THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 192. BIRTHPLACES OF THE PEOPLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11986, 7 June 1902, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 192. BIRTHPLACES OF THE PEOPLE.

m The publication in completed form of the various tabulations drawn up from lasir year's census enables us to form a better idea of their value than is conveyed by scattered papers. This is particularly so of the " Birthplaces of the People," the title given to Part 111. of the Census Results. We pointed out some time ago the overwhelming British nationality shown to continuously dominate in our colony, there being only 1.5 per cent, of foreign subjects living among us and only .5 per cent, of naturalised subjects. Of our 772,719 people (exclusive of Maoris), 98 per cent, were not only British, but British born. In the sixty years of our colonial life, our native-born have become greatly in the majority ; they numbered 516,016, 0r66.83 percent, of the total. While the neighbouring British colonies of Australasia had sent us no less than 27,215 of their citizens. Only Germany had contributed more to our population than " other British possessions," under each of these two headings slightly over four thousand persons being registered. China, Sweden and Norway, and Denmark are each credited with over two thousands, Austria-Hungary with slightly under. When we compare these minor figures with the 205,111 persons living among us on March 31, 1901, who had been born within the United Kingdom—a percentage of 26.56— have very evident reason for the accepted idea that New Zealand is the most thoroughly British of all oversea parts of the Eng-lish-speaking world. Of the Britishborn, 111,964 are English, 1765 Welsh, 47,858 Scotch and 43,524 Irish. The above summary traverses what is now well-known ground, but it is of general local interest when taken in connection with the British-born of the provincial populations, which only retain to a limited extent the ear-marks of our earlier settlement methods. Auckland, for instance, differs practically not at all from Canterbury in the proportions of its out-born settlers the difference makes it more English. Otago still appeals strongly to the Scot, while Auckland is apparently too genial in climate to be averagely attractive to him; but only Otago seems to be now regarded as a national outlet. To every other part of the colony English, Scotch and Irish now come with cheerful impartiality. Auckland has over twenty-eight thousand English-born, Canterbury only twenty-five thousand, Wellington twenty-two thousand, Otago sixteen thousand ; we have under seven thousand Scots to Otago's twentytwo thousands, but Canterbury has just our number and Wellington a few hundred less; we have ten thousand Irish to nine thousand each in Otago and Canterbury and six thousand in Wellington. Indeed, one of the remarkable features of this unravelling of birthplaces is the evenness in almost every province of these national proportions. The excess of Scots in Otago affects the relative standing of their clansmen in every other province without exception. Only in Wesland, the province of the Premier, is the propor-

tion of Irish-born noticeably increased; there it is 1467 Irish to 1487 English and 690 Scots. It can hardly be said that in any province the English-born are more in evidence than elsewhere, while the handful of Welsh are scattered broadcast over the two islands. The old provincial system—Otago excepted— clearly broken down. Even Otago can hardly be said to be a close Scots corporation, seeing that the men of the other kingdoms are there in a decided majority. New Zealand evidently tends to become more and more homogeneous, to evolve a people which will be neither English, Scotch or Irish, but essentially and broadly British. It need hardly be said that the foreign-born bulk largest in Auckland Province. Westland, however, has over double our percentage— 4.38 to bur 2—an unpleasant prominence which is largely due to the presence of nearly 500 Chinese, but also to an excess of several of the kindred Teutonic and Scandinavian peoples. Our Auckland position as second in percentage and first in actual numbering of the foreign-born is due, of course, to the Austrians on the gumfields. This province contained 1563 subjects of AustriaHungary, Wellington being the only other province returning over 100; it had 102. Among this very considerable foreign element in our province were only 71 females ; among the 1874 Austrians in the colony only 161 females. It is inevitable that migratory movements should contain a preponderance of males. But in the proportion of sexes among the foreign-bom the Austrians occupy a very low place. The United Kingdom sent us 43.34 females among every hundred, a proof of its family nature and homebuilding intention. Taking nations credited with over a thousand of our foreign-born, Germany sent 34.95 per cent, female, Denmark 34.72 per cent. ; even Sweden and Norway,, with their legions of sailors, 19.77 per cent. Austria-Hungary only sent 8.59 per cent. It can hardly be questioned that the desirability of an immigration largely depends upon the proportion of women and children it introduces. We see this in these tables, where the Teutonic and Scandinavian peoples rank largely and rate high and where other peoples generally rank indifferently and rate low. Only 1.24 is our percentage of Chinese females among close Upon 3000 Chinese. Returning to the distribution of the foreign element through the provinces, Wellington contains the greatest number of North Europeans and Otago by far the greatest number of Chinamen. . Auckland has naturally the most Americans. Last, not least, come those born at sea, over twelve hundred, of whom only eight were foreign-born and 1195 true-born British.