CENSUS NOTES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4187, 21 August 1874, Page 3

CENSUS NOTES.

A series of " preliminary tables," compiled from the late census of New Zealand, have been laid before Parliament. They relate to the numbers of the population, and of their dwellings, and to land and live stock. In presenting them to the Colonial Secretary, the Registrar-General, Mr. W. E. E. Brown, remarks that the returns he submits are incomplete, as no returns have yet been received from the Chatham Islands. As a general observation, he states that in the North Island houses of wood or iron and raupo appear to be most numerous; of cob or ■ sod in the Middle Island ; and huts on the West Coast. The total population of New Zealand, including Chinese and half-castes, but apparently excluding Maoris, is 299,385." It is localised as follows :—Otago, 85,113 ; Auckland, 67,451 ; Canterbury, 58,775 ; Wellington, 29,790 ; Nelson, 22,558 ; Westland, 1-1,860 ; Hawke'sßay, 9228 ; Marlborough, 0145 ; and Taranaki. 5-163. The males numbered 170,903, and the females, 128.452. The Chinese munbered 4815, included in which there was only one female. There were 931 male and 929 female half-castes. The inhabited houses and huts ■were 59,355; there were 3967 uninhabited, and 535 in course of erection. There were 1967 tents, or buildings with canvas roofs. There were found 1898 houses of brick or stone, 50,987 of wood and iron, 2533 of cob, sod, &c, and 572 of raupo. Ou the night before the census was taken, 277 Europeans and 10 Chinese were sleeping under drays or camping out. Of the towns the most populous was Dunediu, with 18,499 persona on shore, and 23 on the water ; the Thames followed with 12,278 ; Wellington had 10,547, and 181 on board shipping in the harbor ; in Christchurch City West, 9194, in Christchurch City East, 7765 ; Auckland City West, 8892, in Auckland City East, 4109 ; Holcitika, 7079 ; and Napier, 5762. The total number of persons on board ships when the census was taken, including immigrants just arrived, was 3367—a number composed of 2856 males, and 511 females. The total extent of the acreage of freehold holdings was 7,029,3545. These lands were held in the following proportions provincially: — Otago, 1,686,8765; Auckland, 1,025,4584 ; Wellington, 1,000,552;| ; Hawke'a Bay, 954,9674, ; Canterbury, 877.970 J ; Marlborough, 704,5184 ; Nelson, 683,7525 ; Taranaki, 79,934 ; and Westland, 15,324. For pastoral purposes only, 14,192,553 acres were rented, and 3,070,6724 acres for other than pastoral purposes. Otago, Canterbury, and Marlborough, are the great pastoral Provinces ; but as regards other classes of leases the Provinces follow in succession thus—Auckland, 749,399 J acres ; Otago, 651,6395 ; Hawke's Bay, 580,605+, ; Canterbury, 574,809 ; Wellington, 326,4354, ; Nelson, 108,2955; Marlborough, 53,0944; Taranaki, 23,9154 ; and Westland, 2478 acres. The total area under crop was 1,547,277 J acres, of which 110,736£ were under wheat; 108,4855 in oats; 19,7834 in barley; in permanent grasses 1,107,1154; in hay, 44,211; in potatoes, 12,818; in turnips or rape, 24,445; in gardens or orchards, 12,818; and in tobacco, 50 acres.

In the Colony there were 12,407,156 head of live stock, chiefly sheep, which were distributed a 3 follows:—Otago, 4,518,439; Canterbury, 3,474,518 ; Wellington, 1,231,388 ; Hawke's Bay, 1,215,259 ; Nelson,. 630,492 ; Auckland, 498,106 ; Taranaki, 75,282 ; and Westland, 11,332. The number of sheep was 11,674,863 ; cattle, 494,113 ; horses, 99,261; brood mare 3, 18,690 ; pigs, 123,741 ; goats, 14,226; and mules and asses, 267. There were 1,057,220 head of poultry, 201 steam thrashing machines, 61 driven by water-power, and 50S by horse-power. There were on hand 1,028,543 bushel 3 of wheat, 878,899 bushels of oat 3, 191,345 bushels of barley, and 2738 tons of flour. In these figures, however, the live stock, and the property of the Natives in cereals, were not been taken into account.