STATISTICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11824, 29 November 1901, Page 3 (Supplement)

STATISTICS.

CUSTOMS REVENUE. The Customs revenue of New Zealand for the quarter and year ended with September 30 last compares as follows with the corresponding periods of a year ago: — 1901. 1900. £ £ Quarter ended September 30 621.595 577.737 Year ended September 30 ... 2,196,659 2,150,310 As the tariff alterations came into operation on August 18 last year, save for some frilling adjustments, the receipts of the year now treated of were entirely under the reduced tariff, and the Colonial Treasurer must be gratified to find that instead of the anticipated loss of £160,000, through the remissions then made, there is an increase for the twelvemonth of £46,349. _ This gain arises, however, almost entirely in the latest quarter, which, alone, shows an increase of £43,858, or fully 7£ per cent. The September quarter of 1900 was nearly half .under the old tariff and the balance under the new duties. Particulars of Customs revenue of New Zealand for the years ended June 30, 1901, 1900, 1899 respectively: — Goods. 1900-1. 1399-1900. 1898-9. Spirits 470.118 456.409 408,057 "Wine 36,256 33.038 31,648 Beer 13,931 37.479 18,893 Tobacco 292,323 272,523 263,541 Ciears and Snuff 52,659 28,794 26,867 Cigarettes ... 53,373 50,705 49,176 Tea 45,333 81,323 79,654 Coffee. Cocoa, etc 4,663 6,135 6,591 Sugar, etc. ... 172.324 165,969 163,611 Opium 6,542 6,443 5,707 Goods by weight 151,053 189.691 191,674 Goods ad valorem 831,407 741,165 668,392 Other duties ... 55,692 104,895 95,528 Parcels post ... 21,143 15.724 13,180 Totals *2,196,659 2,150,310 2,022,519 * The total is reduced by £163 through deduction of drawbacks paid.

The North Island shows,an increase in Customs revenue of over £58,000 ; the South Island a decrease of over £17,000; and parcels post an improvement of more than £5000. In the North Island each line shares in the expansion. In the South Island, Dunedin, which in the preceding year had exhibited a heavy increase, now displays a falling-off of some- £31.000, against which the rest of the South Island has an increase of about £14,000. In regard to articles, ten lines show increase and four lines a falling-off. The lines which exhibit reduction are tea, the duty on which has been reduced by onehalf, coffee, cocoa, etc., where only roast coffee and chicory remain liable to duty, goods by weight which loses by the remissions on dried fruits, rice, candles and salt; and " other duties" which has suffered the loss of the duty on kerosene.—New Zealand Trade Review.

EXPORTS. The following shows the values of exports from New Zealand during the years ended September 30, 1901, 1900, 1899 respectively, specie and parcels post to all ports being stated separately: — Ports. 1900-1, 1899-1900. 1398-9. £ £ £ North Island: Auckland ... 1.903.310 2,015,026 1,803,316 Wellington ... 1,942,003 2,411,940 1.741,380 Napier 825,077 950,031 891,748 Other North Island Ports ... 1,432,142 1,455,851 1,306,407 South Island: . ,„ _ Lytteltoii ... 2.451,738 2.707,892 2,042.489 Duriedin 1,489.424 1,451.900 1,147,007 Invercargill ... 939,192 735,633 718,361 Timaru 841,164 1,011,764 602,563 Other South Island Ports ... 901,203 838,149 795,322 Total. North Island 6,102,532 6,832,848 5,742,351 Total. South Island 6,622,721 6,795,343 5.305,742 Specie from all _„ Ports 14,564 21,052 71,304 Parcels Po3t, all _„. Ports 14,304 11,983 9,511 Total, Colony ... 12,754,621 13,661,226 11,129,403 Total apart from _, „ rn ... Specie 12,740,057 13,640.174 11,058.104

The twelvemonth ending September 30 is the most interesting period for a review of New Zealand's exports, as it constitutes the natural year for wool and other important products. The above tables show a falling-off in the value of the year's exports of £900,000 as compared with the previous twelvemonth, which is more than accounted for by a shortage of nearly £1.100,000 in wool lone Other important items showing a decrease are: —Frozen meat, about £124,000; tallow, over £62,000: sheepskins/£52,000: kauri gum, £174,000; New Zealand hemp, £189,000; and others in less degree. Increase is shown, on the other hand, in butter and cheese, nearly £166,000 gold, £112,000; silver, £15,000; timber, £69,000: coal, £31,000; oats, £350,000; potatoes, £50,000; and others in smaller amounts.

