage of 7,885 in 1859, to 238 with a tonnage of 8,527 in 1860. At the port or Auckland, to which a lvi ge pi opoi tion of theso \ eiiel) belong, the inoreaio intheluit jcui was fiom 171 vcueli with 5,813 tonnage, to 187 vcsseU with 0,325 tonnage. , The Customs re\enuc, which in 1859 exceeded that of 1858 by £10,679 Bs. 5d., shOHi for 1800 a fuitner advance on 1859 amounting to £20,851 17». 6d.; the total revenuo from Customs duties beuig £189,167 15s. lOd. The oiduuuy revenue altogether m 18G0 amounted to €233,107 4» 9d., being an increase of £21,001 5». 7d. ou 1859. The Terutotial revenue in 1800 wai £215,700 Si. 5t1., being a doorcase of £20,121 15 i. lt)d. ; but nearly the ivhole of this falling-off, it will bo ieen, wa» in the territorial roejiuo of Otago, wheio, from Apul, 1860, tho land sales wcie suspended, in consequence of a pending augmentation of the upset puce of land. Besides, in tho pi occding year (1859), the temtoiial levcnue had mcica<ied by the remarkable amount of £80,082 16s. Sd Tho tolal re\enuo of New Zealand in 1800 amounted to £404,738 12i. 3d , being, notwithstanding the temporary decrease in the land revenue at Otago just noticed, an increase of £5,089 18s as compared with 1859.