Wanganui Chronicle, AND TURAKIMA AND RANGITIKEI MESSENGER. WANGANUI, 23RD JUNE, 1866.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 10, Issue 621, 23 June 1866, Page 2

Wanganui Chronicle, AND TURAKIMA AND RANGITIKEI MESSENGER. WANGANUI, 23RD JUNE, 1866.

-The telegrams from England (published .elsewhere) although short, are by no means pleasant. The suspension of the Bank [Charter and discount at 12 per cent are .grace occurrences, before which weak commercial companies must inevitably suc.piimb, and even houses of good standing will require careful guiding to weather the storm. The panic- in Paris is represented .as being even worse than it is in London. And* all this comes from a threatened war in which the English people have no conpern, and about the causes of which not one in ten possesses any clear idea. Every one can understand why Italy wishes to wrench "Venetia from Austrian domination, hut why Austria and Prussia should quarrel seems a puzzle. But politicians will meddle and muddle, and people must suffer through their doing so all the same.

Our Provincial Executive has resigned. The Superintendent bows to the necessity, -and a change may he anticipated. Here is news indeed. Well, the province cannot be worse managed than it has been ; perhaps, i may be better for a change, although it is a i well not Jo expect much, and then the disappointment will be proportionately small. The Manawatu Small Farm Association is the beie noir of Messrs Halcombe and Co., and it has very properly led to their fall. Without entering into the question of what is a fair price for Government land, on which there is room for a wide difference of opinion, it does seem pitiful that this Association should have been made the first body to try tlie experiment upon, and that so much stringency should have been introduced all at once into the laws relating to occupation of land, when it was working men who were concerned. The fact, at least, indicates very uumistakcably the fowling for this class entertained by our late Provincial Executive.

The numbering of tlie people has always been considered a sine qua non in civilized nations, and it is impossible for the legislator to proceed with his work without possessing something like an accurate approximation to the number of iho people for whom laws are Required. The census of New Zealand for in the shape of a bulky blue book now

lies before us, and it is impossible to look over its pages even cursorily without bein impressed with the amount of labour, both as regards the care bestowed in its compilation and !he evident desire to render the returns as accurate as the circumstances would permit, displayed by the RegistrarGeneral and his assistants. There is much in the volume which can only bo regarded as valuable by the politician and tli e statist, but the more general figures of the census possess an interest for every settler. To these we shall confine ourselves on this occasion. The enumeration was taken for the night of the Ist December 1804, when it was found that our total European population (exclusive of the military and their families) was 172,158, of whom 108,580 ivere males and 85,578 females. In these numbers are included the Military Settlers and their families numbering altogether 6,352. The above population was distributed as follows :—-

Of these 41,235 were born in New Zealand, 58,444 in England, 30,940 in Scotland, and 20,317 in Ireland ; the remainder was contributed by the Australian colonies) America and other foreign countries.

The census of 1881 gave a population of 99,021, which compared with 172,158 the number in 1804, showed an increase of 73,137 persons or 73.8(5 per cent. Of this numerical increase Southland contributed the largest proportion and Wellington the smallest. Our provincial rulers do not seem favourable to an influx of population, although wo should reckon no ..wealth to it.

The religious statistics will be regarded with much interest by many of our readers. The following table gives the adherents of the principal denominations in the colony :

Not described 1,396 772 2,618 The electoral district of Wanganui con tamed a population of 1,429 males and 990 females —2419, an increase of 459 since 18G1. Ean'gitikei, 741 males, 531 females — 1272, being an increase of 380. A short table gives us the number of deaf and dumb, and blind in the colony. These are few 7 . There are 14 males and 5 females of the former, and curiously enough an equal number of the latter —the sexes also being exactly alike. There is also a slight decrease in both classes since 1361. The census has no reference-to the Maori population. Under the most favourable circumstances it would be difficult to obtain returns of any worth from this portion o her Maje sty’s subjects; in a time of disaffec tion the tiling was simply impossible.. On this subject, we find the Registrar-General saying—

“ After the European census of 1861, I prepared an estimate of the native population based upon the Maori census of 185758. According to this estimate, the Maori population then amounted to 55,836. Of these the Northern Island was estimated to contain 53,058, leaving only 2280 for the Middle Island. These figures, -of course, were not assumed to be any more than such an approximation to the reed numbers as the available material permitted, and there cannot, I apprehend, be any doubt that the numbers in the Northern Island (which has been the scene of war in addition to the other influences believed to be producing a diminution, more or less rapid, in the native population) if they could now be made up correctly, would exhibit a great decrease.’

Males. Females Total. Auckland 25, CSS 16,440 42,132 Taranaki 2.872 1,502 4,374 Yv oliiugton Hawke’s Bay ... 8, M2 0,645 14.9S7 2.457 1.313 3,770 Kelson ■. 6,700 5,204 11,910 Marlborough ... 4,032 1,437 5,519 Canterbury 18,031 13,345 32,270 Otago Sou th 3 an d in el n d32,692 ) 1(5,327 49,019 isg Stewart’s Island f 4,800 3,279 8,085 Chatham Islands 50 30 SO

Males. Females. Total ■ Church of England 4th'-’75 27.843 73,118 Presbyterians 2b,70S 10,290 42,05 Ivoman Catholics 14,001 7,506 21,50 Wesleyan Methodists 0,837 5,669 12,50 Independents 2,042 •1,647 3,68 Baptists 1,825 1,556 3,39 Primitive Methodists 730 610 1,34 Lutheran Church ... 1,413 330 1,80 Hebrews 621 334 95 Society of Friends ... 93 35 128 Protestants not specified 4,057 2,168 7,825 Otherwise described 1.422 798 2,220