The following are the quantities of a few of the most important items in the above table: — 1900-1. 1890-1900. 1898-9. Lb. Lb. Lb. Wool 143,064,789 144,829.515 143,644,203 Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Frozen meat 1,843,261 2,065.430 1,613,532 Pr's'rv'd meat 36.332 45,771 46,506 Tons. Tons. Tons. Tallow ... 15.871 19.652 16.319 Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. flutter ... 196,012 162.262 116,472 Cheese ... 105,140 103,796 61,881 Tons. Tons. Tons. Kanri gum ... 7.428 10.676 11.157 Bhsl>. Bu«b. Bush. Wheat ... 2,602,036 2,717.642 2,229,723 Oats 10.038.161 5.445.646 2.678,203 Tons. Tins. Tons. Hemp 9,677 16,840 9,116 Wool shows a decrease a little over 1 per cent, in weight, but, rather more than 22 per cent, in declared value. The averages of declared values are 6.44 d per lb for 1900-1 and B.lßd per cent, for 1899-1900. Both valuations are in excess of actual realisations. The excess for 1899-1900 was considered by some competent critics to be fully £1,000,000. and we fear that the total for 1900-1 must be reduced by not less than £850,000.

Frozen meat shows a decrease of about 10 per cent, in weight, and a little over 5 per cent, in value. The decrease in tallow is less in value than in weight. In butter, the value and weight have increased in about equal ratio, while in cheese there is an increase of nearly 8 per cent, in value, but little over 1 per cent, in quantity. Kauri gum shows a decrease of over 30 per cent, in weight, but something less in value. In hemp there is a, diminution of about 42 per cent, in weight, and 52 per cent, in value. The heavy increase in oats shows the advantage to the colony of a good market in South Africa.

The slump in wool has fallen heavily upon the North Island, while its force has been mitigated for the Sidh Island by the good trade in oats. IMPORTS. The total value of imports into New Zealand in the quarter ended September 30 last compares as follows with previous corresponding periods — September quarter. Merchandise. Specie. Total. .£ .£ £ 1901 3,306,678 8.258 3.314,336 1900 2,873,609 61,370 ' 2,934,979 1899 2/89 314 1,700 2,491,514 1398 2,310,325 3,092 2.313. 3 The total, whether with or without specie, is the heaviest ever recorded in New Zealand for a quarter's imports. The total of merchandise, apart from specie, exceeds the

corresponding quarter of last year by £436,000, or over 15 per cent., and is nearly £1,000,000 more than that of 1898. The following table gives a comparison of the values of imports for three twelvemonthly periods ending with September 30: — Ports. 1900-1. 1399-1900. 1393-9. £ £ £ North Island: Auckland ... 2,719.820 2.320.88-5 2,217.381 Wellington ... 2,999,553 2,283,804 2,078,446 Other North Island Ports ... 544.437 414,619 433.003 South Island: Dunedm 2.154,121 2.128,629 1,676.434 Lyttelton ... 2,059,332 1.633,651 1,405,700 Other South Is land Ports ... 854,287 712,447 625,06-0 Total. North Island 6.263,830 5.054,303 4,733,830 Total, South Is- ~~~™ land 6,073,290 4.479,727 3,707,244 Specie to all Ports 476,932 433,345 21,462 Parcels Post, all Ports 105,493 79.952 64,043 Total, Colony ... 11,925.600 10,047,332 8,526,579 Total apart from Specie 11,448,618 9,613,987 8,505,117 Here again in the figures for the year we have a record total, exceeding even the high total of the preceding year by nearlv £1,900,000. or nearly 19 per cent. The net increase is, of course, affected by the remission of duty granted last year, but if we add to the increase the full amount of the estimated loss through the remissions, £160.000. the total increase would only be £206,349, or about 9£ per cent. The increase in imports amounts to over £1.200.000 for the North Island and very nearly £600,000 for the South Island. For Wellington alone the increase is more than £700,000. The discrepancy between the increase of imports and that of Customs revenue may he caused by an excessive proportion of duty free or "low duty goods, and by enhanced cost of certain commodities, or it may be due to over-importation. Possibly each of these factors may have a part in the movement, but in the absence of authoritative particulars these suggestions are mere surmise.New Zealand Trade Review.

THE OFFICIAL YEAR-BOOK. The New Zealand Official Year-Book has just been issued from the office of the Regis-trar-General. One of the principal articles of interest in it is the statement of the results of the last census. This is illustrated by diagrams of a very useful and intelligible nature. We give some of the results.

