I—l 7

In the early years the immigration was obviously very much more important than the natural increase, but from approximately 1880 to the present date natural increase has been of very much more importance than immigration. This is an obvious movement with a growing population, despite-the fall in the birth-rate which was previously noted. 11. THE MAORI POPULATION As stated earlier, estimates of the Maori population about the year 1840 showed that there were around 110,000 in New Zealand as a whole. The first real census was taken in the years 1857-58, and the details of this and subsequent censuses are shown in the following table :

Table No. 25. —Table showing Maori Population at Successive Censuses, and Intercensal Movements, from 1857-58 to 1945

Note.—Minus sign (—) signifies a decrease. Some idea of the geographical distribution of the Maoris is shown in the next table : Table No. 26.—Table showing Provincial Distribution of Maori Population in 1936 and 1945 1936. 1945. Auckland .. .. .. .. .. 59,215 72,252 Hawke's Bay .. .. .. .. 6,633 7,363 Taran'aki .. .. .. .. .. 4,280 4,728 Wellington .. .. .. .. .. 8,969 10,965 Total, North Island .. .. .. 79,097 95,308 Marlborough .. .. .. .. .. 586 669 Nelson .. .. .. .. .. 246 302 Westland .. .. .. .. .. 144 151 Canterbury .. .. .. 1,407 1,501 Otago — Otago portion .. .. .. .. 413 383 Southland portion .. .. .. 433 430 Total, South Island .. .. .. 3,229 3,436 Total, Dominion .. .. .. 82,326 98,744 As giving some idea of the racial purity of the Maori race, the following table shows the distribution of the various classes comprising the Maori race.

15

Census. Maori Population. Numerical Increase. Centesimal Increase. Males. Females. Total. Males. Females. Total. Males. 1 Females. Total. 1857-58 31.667 24,303 56,049* 1874 25,294 21,264 47,330+ -6,373 -3,039 -8,719 -20 •1 -12-5 —- i 5 - 6 1878 24,906 20,636 45,542 -388 — 628 -1,788 — 1 •5 -3-0 —3*8 1881 25,420 20,721 46,141 514 85 599 2. ■1 0-4 1-3 1886 23,809 20,118 43,927 -1,611 -603 —2,214 -6' •3 —2-9 -4-8 1891 23,983 20,194 44,177 174 76 250 ()■ •7 0-4 0-6 1896 22.796 19,317 42,113 -1,187 -877 -2,064 -4' •9 -4-3 -4-7 1901 24,300 21,249 45,549 1,504 1,932 3,436 6' •6 10-0 8-2 1906 26,845 23,464 50,309 2,545 2,215 4,760 10' •5 10-4 10-5 1911 27,950 24,773 52,723 1,105 1,309 2,414 4' 1 5-6 4-8 1916 27,453 25,544 52,997 -497 771 274 — 1 ■ •8 3-1 0-5 1921 30,015 26,972 56,987 2,562 1,428 3,990 9' 3 5-6 7-5 1926 33,258 30,412 63,670 3,243 3,440 6,683 10' •8 12-8 11*7 1936 42,863 39,463 82,326 9,605 9,051 18,656 28' •9 29-8 29-3 1945 50,275 48,469 98,744 7,412 9.006 16,418 17 ■3 22-8 19-9 * Includes 79 sex not stated. t Includes 772 sex not stated.