A STATISTICAL COMPARISON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11201, 25 August 1898, Page 6

A STATISTICAL COMPARISON.

The Registrar-general has issued as a leaflet a statistical view of the colony in 1597 and 1887, from which can be.learnt at a glance the advance made in 10 years. The population (exclusive of Maoris, stated at 39,854), whicli in 1597 was 720,056 persons, had increased, by 125,695. The total imports (excluding specie), . £7,994,201, ■ l increased £1,929,920, and the total exports, £9,741,222, by £3,060,450. The • total exports of the produce of the- colony, £9,596,267, increased by £3,045,186. • ' The export of wool, 1b5,835,1171b, increased by 47,010,7351b, but the value increased'by only £1,122,070. The value of frozen meats increased in the 10 years by £1,110,416, of tallow by £112,731, of- sheepskins by ' £104,422, -of butter by £347,664, and by chee3e by £99,955. ' The .value of "the output of coal, 840,713 tons' increased by ■■ £141,046, 'and 'of gold ■by £232,326, ■' . :-~ .-.■■ ■. •-■ ,: ■ • The number of holdings in 1896 is set down at 58,904. as against 36,485 in 1886,' but-Mr Yon Dadelszen explains that'the comparison is not a 1 fair one, as in the 1^96 return holdings of exactly one acre in extent, and certain holdings: occupied-by Maoris, are included by the Agricultural department, which was not done in 1866. • The extent of holdings in 1896, including Crown pastoral leases, was 33,312,212. acres; an increase of 5,463,522 acres. The land in cultivation (including sown grasses) increased by 4,173,438 acres, the total being 11,483,127 acres. The number of sliesp increased in tho 10 years by 18.86 per cent., of cattle by 41.69 per cent., and of horses 34.93' per cent. . . The number of miles of railway open increased by 302 miles, and the receipts by £381,165. While the number of miles of telegraph lines open increased by 35.37 per cent., the number of messages increased by 52:69 per cent. The year's average of the deposits in the banks of issue was £14,290,512 in 1897,. a.n increase of £3,258,898. Tho savings banks deposits on 31st December, 1897, was £5.520,080, an increase-of £3,112,304.' The policies in force of the Government Insurance department increased in number by. 10,735; and in value by £2,720,066. ' • ; . . ,