The total population of tho colony for the night of March 31, 1901, was 772,719 persons, of whom 2827 were Chinese and 2407 halfcastes living amongst and as Europeans. The census of the Maori population was taken during February, when the number of the native race was found to be 43,101 persons, including 3123 halfcastes living as Maoris ; 196 Maori women were returned as married to European husbands. The complete population, European and Maori, of the colony, was therefore 815,820 persons. In 1871 the proportion of females to males was 71 females to every 100 males; in 1901 the proportion stood 90 females to every 100 males. The increase on the total European population between April, 1896. and March 31, 1901, amounted to 69,359 persons, or a rate of 9.86 per cent. Between the census of 1891 and that of 1896, the numerical increase was 76,702 persons, or 12.24 per cent. The population of tho principal divisions of the colony on March 31, 1901, was: North Island (exclusive of Maoris) ... 390,511 Middle- Island 381,661 Stewart Island 272 Chatham Islands ... 207 Kermadec Islands 8 Of the Maori population, 40,665 live in the North Island, and 2491 halfcastes living as Maoris; 1916 Maoris live in the South Island and 567 halfcastes living as Maoris. The total population of the North Island is therefore 433,667, and of the South Island 384,144.

POPULATIONS OF THE PROVINCIAL DISTRICTS. These are stated as in March, 1901. and at the previous census. Taranaki stands first for rate of progress with an increase of 21.42 per cent, in five years, Wellington comes next with 16 per cent., Auckland' third with 14.57, Marlborough and Nelson have increased from 6 to 7 per cent., Canterbury and Otago somewhat over 5 per cent. Population. Increase. Provincial April, March, No. Per Districts. 1896. 1901. Persons. Cent. Persons. Persons. Auckland ... 153.564 175.938 22,374 14 57 Taranaki ... 31,175 37,855 6,680 21.42 Tlawko's Bay 34,038 35,424 1.386 4.07 Wellington ... 121,854 141,354 19,500 16,00 Marlborough 12,483 13.326 843 6.75 Nelson ... 35,734 37,915 2,181 6.10 Wool-land ... 14 I*9 1/1 vr, 7,7 0 'fi Canterbury 135.858 143,041 7,183 5.29 Utaso 16j,'j44 173.145 9,201 5.01 CHIEF CITIES AND SUBURBS. The details of these we have already given, but may restate the totals: Auckland and suburbs 67,226 Wellington and suburbs ... 49,344 Ohristehurch and suburbs 57,041 Dnncdin and suburbs 52,390 The increase of population for 10 years at the four chief centres, with their suburbs, was: — Census, Census, Inc. 1891. 1901. Inc. P. cent. Auckland and suburbs ... 51,287 67,226 15,939 31.08 Wellington and suburbs ... 34,190 49,344 15,134 44.32 Christchurch and suburbs 47,846 57,041 9,195 19.22 Dtmedin and suburbs ... 45,869 52,390 6.521 14.22

RELIGIOUS CENSUS. A table has been prepared in the Regis-trar-General's Office, showing (exclusive of Maoris) the number of persons belonging to the different religious denominations in New Zealand, according to the census of March, 1901, compared with the results of the census of 1896. The following extract gives the numbers for the two periods: — „, , , • 1901. 1896. Total population 772,719 703,360 total tor specified religions 771,837 702 238 Church of England 314,024 281,166 Protestants (undescribed) ... 1,239 1643 Presbyterians 176,503 159,952 Wesleyan Methodists 71,034 63,373 Primitive Methodists 10.143 7,041 Methodists (undefined) ... 2,395 2^893 Other Methodists 229 ' 60 Baptists 16.035 16.037 Coiitrregationalists 6,699 6,777 Lutherans ... 4,833 5,538 Unitarians 468 375 Society of Friends 313 321 Church of Christ (Disciples)... 6,105 5,859 Brethren 7,484 5,035 Believers in Christ ,'ii 77 Evangelists ... 21 33 Nonconformists 61 95 Salvation Army 7,999 10,532 Christadelphians 959 952 Swedonborgians 159 191 Seventh-day Adventists ... 864 776 Students of Truth 33 340 Dissenters 3 65 Christian Israelites 34 61 Other Protestants 1,093 1,710 Roman Catholics 108,960 97,525 Catholics (undefined) 86?. 1.279 Creek Church 139 116 Catholic Apostolic 326 247 Hebrews 1,611 1,549 Mormons, Latter-day Saints 272 239 Spiritualists 499 376 Buddhists, Confucians, etc.... 2,432 3,391 Others 250 187 Freethinkers 2,855 3,983 Agnostics 552 562 Deists, Theists 59 46 No denomination 4,740 3,898 Doubtful 33 46 No religion 1,012 1,605 Atheists 80 117 Secularists 17 153 Object to state 18.295 15,967 Unspecified 882 1,122 NUMERICAL INCREASES. Following are the numerical increases for the period 1896-1901 of the population and the undermentioned religions: — Total population 69,359 Total for specified religions 69,599 Church of England 32.858 Presbyterians 16,551 Wesleyan Methodists 7.661 Primitive Methodists 3,102 Other Methodists 169 Unitarians 93 ! Church of Christ (Disciples) 246 Brethren 2,449 I Christadelphians 37 Seventh-day Adventists 8? Roman Catholics 11.435 I Greek Church 73 Catholic Apostolic 79 Hebrews 62 Spiritualists 12 Others 63 Deists, Theists 13 No denomination 842 Object to state ' 2,328

