North Otago Times. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 1880.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2456, 7 April 1880, Page 2

North Otago Times. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 1880.

Tub result of tlio conaua taken in Now Zealand on the night of March 3, 1878, has juat been published in a blue book prepared at the oftico of the RegistrarGeneral, Mr Brown. The accompanying report, addresaod to the Colonial Secretary, and writton by Mr Bhown for tho purpose of concentrating the information contained in tho tables, is dated February 9, 1880, so that tho period between taking and publishing the census appears to bo unreasonably long. When published so lato in tho day such statistics are of less value than they would be were they issued within the year of their collection. However, wo suppose wo must console ourselves with whatover comfort can bo derived from the old proverb, bottor late than never, for the Registrar-Genoral pleads as his excuse for tho lateness of tho publication tho fact that the Government Printing Office had to lay his work on one sido for tho purpose of attending to the duties imposed upon it by Parliament while in session. Tho Registrar-General observes somewhero in his report that "no census can have tho character of boing perfectly accurate." This, however, is not «aid by him in apology for any possible deficiencies in tho census of 1878, although wo question whether a more inaccurate onnumeration of the population of Now Zealand lias over been made than the one of that year. As wo remember the newspapers of tho day published many accounts allowing tho careless and clumsy manner in which the work was done, and wo have it on the best authority that in one largo hotel, which on tho ni«hfc of the 3rd of March, 1878, was full of visitors, tho landlord did not go to the trouble of placing anything concerning a single one of his guests on the census paper. What happened in one place, it is not unreasonable to suppose, also happened in others. The 13th clause of the Census Act, 1877, states that anyono rof using or neglecting to place on the census paper the required particulars of all members of his household for the time boing, shall bo liable to a penalty not exceeding L2O ; but unpatriotic limvjoholders doubtless know that tho difficulties in the way of enforcing this penalty are vory groat, and bo in many cases tho law is perhaps culpably set at nought with impunity. Iv course of timo, however, the RegistrarGeneral's depfirt**ix>nfc will becomo more perfect in its organisation than it is at present, and then tho census papers will acquire additional trustworthiness &a public records. In tho moantimo accuracy iv such matters has to depend in a largo measuro on tho publjc spirit and integrity of individuals, and unhappily for moro things than statistics tho public spirit of multitudes of individuals is if anything loss than nothing. From the volume now before us wo learn that, exclusive of Maoris, tho population of Now Zealand on March 3, 1878, numbered 414,412, an increase since March, 1874, of 114,898 ; and of this increaso t^io natural increase by excess of births over deaths amounted to 40,844. The balance, 74,044, consisted of the excess of immigration over emigr#tjk)?i for the quinquennial period. The males in tho colony iv March, 1878, numbered

230,998, tho fomalea 183,414 ; but, oxcluBive of tho Chinoso, tho numbers woro 220,574 mules to 183,405 females. It is shown that in 1878 tho disproportion botweon tho Boxes wns loss than in 1874, thoro having boon in 1874 100 males to 75 17 fomalcs. It is apparent that the disproportion botwoon tho boxos is duo to immigration — to tho circumstance that of tho numbers of immigrants who arrive in tho country the majority are males ; for there are figures to show thai of persons under tho ago of ono year, 8,225 woro males, and 7»800 females, while of the total nutnbor under five years of age, 35,382 wero males, and 34,342 females, and of those ranging from five to fifteen years, 52,914 wore males, and 62,330 females. Then amongst those ranging from fifteen to twenly-ono years, thero wero 20,062 males, and 20,208 females, but this, n8 tho Registrar-General observes, is tho only-nge period in which tho females were more numerous than tho males. Mr Brown observes that "at the higher ages 75,759 males, and 51,301 fomales wero between 21 and 40 ; 35,013 males, and 18,201 females, botwoen 40 and 55 ; and 9,907 males, and 0,542 females, ovor 55 years of aj.»o. 300 pursons above 80 years of ago wero living. Of these, 107 niales and 154 fomales were botwoon tho nges of 80 and 90 ; 18 males and 19 females botwoon 90 and 100 ; and 2 males botwoon 104 and 105 years of ago." Tho Kogistrar-Goneral has ft chnptor on what ho calls the conjugal condition of tho pooplo, and tho facts and figures which ho thoro places beforo us show that, bosidos a falling ofF in the oxcoasivo immigration of males, and tho influence of natural causes in connection with tho birth-rato of the colony, thoro aro other things which will operate in equalising the numbers of the sexes. Ho tolls us that in March, 1878, tho excess of widows ovor widowers amounted to 1,490. This tends to show that tho death-rate amongst husbands is greater than it is amongst wives — a circumstanco which is probably duo to tho fact that tho former aro much, tho lattor scaicely at all, oxposod to " moving accidents by field and Hood." Perhaps, too, somo might say it tends to show that thoro is somo foundation for Ouida's sneer that wives livo longer than husbands because they aro moro solfishly careful of themselves than their lords. Tho Rogistrar-Genoral's chapter on tho Maori population is peculiarly suggestivo. He says that in 1861 tho estimated number of Maoris was 55,336, and in 1878 tho numbers wore estimated at 43,595, tho decrease in these numbers amounting to 20 per cent. " Day by day wo hoar of tho Maoris taking with increasing kindness to European wn'-q of living, and everything that can bo learned from statistics shows that the more closely they assimilate their ways to ours tho moro rapidly do they decay. Indeed tho raco may bo said to bo, as it were, burning at both onds ; for tho old must die as a matter of course, and tho goneral thing is for death to overtako in infancy, fivo out of ovory six, or nino out of ovory ton amongst Maori childron. Thus it is evident that tho Maoris must «oon coaso to exist as a distinct raco.

