THE CENSUS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1739, 11 July 1862, Page 4

THE CENSUS.

The Queen has brought us the results of the triennial Census taken in December 1861. The increase which the Colony exhibits as a whole, both in population and wealth, is very great, as will be shown by a comparison of totals with those of 1858. 1858. 1861. European population (exclu- 59,328 101, ,915 sive of Military) Houses (do,) ... .. 12,812 22,376 Land fenced 235,561 409,467 " cropped 141,007 226,478 Horses .. 14,912 28,265 Cattle 137,188 193,134 ' Sheep 1,523,316 2,760,163 If we divide the Colony into the Northern and Southern Islands, the result is one which will not fail to be used to the utmost by the advocates of separation. North Isd. South lsd. European Population ... 41,641 60,274 (exclusive of Military) Houses (do.) 10,16! 12.215 Land fenced ••• 230,570 178,897 „" croppod 147,247 79,251 Horsea 12,740 15,525 Cattle 96,296 96,838 Sheep 638 768 2,121,395 Turning to the increase in our own Province we compare the totals of 1861 with JLhose of 1858. JBSB. 1861. European population (oxclu- 11,753 12,568 sivo of Military) Houses 2,799 3,081 Land fenced 40,84 76,611 " cropped 26,024 55,313 Horses 3,199 5,11? Cattle .. 35,799 49.323 Sheep 155,994 247,940 With reference to the very small increase in our own population, various causes may be assigued for it, nut the lea3t of which was the Otago gold fields. | At the time the census was taken, they were at their height, and had been for months draining our male population. This is evident from a comparisou of the numbers of males between 21 and 40 — In 1858 they were 2,238; in 1861 only 1463. The progress which had at that date been made in fencing and cultivation, also shows that at the time theCensuswas taken, there must have been a recent drain from amongst those who had been previously aotively engaged in industrious pursuits,