STATISTICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8955, 12 August 1892, Page 3 (Supplement)

STATISTICS.

VALUATION OF LAND AND IMPROVEMENTS.

The following important particulars are taken from the report of the Commissioner of the Land and Income Tax Department :—

Much interesting information may be extracted from an examination of the results of a general land valuation as to the colony as a whole and its various parts. The two natural divisions of New Zealand may be taken first, and the figures for two assessments are: —

1888. IS9I. Increase. North Island £49,007,873 £57,441,115 £7,833,242 South Island 61,529, 64,783,911 8,254,073

Totals _ £111,137,714 £122,225,029 £11,087,815 Comparing the total valuation of ISSS with 1891, there is an increase of more than £11,000,000, a result that is highly satisfactory, and will no doubt be a surprise to many persons, even to those who take an interest in watching affairs having a more or less direct bearing on land values and increased settlement. Of this large additional value, the North Island claims nearly £8,000,000, the increase in the counties being £6,500,000, and the boroughs £1,300, In the South Island the increase is £3,000,000, and it may be said that the whole is in the counties, the boroughs showing an increase of £300,000 only. The value of the boroughs in each island is about the same, being £J8,154.297 in the North Island, and £15,222,565 in the South. The North Island counties reach a total of £39,256,818, and those in the South £46,561,349. It appears probable that by November, 1891, the North Island will have reached a total land value nearly equal to the South, for there is every indication that settlement will continue to proceed much more rapidly than in the South Island, and there is a great deal of land that is likely to be improved during the uext two years, in addition to & large area that ha« been taken in hand since hist November. As an instance of progress, Oroua County may be cited, for its value rose in three years from £1,397,753 in ISSS, to £2,268,854 in 1891.

In the North Island the counties rank thus as to total value : Hawke's Bay, £3,673,889; Oroua, £2,268,854; Waip&wa, £2,179,812; Eden. £2.002,677; Cook, £1.885,856; Wairarapa South, £1,872,035; Patangata, £1,863,930; Wairarapa North, £1,831,209; Rangitikei, £1,475,473; M&nukau, £1,385,330; Hawera, £1,247,436; Wanganui, £1,176,106; Wairoa, £1,101,072; and Hutt, £1,030,745 ; all others having a total value of less than £1,000,000. Whangaroa, with a value of £03,825, stands at the bottom of the list.

In the Eden, Manukau, W'aikato, YVaipa, and Peninsula Counties the value of the improvements is higher than that of the unimproved land; and in Hutt county the value of improvements nearly reaches that of the land. The result of the assessment for the four largest boroughs or cities are

1 Improved Improve- i Unimproved j Value. inentd. | Value. Auckland .. j £4.934,23* £2.453,4721 £2.471.496 Wellington.,l 5,366,778 2,432,749 3,440,182 ChrNUliurch i 3,403,656 1,527.620 1,*20,770 Duneiiin ..! 4,193,422 2,009,905 j 2124,467 In considering these figures it must be remembered that Wellington has no populous and valuable boroughs close to it, as the other cities have. The second-class boroughs in the colony rank thus for improved value :—Napier, £1,275.853; Inveicargill, £959,140; Nelson, £942,370; Lyttelton, £851.730; Sydenham, £821,060; Oainaru, £612.571 ; Wauganui, £•543,403; St. Albans, £524,822; Palmerston North, £489,618; Caversham, £466,074; Timaru, £442,830; and Devonport, £407,333; Patea, with £43,378, has a less value than any other borough in the North Island, while Alexandra, £13,578, and Hampden, £13,195 have the lowest value iu the South. Statement showing value of land, including improvements, value of improvements, and the un- . improved value of laud iu the districts of local bodies.

*In several instances the unimproved value, together with the value of improvements, does not equal the improved value. This is owing chiefly to alterations made by Boards of Review.

IMPORTS AND EXPORTS. The value of imports in the colony during the quarter ended June was £1,412,330, as against £1,144,271 for the same quarter last year. The figures at tho principal centres were: — Auckland ... £300,083 Wellington 360.140 Lyttelton 257,641 Dunedin 309,165 The exports for the same quarter were £2,210,178, as against £2,315,724 for the corresponding period in 1891. The figures at the principal ports were:— Auckland £250,817 Wellington 183,958 Napier 196,240 Lyttelton . ... 644,388 Dunedin ... 331,444 Invercargill ... ... 230,009 THE CUSTOMS REVENUE. The amount of Customs revenue collected during July was £121,742, as against £115,033 for the previous month, and £144,826 for the corresponding month of previous year. For the three months of the financial year the total is £499,253. The treasurer's . estimate for that period was £525,000, leaving a deficit of £25,747. The principal ports contributed as follows last month:— Auckland ... 1 ... ... £25,379 Wellington 26,691 Chmtcnurch 19,135 Dunedin ... ... 25,795 (Total in ••• £121,742 i £121,742 i

