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New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6212, 14 October 1881, Page 4

A comparison between the rates of increase in the populations of the British colonies in North America and Australasia is interesting at the present time. The population of the Canadian Dominion in April last was 4,352,050, being an increase of GG3,454 upon the census returns of IS7I. This is a rate of increase equal to ISOS per cent. Distant though the Australasian colonies are from the overflowing countries of the Old World, they progress at a vastly greater rate than the cold regions of the northern hemisphere. In April, IS7I, the population of the Australian and New Zealand colonies was not more than 1,922,834, spread over an area of considerably over three millions of square miles, which in April last had increased to 2,795,471, an increase during ten years of 875,637, instead of 663,454 made by the Canadian Dominion during the same period. Some of the American papers have expressed the belief that the British colonies in this quarter of the world were not making very rapid progress in the matter of population, but it would seem that even our numerical increase was greater than that of their large northern neighbour. While Canada mads a centissimal increase during the decade of 18 -05, the corresponding increase made by the Australasian colonies was no less than 45 -53 notwithstand- | ing the faot that these colonies are so much further from the crowded pop-jlations of Europe, and that it costs so much more money to reach here than Canada or the United States. This is a rate of increase of winch we might well be proud, and it is a rate which is likely to be exceeded during subsequent decades, as our resources become better developed, our trade matters better organized, and the facilities for reaching our shores with a minimum length of sea voyage increased. As to our resources they are practically unlimited, so far as the demands of the os r erflowing population of the world, and the increase of our own for the next couple of hundred years are concerned. It is reasonable, therefore, to suppose ihat, as the knowledge of the vast undeveloped

resonrces of these' everything that can tend ttmlkeT?* 8 ■"* I great—become better Known bv*l, " at, °» mass of the toiling millions ia Brit • Et ** Europe generally? the £££"£»** I shores from over the sea Win ?* m the future that which JL m »l into the United States and Canada maintains a population of somptM ta ™» three of h um Tn t^ 8 an extent of territory les3 than ~K°a that over which the British fW w^ d * Australasia; and surely on our not lerafi? territory and our equally genial rt l ' less varied, clime, will be equal to'ti, gh of supporting in the future a ponl^ I equal to that in India to-day. fhe«" siderations give us some idea of th« COa " bilities which the future holds ia etn l ** sl " the descendants of the present r ' or colonists. But while Australasia wo*™ °, £ during the last ten vears at thf H of 45-53, against the"l Sos of cL^ 4 * a rate of progress fully two and times that of Canada, portions O f iT Australasian Group progressed at a n> I greater ratio than is shown in the een i average rate. During the deeade n?? 1 notice, the colony of New Zealand incrw i at the rate of 90.94 per cent., and the two decades, from IS6I to ISSI the/ vanee made by New Zealand in'point , white population was at the astonishing of 490.40 per cent. These figure, we are progressing at a rate which in a w few years, will place Australasia far in 7 ranee of Canada, so far as national deveV ment is concerned. While satisfied with •?" past, as compared with our neighbour* • look forward to the future to be even n kind to us than the past has been