STATISTICS OF NEW ZEALAND.

Timaru Herald, Volume V, Issue 111, 20 June 1866, Page 3

STATISTICS OF NEW ZEALAND.

[From the Nelson Examiner, June 9.] We have received from tlie RegistrarCJciinral the Statistics of New Zealand for the year 1864, together with the results of the Census of the colony taken m Decemher of that year. Although the information it contains has, to some extent, been anticipated by the publication of portions of it m the Niiv Zealand Gazette, the details are given, m the volume before us, with a greater degree of minuteness, which will rentier it invaluable as a book of reference. The Registrar-General, m his preface to the work, explains its publication being delayed so long by the laborious examination of the census schedules which was necessitated m order to arrive at the greatest accuracy, and by the peculiar hindrances which are presented to the compilation of a volume of G enrol Statistics of tins colony, " owing* to the large number of returns required from distant and detached localities, and the variety of distant and independent departments, General and Provincial, from which these returns are to be obtained." Further than this, the removal of the seat of Government to Wellington had retarded the publication of the work, owing to the numerous necessary records m different offices not being obtainable m Auckland. We cannot do better m giving- a short resume of the contents of the work, than quote from the preface which we have already referred to. With reference to the population of European descent, m December 1864, we learn that " the total, as shown by the Census Return, was 172,158 of whom 10(5,580 were males, and 05,578 females. In these returns are included the Military Settlers, «fee, and their families, numbering altogether 6,382 — viz., 5,139 males, and 1,243 females." The larger proportion of the population was m the Middle Island, which contained 106,809, or (52-07 per cent, of the whole, whilst the North Island had 65,263, or 37*93 per cent, of the entire population. These figures when compared with the previous census return m 1861, show an increase of 73,137, or 73-86 per cent. "In the three preceding years, viz., from 1858 to 1861, the increase was 39,643 persons, or 66-82 per cent. ; and m the seven preceding years, viz., from 1858 to 1861, the increase was 32,621 persons, or, calculated centesimally, 121*86 per cent." The total increase m the thirteen years, from 1851 to 1864, was therfore 145,451 persons ; the population then numbering only 26,707. The increase m population m the various provinces since the former census was taken m 1861, was as follows : — Southland, a province which was then almost unsettled, •shows an increase, m 1864, of 6,209, or 330*97 per cent. ; Marlborough, an increase of 3,220, or 140*06 per cent.; Taranaki, 2,330, or 113*99 per cent,; Canterbury, 16,236, or 101 per cent. ; Otago, 21,856, or 80*46 per cent. ; Auckland, 17,712, or 72*53 per cent. ; Hawke's Bay, 1,159, or 44*38 per cent. ; Nelson, 1,958, or 19-67 per cent. : and Wellington, 2,421, or 19*26 per cent.

15 v this it will be seen that, of the older provinces, Canterbury was far beyond any other m the increase of its population during three years, it having been doubled during that period. Both Southland and Marlborough, it is true, show a larger comparative increase, but it must be remembered that, m the instance of Southland, her first systematic settlement incident to her separation from Otago, took place during these three years, while the discovery of gold m the valley of Wakamarina was the reason of the gTeat increase of population m Marlborough. In Auckland and Taranaki wo see the effects of the native war m increasing the number of inhabitants to such an extent as 118-99 m the latter instance, and 7253 per cent, m the former. The difficulty of taking a native census of any reliability whilst the war was raging m the Northern Island, is the reason for so interesting a record not appearing with the European census. The Registrar-General, with reference to this, says : " After the European census of 18GI, I prepared an estimate of the native population based upon the Maori census of 1807-08. According to this estimate, the Maori population then amounted to 05,330, viz., 31,329 males, and 23,928 females (with 79 whose sex was not stated), of these the Northern Island was estimated to contain 50,00G, leaving only 2,280 for the Middle Island. These figures, of course, were not assumed to be any more than such an approximation to the real numbers as the available materials permitted; and there cannot, I apprehend, be any doubt, that the numbers of the North Island (which has been the scene of war m addition to the other influences believed to be producing a diminution more or less rapid m the native population) if they could now be made up correctly, would exhibit a great decrease. The number of electors m the colony amounted m 18G4 to 19,052, out of an adult male population of 02,197. In these 19,002 electors, were not included those m the Electoral district of the Otago goldfields.

Another interesting table gives m detail the particulars of the places of birth of the population for the several provinces, both numerically and centesimally. The following is the proportion, per cent., m whidi various countries have contributed to the population of the colony : — England, 33*95; Ireland, 11*80; Scotland, 17*98; Wales, 0*G0 ; New Zealand 2395 ; Australian Colonies, 55*4 ; other British Dominions, l'8O ; United States of America, 0*65; France, 0*29; Germany, 1*16 ; other foreign countries, 1*27 ; at sea, 0*35 ; not specified, 0*66. The tables relating to tho various religious denominations m the colony show that the Church of England had, m December, 1864, 42*47 per cent of the population of the colony; the Presbjterian Church, 24*43 per cent.; the Roman Catholic Church, 12*49 per cent.; the Wesleyan Methodist Church, 7.26 per cen.; the Congregational Independents, 2*14 per cent; the Baptists, 1*97 per cent.; the Primitive Methodists, o*7B per cent'; the Lutherans, I*os per cent. ; the Hebrews, 0*56 per cent. ; and the Society of Friends, o*oß per cent. Protestants non more distinctly described were 3*96 per cent. ; otherwise described, 1*29 per cent. ; and not described m any way, 1*52 per cent.

A table has also been drawn up which gives a comparative view of the total numbers of children attending 1 schools m the year 1861 and 1864. In the latter year the numbers attending either day or Sunday schools, supported or not by Government, were as follows : — Auckland, 4,549 ; Taranaki, 743 ; Wellington, 3,400 ; Hawke's Bay, 233; Nelson, 2,359 ; Marlborough, 245 ; Canterbury, 2,814 ; Otago, 3,903; Southland, 744. By this ws see that Nelson, with a population of only 11,910 persons, educated 2,359 children, whilst Canterbury, with a population _of 32,270, only shows 2,814, and Auckland, with 42,132 inhabitants, 4,549. From the preface before us, we learn that " m ISO 4, the total number of births registered m New Zealand were 0,501, viz., 3,334 males, and 3,107 females, being an increase of 1,380 over the number m 1803. The number of deaths registered m 1804 was 2,921, viz., 1,758 males, and 1,103 females, being 938 more than m the proceeding 1 year. The marriages m 18G4, amounted to 1,878, showing an increase of 393 as compared with 1863. The Immigration to the colony amounted, m 1864, to 20,931, and the Emigration to 12,404 persons, showing an excess of Immigration over Emigration of 8,527.

The space which is required to go more fully into the various tables, is beyond what we can afford for the subject, and we must there postpone,, until another issue, a consideration of the Exports, Imports, Revenue, &c, which are before us.