The beer duty yielded £3757 last month. The amounts collected &6 the chief ports were: -: \ Auckland ... ... »<. £850 Wellington 415 • ghristchurch ' ... 684 unedin ... 842 ; In June this year £4159 was collected, and in July, 1891, £3714. The Treasurer estimated the amount for three months at £19,333, but as only £17,175 have been collected, he is above the mark by £2158. Customs revenue collected in the colony for the last quarter was £577,014 against £350,581 for the corresponding quarter, 1891. Auckland contributed £79,741 ; Wellington, £84,371 ; Lyttelton and Christchurchy £59,362 ; Dunedin, £83,615. BANK RETURNS. The following are the Bank returns for the quarter ended Juho 30 Liabilities. Asset*. £ s. d. £ s. d. Bank of .. 6,157,503 6 10 6,382.166 6 3 Union Bank of A... 2,753.618 5 8 8,476,868 12 4 unk of N.S.W. ..2,881,033 10 8 a,372, 0 6 Bank of Australasia 1,342,239 16 3 1,665,977 12 7 National Bank N.Z. 1,202,093 9 10 1,830,804 14 3 Colonial Bank N.Z. 1,768,910 14 11 2,720,817 17 11 Totals «. ..14,595,5(13 i Z 17,309,000 310 POSTAL AND TELEGRAPHIC REVENUE. The postal revenue for the quarter was £45,289. Auckland contributed £5764 ; Christchurch, £6283 ; Dunedin, £5280 ; Wellington, £7022. For the corresponding quarter last year the total was £45,925. The telegraphic revenue for the last quarter was £27,070 against £27,447 for the same quarter of 1891. Auckland collected £4566 ; Christchurch, £3648 ; Dunedin, £4225 Wellington, £4977. During the quarter the value of the Government telegrams transmitted was £6115 against £6983 for the corresponding quarter of last year. The money order transactions for the quarter were :—lssued, £162,872 ; paid, £145,801. The value of the transactions at the chief centres was : — Issued. Paid. Auckland ... £27,443 £32,143 Christchurch ... 18,811 18,288 Dunedin ... 21,914 25,336 Wellington ... 27,876 27,941 The Savings' Bank transactions were amount of deposit®, £472.199 ; withdrawals, £454,038; as against £500,943 deposited and £421,487 withdrawn in the same quarter of last year. The transactions in the principal towns were :— Deposited. Withdrawn. Auckland ... £57,680 £54,459 Christchurch ... 96,863 94,102 Dunedin 67,425 67,421 Wellington ... 97,042 90,370 The excess of deposits over withdrawals was : — Auckland, £3221 ; Christchurch, £2766; Dunedin, £4; Grey mouth, £3193 ; Invercargill, £2776 Wellington, £6671. At Gisborne, Napier, Nelson, Oamaru, Timaru, and West-port, the withdrawals exceeded the deposits. The total excess of deposits over withdrawals for the quarter was £18,161. The value of the postal notes sold for the quarter was £21,090, as against £19,? 15 last year. The amount paid was £20,466, against £19.114. Auckland sold £3629, and paid £4243 ; Christchurch sold £2340, and paid £3176 Dunedin sold £2785, and paid £3486; Wellington sold £3223, and paid £3550. In the above shillings and pence are omitted.

THE EXPORT OF GOLD. The quantity and value of gold entered for exportation from Now Zealand for the six months ending June 30 was :— Ozs. Value. Auckland 18,753 £75,210 Marlborough 2,713 10,688 Nelson 1,503 5.720 West Coast 56,547 226,143 Otago 39,133 156,890 Unknown 52 206 Totals 118,701 £474,857 The totals for corresponding half-year 1891 were 136,4940z, valued at £544,920.

THE FLAX TRADE. The trade in New Zealand flax is larger than many of oar readers are aware, even though it is less at present than it was a few years ago. To Mr. A. H. Nathan we are indebted for the following figures, which shows the quantity and value of flax exported from the undermentioned ports during the five years ending in 1891. The figures are as follow :—