NUMERICAL DECREASES. The following religions show numerical decreases as stated: — Protestants (nndescribed) 404 Methodists (undefined) 497 Baptists 2 Congregationalists 73 Lutherans 7.3 Society of Friends 8 Believers in Christ 46 Evangelists 12 Nonconformists 34 Salvation Army 2,533 Swedeuborgians 32 Students of Truth 307 Dissenters 62 Christian Israelites, Israelite? 27 Other Protestants 617 Catholics (undefined) 417 Mormons, Latter-day Saints 17 Buddhists, Confucians, etc 93 Freethinkers 1.127 Agnostics 10 Doubtful 13 No religion 595 Atheists 37 Secularists 156 Unspecified 240 CENTESIMAL INCREASES. Following are the centesimal increases of the population and the undermentioned religions .- — Total population 9.85 Total for specified religions 9.91 Church of England 31.09 Presbyterians 10.35 Wesleyan Methodists 12.09 Primitive Methodists 44.06 Unitarians 24.8 Church of Christ (Disciples) 4.2 •Brethren 43i4 Christadelphians 3.39 Seventh-day Adventists 11.34 Roman Catholics 11.73 Greek Church 62.93 Catholic Apostolic 31.93 Hebrews 4.01 Spiritualists 32.71 Deists. Tboists 28.26 IS'o denomination 21.6 'Object to state 14.53 CENTESIMAL DECREASES. Following are the centesimal decreases of the undermentioned religions: — Protestants (undescribed) 24.59 Methodists (undefined) 17.13 Baptists 0.01 Congregationalists 1.15 Lutherans 12.73 Society of Friends 2.49 Believers in Christ 59.74 Evangelists 36 36 Nonconformists 35.79 Salvation Army 24.05 Swedenborgians 16-75 Students of Truth 90.29 Dissenters ••• 95.33 Christian Israelites, Israelites 44.26 Catholics (undefined) ... _ ... 32.6 Mormons, Latter-day Saints 6-88 Buddhists, Confucians, etc 28.28 Freethinkers 28.3 Agnostics 1.78 Doubtful 28 .a 6 No religion x.95 Atheists gl-62 Secularists °° °* Unspecified 21.39

Further census returns have been prepared which show that the number of meat freezing and preserving and boiling-down works in operation in the colony in March, 1901, was 48, as against 43 in 1895, and the number of hands employed 2282, as against 2037. Tho wages paid amounted to £204,216, as against £180,775. Tho value of land was £87,776, buildings £428,075, machinery and plant £404,707. The material used in 1900 was valued at £344.983, and the output, valued at £3,834,896, included 2,145,287 carcases of sheep 1,202,836 carcases of lamb. 64,203 legs mutton, 306,119cwt beef, 6,040.047 rabbits. The butter and cheese factories in operation numbered 247, as against 170 in 1895, and the hands employed 1188, as against 576 in 1895. Tho wages paid amounted to £96,433, as against £40.157. Tho material used in 1900 was valued at £1,195,600. as against £336,743 in 1895. The value of all products was £1.535,150. as against £501.274. The grain mills working in April, 1901, numbered 78, employing 515 hands, against 90 in 1895, employing 419 hands. The value of grain used was £545.642, against £653.219, and the output £682,884, as against £874.655. Tho flaxmills in operation numbered 101, as against 52 in 1895, and employed 1693 hands, as against 647. The wages paid were £101,046, against £17,544 in 1900. The raw material was valued at £53.064, dressed flax at £201,235, and tow at £2257. The total output was £203,492, against £32,546. The soap and candle works operating in March numbered 24, and employed 232 hands, against 22, employing 190 hands in 1895. The material used was valued at £112,623, and the manufactures at £158,649, as against £152,298 in 1895.