RELIGIOUS CENSUS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 29 December 1928, Page 7

RELIGIOUS CENSUS.

NEW ZEALANDERS’ FAITHS ANALYSED. FOUR LARGE DENOMINATIONS. ) THIRTY-THREE SECTS. (Special To The Star.) WELLINGTON, Dee. 27. As part ox the national census. New Zealanders have to give the Government Statistician particulars of their religions be.iefs. They can object, and 62,000 did so on the ’last occasion. However, that left 93.83 per cent. who. are definitely associated with some religions denomination, and th© general figures show that four principal denominations share between them nearly 88 per cent, of the total. Thirty-three definite religious; •yects are down on the list, four of which are non-Christian. while there are also f mall bodies of people who wish to be described as “Rationalist.,” “Atheist ’ (there are 17 in number), “Agnostic” or “Freethinker,” the lust numberuiigi nearly 4000. THE. PRINCIPAL CHURCHES. Taking the churches in the. order of their numerical importance, the official report shows that the Anglican communion heads the list, as usual. It •hats 553,993 adherents, comprising 41.2 per cent, of the population. The report ytates that this denomination showed the largest intereensal increase, but in ratio of increase over a. longer term, while the Anglican Church has grown at a rate above the general average, its numerical gain from 1921 till' 1926 was the lowest fojr 25 yeaas. The Church of England is relatively strongest in Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay, and Auckland, and weakest in Southland. Otago and Westland. Presbyterians,' 330,731, are 24.6 per cent, of the population, and the census showed that the gain of this church since the previous count was the second highest in its history, and the rate higher than the general gain, though let’s markedly so than usual. Presbyterians, says the statistician, find their greatest strength in the provincial districts of Southland and Otago.. In Southland, indeed, Presbyterians: comprise more than: half the total population, and this is the sole instance of auy religious body having a. majorit- of the inhabitants of any district within the ranks of its adherents. „

Next in strength are the Roman Catholics, numbering 173,364, which equals 12:9 per cent, of New Zealand’s population. ~ This church showed the third largest increase in five* yeans, though in point of numbers and rate it was the lowest, says the report, experienced bv this church for many years. The Roman Catholic Church finds its greatest strongholds (relatively) in Westland and to a relatively lesser degree in Marlborough. Methodists are most strongly represented, proportionately, in Taranaki 1 , and! the amalgamation of two branches of this church raised their meiubersnip to 121.212. which is 9 per cent, of the population. This ehuroli showed the greatest proportional increase of any during the fire years. . . Tlio Baptist strength is in Otago, and this church which showed a decline m 1916-21, indicated a substantial recovery in 1921-26. The Brethren have 12,924 members m New Zealand, and another denomination with a .good following is the Salvation Army with its 12,241 members. The Ra'tana* church is,shown* to_ possess 12,241 members, with 107 ministers, and there is the Ringatu demoniniuationisi associated, with the Maoris and having a: membership oif 4,540. The Hebrew persuasion numbers' 2,591, and the census figures' disclose that Wellington is the strongest centre in meanberfelUP' SEXES' AND FAITHS.

The: census lids' analysed the relation of the sexes to religion. Starting with the observations that the male sex Comprises 51.1 per cent, of the l total, it is shown that the Anglican and Presbyterian churches are. the only ones with a: male predominance in membership-. The. Roman' Catholic church had'ini 1921 a following 50.1 per cent, male', but in the last enumeration' the] males 1 were shown a. fraction below halfway mark. Female predominance is well marked among Christian Scientists (males 38.6 of total) Seventh Day Adventists (males 40.4) Brethren, Church of Christ, Baptists, Congregational and Christa-delphian, where. the male proportion is about 46 per cent. Male- predominance occurs, states thei Statistican to a; marked degree, with Freethinkers, Aganostics, Rationalists, Atheists, Orthodox Catholics (Eastern) and Hindus.