It will be seen that during the ahove five years New Zealand exported 49,709 tons of flax, valued at £929,906. SHEEP AND CATTLE RETURNS. The sheep returns for the Auckland district are now complete, and show an increase of 131,994 sheep over last year. There are 375 new owners on the list. Whakatane county is now included in the Auckland sheep district. The totals of different counties are as follow — AUCKLAND DISTRICT. Northern subdivision. 1891. 1892. Increase Mangonui .. .. 10,251 18,700 — Wban«;aroa .. .. 3,820 4,103 — Bay of Islands .. .. 2.1,871 24,952 — Hokianga .. .. 3,244 5,264 — Whangarei .. .. 37,720 43,724 — Hobson .. .. .. 7,197 12,026 — tain a tea .. .. 21,472 24,352 — Rodney 47,311 52,781 — 162,886 185,802 23,006 Auckland Subdivision, Waitemata .. .. 26,840 29,284 — Eden 6,V99 6,012 — Manukau 76,009 91,232 — Coromandel .. .. 3,928 6,632 — • Thames 9,929 10,880 — Obinemuri .. .. 2,540 2,558 — 120,145 140,578 20,433 Waik&to Subdivision— W.ikato 66,333 74,754 - Raglan 11,438 29,559 — Walpa 48,390 63,837 — Piako 147,360 188,804 — West Taupo & Kawhia 20,809 28,003 — Tauranga .. .. 19,239 15,384 — Whakatane .. .. 68,477 60,260 — 372,046 460,001 88,555 Total increase 131,994 The annual sheep returns were presented to the House of Representatives on Friday, July 22, and show that the increase in the number of sheep was as follows:—Auckland, 189,400; Hawka'e Bay, 237,460; Wellington and West Coast, 555,213 ; Marlborough and Nelson, 38,869; Canterbury, 390,647; Otago, 310,159: total increase for the North Island, 982,073; for South Island, 739,675; total increase for the colony, 1,721,748. The present total number of sheep in New Zealand is 18,475,500. An interesting return has been prepared showing decennial increase of sheep and cattle in Now Zealand, lb is remarkable as illustrating the disproportionately rapid development of the North Island. In 1871 cattle were North Island 181,096, South Island 254,781 ; in 1881, North 387,191, South 310,788; in 1891, North 507,423, South 282,046. Thus in the lasbdecennium the North exhibited an increase of 120,000, and the South a decreasa of 28,000. Sheep : In 1871, North Island 1,853,551, South 7,830,100; in 1881, North 4,054,973, South 8,867,921 ; in 1891, North 7,450,177, South 10,350,567. The total number of sheep exported from the colony for the year ended June 30, 1891, was 1,500,958, and for the year ending June 30, 1892, 1,356,347. Of lambs there were 357,916 exported in 1891, and 293,900 in 1892. There has therefore been a falling off during the past year. The approximate sheep returns of the Canterbury-Kaikoura district shows an increase of 390,514 in 1892 over 1891.

Actual Value In- Value of Unimeluding Improve- proved Improve- ments. Value, merits. Counties .. .. £85,818,167 £27,922,735 £i>7,880,233 Boroughs .. 30,406,862 18,442,562 17,907,662 Total.. .. 122,225,029 365,207,»75,787,895 Counties— i Mangonui .. 196,158 44,007i 152,151 Whangaroa .. 63,825 22,446' 41,379 Bay of Islands .. 365, 117,4571 247,61-2 Hokianga .. 422,365 .'6,408 365,957 Whaugarei .. 623,420 207,417 316,001 Hobson .. .. 325,974 84,091 241,880 Olainatea .. 258,490 101,521! 156,975 Rodney .. .. 293,235 119,922; 173,313 Waiteraata .. 632,012 243,444 388,568 Eden .. .. 2,002,677 1,010,-J69 991,380 Mauukau .. 1,885.330 721,058! 664,272 Coromandel .. 217,120 50,637 166,483 I liames . „ 253,013 84.566 168,442 Ohinemuri .. 204,704 40,522 . 164,182 Kaglan .. .. 357,941 76,996 280,945 Waikato .. .. 682,774 400,019 282,655 Piako .. .. 689,384 261,495 427,889 Waipa .. .. 464.0S6 266,186 197.900 Tauranza .. 282,723 110,354 172,078 Rotorua .. .. 168,371 54,082 114,289 Whakatane .. 063,785 115,564 548,221 Kastlaupo .. 301,681 9,575 292,106 West Taupo .. 235,997 9 591 226,400 Kawhia .. .. 354,269 4,218 360,051 Islands Ot. Barrier,etc. 65,284 12,710 42,574 Waiheke etc.. 71,343 31,132 40,211 Waiapu .. .. 472,548 130,986 341,032 Cook .. .. 1,885,866 710,144 1,175,712 Wairoa .. .. 1,101,072 812,845 786,032 Hawke's Bay .. 3,673,889 1,115,306 2,558,583 Waipawa.. .. 2,179,812 931,930 1,249,695 Patangata .. 1,863,936 709,027. 1,154,909 Clifton .. .. 441,325 56,073 385,252 Taranaki .. 969,579 365,488 004,091 Stratford.. .. 560,345 112,843 447,502 Hawera .. .. 1,247,436 439,549 807,887 Patea .. .. 823,675 301,3 522,322 Waitotara .. 731,668 270,826 460,842 Wanganul .. 1,176,106 346,021 830,519 Pahiatua.. .. 511,400 179,766 331,634 Wairarapa North 1,831,209 773,816 1,057,393 Wairarapa South 1,872,035 767,971 1,104,064 Hutt .. .. 1,030,745 510,565 620,005

Ports. Tons. £ £ 81,711 3,753 196,738 121,377 5,797 1,787 2,437 Dunedin 13,&45 j Bluff , 1,468 5,387 2,324