Census Returns.

Observer, Volume XI, Issue 648, 30 May 1891, Page 13

Census Returns.

NOTES ON THE POPULATION OF NEW ZEALAND.

The census returns are now nearly complete.

There are 8793 Maoris in the districts north of Auckland;

In Dunedin there are 149 Chinese, of whom six are females.

Thames borough has a population of 1662, against 4444 at laflt census.

In all parts of the colony the Maori males are largely in excess of females.

The borough of Masterton has a population of 3115, an increase of 559 since last census.

Waikatq census returns have evidently been troublesome, as they are the last to come in.

The Maoris in the South Island now number 1860, being a decrease of 185 since last census.

Advance, New Zealand 1 A gain of 40,206 in the European population, in five years, is not bad.

In Otago and Southland there are only 455 persons returned as Maoris, and of these 210 are half-castes.

It is estimated that New Zealand has during the past five years lost 20,000 of her population by emigration.

Auckland wharves and shipping in harbour on sth April last had a population of 1261, being 930 less than at last census.

It is believed that in most of the North Island districts the Maori population has increased during the past five years.

The Registrar-General's estimate of the population at the end of last year was 620,279, but the census shows him to be nearly 2000 out.

Thebe are 11,268 people in the goldfields counties of Thames, Coromandel, Piako and Ohinemuri, and the males exceed the females by nearly 2000.

The North Island has gained more population than the South during the pa&t five years. The increase in the North was 23,771, while in the South it was only 16,356.

The present European population of New Zealand and dependencies is distributed as follows : North Island, 274,253 ; South and Stewart Island, 344,157 ; Chatham Islands, 25U ; Kermadec Islands, 19 ; total, 618,688.

A kemabkable coincidence is noticeable in connection with the census returns at Oamaru. The number of houses in town is returned as 1111, and the number of acres inside the boundary is known to be also. 1111. There is thus one house per acre in the borough.

Stjbotban boroughs show up as follows : — Parnell, 3914 ; Newton, 2085 ; Newmarket, 1576 ; Devonport, 2455. Since 18b6, Parnell has decreased by 758, Newton by 252, Newmarket by 266, and Devonport by 195. Birkenhead borough, which has now a population of 452, has lost 216 since last census.

The number of holdings in the colony to evexy hundred male adults has risen iv ten years from 17*30 to 23-22 in 1895. Our export of New Zealand produce, excluding wool and gold, has risen in ten years from £12 12s 2d per head of the adult male population to £26 6s Id in 1889.

Auckland is still the premier city of the colony, if the population of city and suburbs is taken into account. The following are the returns for the principal towns, with comparison between the present census and that of 1886 :— 1891 1886 Auckland 52,432 57,048 Wellington 33,138 27,833 Dunedin 45,829 45,518 Christchurcb. (incomplete) 45,688 Invercar^ill „.. ... ••• 7,990 8,939 iNapier 8,535 7,680 Kelson 6,675 7,315

The chosen design for a trophy to be presented to the owner of the winner of the next Melbourne Cup is said to be a good one. It depicts the winner in the act of being crowned with a laurel wreath, by an allegorical female figure representing Victory.

We have to thank Mr G. M. Main, the 'father' of the Herald literary staff, for a copy of his interesting compilation, ' The Newspaper Press of Auckland,' now issued in neat pamphlet form. This is an enlarged and corrected version of the sketch that was printed m the -Eight Hours Demonstration procession in November last, and the fulness and' accuracy of the information ought now to give every,- satisfaction. Of nearly a hundred journals started within fifty years in Auckland only four newspapers nosy survive— the Herald and Star (daily) and the Weekly Mews and Observ^u (weekly). Mr Main's interesting biochure ought to be carefully preserved in the Public Library and other institutions, as being the most complete and reliable record of the Auckland press. N