The Ensign. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 1910. STATISTICS OF NEW ZEALAND.

Mataura Ensign, 19 January 1910, Page 2

The Ensign. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 1910. STATISTICS OF NEW ZEALAND.

Statistics are said to be dry, but occasionally they are extremely interesting. The volume of miscellaneous statistics just to hand from the InspectorGeneral's Office contains an assortment of figures which are anything but dry and will be found interesting to all who study the progress of New Zealand. The volume gives the "population, value of property, holdings, cultivation and live stock" in the various counties of the Dominion; the valuation of land and its improvements in 1909 with statistics furnished by local governing bodies in 1908-1909. It also furnishes figures on defence, police and fire brigades, representation and life insurance. There are figures of comparison here to serve for innumerable articles were they studied in an analytical manner, but it is proposed to deal only with a few of these regarding the County of Southland. From the table showing the area we are again reminded that Southland County is the second largest county in New Zealand, its area being 3852 square miles, Westland with 4420 square miles being the largest, and Marlborough with 3812 square miles being third. When we examine population, value of land and improvements, etc., we find a remarkable change in figures. Southland has a population of 42,915 people while Westland has 7,833 and Marlborough 11,633. The most populous county in New Zealand is Selwyn with 93,460, upon an area of 2597 square miles; but this county was cut into several sections at the last session of Parliament. The next in order of population is Eden with 81,569 upon 43 square miles of territory. Southland's capital value is £10,355,328, but this is nothing in comparison to some of the other counties ,with less extensive areas. Selwyn's capital value is £24,262,833, Eden's 43 square miles are valued with improvements at £18,548,954, and the Hutt's 490 square miles at £26,368 , ,592. Taieri's M 0 square miles have a population of 57,339 and a valuation of £11,831,845. So the value of land and improvements upon it in Southland is still very reasonable. The unimproved value of Southland's 3852 square miles is £6,229,657, as compared with Eden's 43 square miles at £9,920,958. Selwyn's £13.584,739, Hutt's £16,171,239. Thus it will be seen that the unimproved value goes up with the improved value of the land and that the name is really a misnomer. When we come to the number of occupied holdings we find that Southland has 4407. Selwvn 4358. Eden 2313, Hutt 838, and Haw'ke's Bay 1457 (this county has 3232 square miles of territory). Southland has 830,825 acres in cultivation, Ashburton (2542 square miles of territory) has 702,096 acres in cultivation and Selwyn 503,343

acres. Southland has 22,843 horses, 69,451 cattle, 1,068,194 sheep ami 7919 < swine; Hawko's Bay lias 9331 horses, 47,229 cattle, 1.093,720 sheep and 2249 ■ swine. • The comhined counties of Cook ' and Waikolra, with an area of 1950 square miles, have 791,034 cultivated acres. 11,724 horses, 98,100 cattle, 1,393,061 sheep and 3219 swine. These favored counties are certainly wealthy and prolific and it is little wonder that land is dear in that region and that the Maori sticks to what remains to him like a limpet to a rock. Southland with 73,248 acres has the largest area in oats and Ashburton with 48,990 the largest in wheat. The unimproved value of the land in the Southland County in 1891 was £2,446,830 and in 1909 it was £4,940,197 (exclusive of internal boroughs and town districts). Gore had an improved value in 1891 of €66,171 and in 1909 of £183,349. A comparison cannot be made of Mataura as in 1891 it formed part of Southland County. It is interesting to note that the rateable valuation of Winton riding's capital value (land and improvements), £1,404,3G5, is considerably more than the total capital rateable valuation of any of the counties of Tuapcka, i Bruce, iVncent, Lake, Peninsula, Wai-I kouaiti, Waihemo, or Mauiototo, not to speak of other counties in the north of the Dominion. A glance down the tables of the counties will show clearly that small counties are popular, and that ' there is a continuous tendency to subdivision. Notwithstanding that this tendency is claimed to be unwise from a financial standpoint the inclination of settlers everywhere throughout the Do-. minion is to divide large, unwieldy areas such as Southland County. The sentiment of community of interest is too strong to bo ruled by pounds, shillings and pence. The public will be curious to learn what the Government purpose to do in their new local governing Bill. The tables show a remarkable advance in the value of the real property of the country during the past 18 years. May a similar continuous increase be the record ol the next 20 years.