THE New Zealand Mail. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 1896. THE CENSUS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1261, 30 April 1896, Page 22

THE New Zealand Mail. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 1896. THE CENSUS.

Oft of tlio dark sen of collection, of which the waters are subsiding - fast, the peaks ot important facts are beginning to show. “ Watchman, what of the night r” “Tho night it dopartetii.” These are tho words which rise to our mind as those pinnacles are disclosed. Rising in the grey dawn, wide apart, like solidly buttressed rocks seen clearly through the mists, they impress us with tin-ir indication of the progress made in our district, which at present is in some respects the best in New Zealand. It is a great relief to turn to them from tho turmoil of politics, and study tho advance along tho whole line which they already disclose as a thing beyond dispute, or even the reach of doubt. Here aro facts which not the most envenomed politician is likely to question. They are the outcome of the solid enumeration of fact by independent authorities; just a matter of well-ordered arithmetic, beyond all doubt in every respect “ according to Cocker.” Three points aro visible at long distances from one another apart. First we have Wellington city with a solid advance of over (3000 in live years, l’ut the other day men were congratulating themselves on a bare 30,000, and here we see a grand total of 30,000. This, let us bear in mind, is the borough proper. Not one of the other great boroughs in New Zealand can compare with it. Their statistic, o outtop ours with the assistance of their suburban boroughs. But we stand alone, with our 37,432. That is one thing. Another is that no other city will show an increase for the five years of the census period of 20 per cent. A growth of one-fifth during a period of five years, three of which were tho years of the greatest recorded depression in New Zealand, is an eloquent testimony to tho solidity of the resources of the Wellington district, to its commercial soundness, to the substantial advantages of the geographical position of tho chief city. The census figures only give exactness to tho shape of the correct conviction which many things have borne in upon us during the last few years. The growth of tho great warehouses, the migration to head offices, the spread of the city upwards and outwards, the absence of uutenanted houses, the prosperity of tho building trade, the briskness of business, and the prosperity of the finance of the local bodies —all those things have given us eloquent evidence of tho city’s progress. The census return corroborates; that multifarious evidence by telling us how many new people have come to stay, and are not doing badly. The next point rising up above the uncertainties is Raliiatua. A few years ago Bahiatua was not even a point in the wilderness. In 1S!)1 it possessed a population of 752 ; now its enumeration reaches tho satisfactory total of I .Sol. Tlmt is the record of a new district, working out its destiny in the heart of the old Wellington province without the aid of the railway system, and with but little expenditure on public works. Another pinnacle rising near is Al.istorlon, with an increase ol i2 per emit, on a population of 311 k Teat this, one of the most pleasant of our inland towns, should have more than held its own is a tribute to the elasticity ot Ihe resources of the forest, country that, borders the- great Yluirarapa plain. 1 l,i,worn is the next point which rises up with mi increase of 3,S per cent, on a population of 12,Sf, which has gone up during the live years to 177*L Here we have proof of Ihe beneficial character of the West (Via.it Beltieuienls Act, which was meant, to increase small settlement by Keen i in:; validity of title on a bask ol .jus-

tice, to owners and 1 * itm lit ■, and ha; succeeded, ns every one knows by this time, under the I’uhiic, ’l'm. toes mans iicul, beyond the most sanguine, ex j aliens <>! its framers. From \\ no.t\ill,' we have also a great story of subslaul ial inci ease. (An tho whole, the live main points already disclosed of the cm.,us of chat is called the Middle District of New Zealand are brightly encouraging. 'I hey show us the capital advancing by leaps arid hounds, Lacked by country centre? advancing in the same manner, some ot them at, a greater rate. Tho best feature is that this increase of settlement is due to nothing extracted ina ry. There is no sudden out hurst of a goldfield, no phenomenal expenditure of public money, no abnormal development of (he ordinary local resources. Tho district is just developing itself quietly, and rapidly, sustaining its prosperity upon its ordinary resources, advancing at a great pace towards wealth and prosperity. AYo ;;co enough of tho census figures already to make us feel

sure that the full disclosure will bo the most satisfactory, so far as this district is concerned, that wo have had for years.