The Daily Telegraph MONDAY, JUNE 13, 1881.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3107, 13 June 1881, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph MONDAY, JUNE 13, 1881.

The census recently taken shows that the population of this colony has increased since 1878 by 75,086, making a presen; total of 489,498, exclusive of the native race. In the North Island the number of the colonists is 192,461, and in the South Island 297,037; the former having increased »vithin the past three yeari--22| per cent, and the latter 16 per cent. The figures of the.census are importan: as bearing upon the redistribution of the representation of the people; Tht population of Auckland has risen frotr 82,661 to 98.169 ; that of Taranaki, frorc 9.463 to 14,639 ;of Wellington, frorv 51.069 to 61,049; of Hawke's Bay, frop 15,015 to 17,027; of Maryborough, from 7,557 to 9,273 ; of Nelson, from 25,128 tc 26,177; of Canterbury, from 91,922 to 111,430; and of Otago, from 114,469 to 134,401 ; Westland has decreased front--16.932 to 14,756. The Oristchurch Press, commencing with the Auckland provincial district, fays that the people there would probably be quite contented were no redistribution attempted at all, Most of the constituencies have a member for every five or six thousand people. Indeed, Newton is the only district which can lay claim to being underrepresented at all; while there are place,* like Auckland City West, with two members for 11,400 people; and Onehunga, with one for 2,180. In Taranaki, the district of Egmont reaches quite the average population, while that of Grey and Bell is not far behind, although to make up for this, there is New Plymouth with a member for only 2326 people. Coming to the district of Wellington we find that Wanganui has two members for 9227, Wairarapa two for 10,570, the Hutt one member for 3633. On the other hand the Citj. Wellington has just cause of complaint, with only two members for 20,535. Turning to the Middle Island, we have our attention first of all directed to the small districts on Cook's Straits, which are in nearly every instance largely over-represented. Waimea has a member for 2839 people, Motueka one for 2688, Colliugwood one for 1646, and Chevoit one for 1344. Then there is the city of Nelson with two representatives for 6763 people, and the Suburbs wich one for 2561. In Westland, we find Hokitika with two members for 7908 people: Totara with one for 2530. In Canterbury and Otago, there is no district with a population of less than 3000; tho smallest being Mount Ida with a member for 3227; Dunstan with one for 3881, and Wallace with a representative for 3487. On the other hand, we have such cases as Coleridge with only one membec for a population of 12,420 ; Heathcote with one for 11,607; Caversham with one for 10,494; Christchurch with threa members for 30,701 and Dunedin with three members for 24,441. These facts make it quite evident that a serious mistake would have been made had Parliament dealt with the question of redistribution with the information supplied by the census of 1878 only before it. Some of the anomalies which at present exist would, no doubt, have been swept away, but anything like a satisfactory re-adjustm-ent would clearly have been impossible. We look forward with some interest to the Representation Bill promised by tho Government. The scheme of last sessiou will, we presume, form the basis of tha new measure, but it is now quite evident that it must be materially modified before it can possibly do justice to the different parts of the colony.

The Hon. ix. liandall Johnson, cf Poverty Biy, recently received a report upon an analysis, conducted at the Colonial Museum, of a specimen of " mineral grease," taken from {be ground of thi South Pacific Petroleum Company. The analysis was made by Dr Hector, an.] differs very considerably from the account lately published of that which had been conducted at Sydney. It will be remembered that about ten days ago it was stated that the Sydney analysis showed that the material contained 30 per cent, of solid paraffin, the balance being composed of kerosene, 25 per cent.; intermediate oils, 14 per cent.; heavy oils, 52 per cent.; carbon and loss, 11 per cent. As many of our readers are interested in the petroleum industry of Poverty Bay, we republish from the Gisborne Herald Dr Hector's report: — New Zealand Geological Suevjsy Laboeatoey. Results of Analysis of Specimen, No. 2957 • Forwardod hy Hon. Kandall Johnson, M.L.C. Locality : Waipaoa, Poverty Bay Knccived : 10th May, 1881 Reported on : 27 th May. Mineral G-rease reported to be solid Paraffin. This is the same substance I found In large quantities round, the oil springs, 10 miles south of Waiapu, in 1872, and described as a variety of Dopplerite (see Laboratory Keporfc, 1873, No. 1365). It is formed from Petroleum oil that lias overflowed from a natural oil spring, and having been mixed with soil and water, has been partly oxidized, and at the same time has lost its light, oils by evaporation. Its composition is as follows : — Water .. .. .. .. 11-3 Earthy Matter .. .. .. 20-9 (A) Dopplerite or Oxygenized HydroCarbon .. .. .. 494 (13) Paraffin Oil .. .. .. 12-4 .100 The oxygenized hydro-carbon (a) combines with the water to form a gclatenous substance that is very easily decomposed. It is of comparatively little value, but on being dried might, serve like resin for the manufacture of gas. The Para din oil (b) contains about 9 per cent of solid paraffin upon the whole mineral. The unaltered petroleum contains 2L pev cent, of similar oil (sec Transactions of New Zealand Institute, 1873, page 256), so that this " mineral grease" has only half as much as solid paraffin as tho original oil, j owing to the large admixture of water and earthy matter. It will thus be seen that this mineral is far from being " solid paraffin," and that it is very inferior in value to the original petroleum. Experiments are being made on the best way of removing the paraffin and utilizing the dopplerite or oxygenized hydro-carbon for gas-making or other purposes, the result of which will be reported when complete. (Signed) James Hectob.

Colonial Museum of N.Z. Wellington, 31st May, 1881. The analysis of Mr Dixoiij of Sydney,

quoted in .fcd-dfiy'fl p*aper, must have been on a very different substance from that sent me by Mr Johnson ; or Mi , Dixon lias not analysed it, but submitted it to destructive distillation, after washing out the impurities ; but even then his results could not be got from my sample. The analyses may be compared thus:—•

Kerosene .. intermediate oils .. oils Paraffia Carbon and Io33 .. Earthy matter Water Mineral like dopplerite (Signed) DixoN. Sksy. .. 17-5 0 98 0 .. S6 4 S-i .. 30-0 9'3 77 0 0 269 0 11-3 0 49.4 1014 100~ •James HectoS.