THE CENSUS.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2716, 31 October 1871, Page 3

THE CENSUS.

We have received further papers showing principal results of the late census, as they relate to live stock and dairy produce. From these we find that the total number of horses in the Colony is 81,028 ; of cattle, 436,502 ; of sheep, 9,700,049 ; of pigs, 151,460 ; and of poultry, 872,174. The Colony pi oduced 5,199,072 lbs. butter, and 2,547,507 lbs. cheese ; much rapre than one-half of the latter having been made iu Canterbury. That Province also stands first in the production of butter, Auckland being second, and Wellington third. Otago has the largest number of noises, cattle, and sheep ; Canterbury being second as regard live stock, and by far the first as regards dairy produce. Auckland and Wellington are pretty equal as regards horses and cattle, but the former Province has less than one-third the sheep possessed by Wellington, and not much more than one-fourth those possessed by Hawke’s Bay. Auckland stands second amongst the Provinces for dairy produce; Wellington third iu tho production of butter, ami fourth in the production of cheese. In comparing the returns from the several electoral districts of the Proviiice of Wellington we find that more than half the sheep in the Provim e depasture iu Wairarapa; which district also has tho largest number of horses, cattle, breeding cows, and pigs. Wanganui and Kangitikci stand ne*t ; the former heading the latter in horse?, but in no other description of live stock. The returns show a gia-

tifying increase over those of the previous census, amounting, in some cases, iu the four years, to 25 per cent. A comparison of the figures of the census relating to the different provinces reveals some curious facts respecting the ages of the people. Comparing the two principal provinces, Auckland and Otago, the Southern Cross finds that the former province contains a far larger proportion of aged persons than the latter ; while of persons of the ‘‘working” ages Otago possesses a number beyond what from its relative population might be expected. While the population of the two provinces does not materially differ, Auckland province has almost twice the number of persons aged 65 and upwards as compared with Otago ; while of persons between the ages of 21 and 40, Otago has iu round numbers 17,000 to 13,000 possessed by Auckland. The contrast is even more remarkable in the case of Westland as compared with Auckland, there being in the county, in a population of 15,000, but 40 persons who have attained the age of 65 and upwards ; while the population of those who are of the “ working ” age, as compared with other ages, is excessive.