Mr W. Wcatoa will play an exhibition billiard match at tho Royal Hotel thia ovoning, conceding Mr 0. P. Roberts 400 out of ] 000. Tho weekly practice of tho Philharmonio Socioty will bo hold this evening in tho Oddfollows' Hall at the usual hour. A piano has boon kindly lent for tho occasion. Tho Road Board meetings will bo hold today. Tho Waiareka Road Board will hold an adjourned meetiug at 10.45 a.m.; and tho Kakanui Board an ordinary mooting at 2 p.m. in our roport of the Primitivo Methodist soireo held on Monday night tho name of Mis 3 Sly was inadvertently omitted from tho Hat of those who contributed provisions. Miss Sly's namo should also have been coupled with that of Miss Boyos as presiding at ono of tho tables. Mrs Tullock'a namo was accidentally pwitod "Fullock," A firo occurrod on Sunday night on the farm of Mr John Leitch, of Awamoko, destroying seven stacks of wheat. Fortu. natoly these woro at about half-a-milo from his residenco and outbuildings or tho consequences might have been moro scrisus than they wore, Thoro ia no prosont clue to tho origin of tho firo, but as tho stneka wero detached from anything that would bo likely to cause a fire of the kind, it is probablo that tho occurrence was the work of an incondiary. Tho stacks wero insured in tho National Insurance offioo for L3OO, »nd in the South British office for LlBO. Half of tho first amount was reinsurod in tho Now Zealand ofllco. It ia a question how long Oamaru will escapo a visitation of typhoid fever with a free current of foul sewage and high odoriferous fluids flowing down tjio Bides of some of tho streets, and past the houses on oithor sido. If anyone will take a stroll down Wansbeck stroot towards the railway station on a warm ovoning, the nuisanco will bo forcibly presented to him, and the presentation will bo comforting — porhaps. Fluid rofuso is emptied into the street from the houses, and runs down the hill to the bottom, where it stagnates with rather a dangerous effect for thoso who may bo residing on the level. Porhaps if tho Inspector of Nuisances would turn his attention thitherward he might bo able to effect a modification, if not an entire abatement of tho evil. A fatal accident occurrod at South Oamaru on Monday night. Mr John Robertson, tho lesseo of Mount Pleasant Farm, wa» return, ing homo from Oamaru, after having beon to fche residenco of Dr Garland for advice for a sick child, When in Oamaru sonocono lent him a wlrip lov the purpose of urging his horso on, and it ia thought that its use made tho animal bolt. At Ml ownts, when turning the corner opposite the residence of Mr M'Laren tho horse slipped and foil. Mr M'Laren, hearing the noise, wont out and found Mr Robert«on lying on the ground insensible. He was conveyed into Mr M'Laren's house, and Dr Garland was lent for ; on seeing the unfortunate man ho ex. pressed littlo hopo of his recovery. Tho right temple was fractured, and a severe concussion of tho brain had occurrod, In falling tho saddle-girth had broken, and it is presumed that this rendered tho fall a heavier one than it would otherwise have ibeon. Tho road was metalled at tho spot where the qcojdont occurred, Mr Robertxon

lingered on till 10 o'clock yesterday morn* ing, and then sucoumbod to tho injuries received. Deceased loavos a widow and nix children, tho eldest of whom is but nine years of ago. Tho ovont is ono of tho saddest that has occurred in Oamara for some timo, Tho funeral take? place to-morrow. No iuqucst will tike place A number of uoi king men who woro at ono timo employed on tho Livingstono lino, but who are now out of work, havo requested Mr Hislop, M.H.R., to tolograph on their bohalf to tho Government to sco whether tho further construction of tho lino is to bo proceeded with. At 1.15 p.m. yestorday, Captain Edwin tolographed from Wellington tho following weathor forecast for Oamaru : " Watch baroinoter ; bad woathor ia approaching from any direction botweon north-east and west. Tho glass will further fall, Thore will bo a short north-east soa ; rain is likely to fall soon," Our Duntroon correspondent wrote yostorday aftornoon as follows : An elderly man, known as Ned Iho Rabbitor, has boon missing for more than a fortnight, and 13 believed to bo dead. Ho was la«t seen on tho Upper Waitaki, greatly under the influonco of drink, and a few days after his dog returned to tho township without him. Largo parties havo been in search of him, but without avail, and ho is believed to bo oithor down tho rivor, or lying (load undor a flax bush. He was a quiet, civil, inofFonsivo man, and ono regrets that ho should be another victim to that atrocious stuff supplied by upoountry shautiog undor the namo of refreshment. Poor Ned is dead— those who suppliod him with poison aro innocent in the oyo of the law, and woro they to kill off auothor tho samo way every wcok in the year, who daro say they havo committed murdor ? "