THE CENSUS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 26 June 1926, Page 6

THE CENSUS.

PRELIMINARY TOTALS ANNOUNCED. The very complete arrangements made for tiie taking of the Census oi tlie Dominion, and lor the computation of tho results, enabled the Government Statistician (Mr Malcolm Eraser) to hand to the Minister for Internal Affairs (Hon. R. F. Bollard) this week tho preliminary totals. The returns show that th e total population of New Zealand, inclusive of Maoris and exclusive of 'Western Samoa and_ the Cook and other Islands, to bo 1,407,105 and 1.314,384 excluding Maoris. A survey of the figures of the returns makes interesting reading. It is shown that there are in the Dominion 686,947 males and 657,730 females, and of Maoris 32,730 males and 30,001 females. Tho total increase in population since the previous Census taken on April 17, 1921, is recorded as 135,501 including Maoris, and as 129,707 excluding Mnoris. This latter is the greatest intercensal gain ever experienced in New Zealand in point of absolute numbers; it inis frequently been exceeded. The increase of 129,707 represents a gain of 10.68 per cent on the population in 1921. NORTH AND SOUTH ISLANDS. Tho great bulk of the population inirease went to the North Island. The figures, inclusive of Maoris, are:—

'fhe North Island now contains 03 per cent, '.of the Dominion’s inhabitants; the South Island possesses 37 per cent. Prom 1801 up to 1001 the South Island contained the majority of the population. Prior to 1801, and from 1001 onwards tho North Island predominated in this respect, and is steadily increasing the margin, as the undermentioned figures exhibit: — Census. N. Island S. Island.

The data quoted for Maoris, which incidentally covers half-castes as well as those of the full blood, disclose a very satisfactory increase in the numbers of. the .Native race. The Maori population in 1921 was enumerated as 50,987. The current Census gives a total of 62,701, representing a numerical gain of 5794 and a percentage gain of 10.17. The great majority of Maoris aro North Island residents, th e Northern Island claiming 60,222, as against the South’s 2559. Maori males outoutnumbered females by '29,510. Males in the population (excluding Maoris) aro still in the majority, and outnumbered femalts by 29,510. The '‘masculinity” of the population is usually expressed in terms of “females per 1000 males,” and recent Census experience is quoted on that basis

• Females per '■ Census. 1000 Males. 1901 ... 903 1900 887 1911 809 1916 993 1921 909 1926 957 Mr Hollard said that he had aslced the government Statistician to supply him with the figures for the last sis Censuses, excluding Maoris, and Mi Fraser had reported ns follows:

\s the period 1916-1921 covers the return of the majority of the personne of the Expeditionary Forces, its record has obviously been well surpassed by that of tho current intor-censal interval.

1921l'opul’ln. Inc. 1926 JN. Island 891,970 100,052 12.64 S. Island 510,195 35,449 7.39 Dominion 1,407,165 135,501 10.66

1901 . . ... 50.55 49.45 1900 . . ... 53.65 40.35 1911 . . ... 55.00 44.10 1916 . 69.22 40.78 1921 . . ... 60.81 39.19 1920 . . ... 03.39 30.61

.Numerical. Percentage l’eriod. Increase. Increase. 1921-1SJ26 ... 129,707 10.08 1910-1921 ... 119.464 10.87 1911-1916 ... 90.981 9.02 190(5-1911 ... 119 890 13.49 . 1901-1900 ... 115.859 14.99 1896-1901 .. 69,359 9.86