THE ”SYDNEY HERALD” ON NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2173, 11 February 1881, Page 3

THE ”SYDNEY HERALD” ON NEW ZEALAND.

The “Sydney Morning Herald" has an article on the New Zealand statistics, from which we quote the fallowing passages: — “In spite of the commercial depression through which New Zealand has for some Ken passing, the latest statistics of that colony prove that she is still making progress in some of the chief elements of national greatness. In 1854 her population, exclusive of Maoris, who certainly have contributed little to her advancement, was estimated at 32,554, against 251,315 for New South Wales. At the same date Victoria had 312,307 inhabitants, South Australia 92,545, and Queensland, which was then part of New South Wales, had only about a couple of thousand white residents throughout the whole of her vast territory. In point of numbers, Victoria still holds the first place, but of late years New South Wains has been fast overtaking her, and New Zealand faster still. At the present moment Australasia must contain not very far short of three million people of the British stock. The signs of the times are that in another decade Victoria will be sur- < passed by the mother colony, and may even be run close for second place by New Zealand. But why should any one of these vigorous young colonies grudge prosperity to the rest ? The faster any one grows the better it will be for the others; and when this great continent and its adjacent islands have a population of ten millions in* stead of three, as they soon will have, the magnitude of their mutual interests will enable them to overcome all tariff difficulties, and whatever else may stand in the way of a united Australasian dominion. The rate of increase in New Zealand for 1879 is given at 7 2 per cent, upon the number of the previous year, and that is larger by nearly one-fourth than for New South Wales. But these estimated rates are subject to corrections on both sides, and while our Registrar expects an increase for overland arrivals, the Registrar of the island colony expects a decrease for unrecorded departures seaward. The gain by excess of births over deaths was 16,733 in the larger colony, and 12,487 in the smaller, and, therefore, the latter has the advantage under this head, due to a somewhat higher birth rate. The marriage rate is about the lino in both colonies —14£ for every 1000 persons living—and that is commonly accepted as proof of the easy circumstances of the people. But it is curious to notice the different proportions of the marriages celebrated by the different religious denominations in the two colonies. In New South Wales 45 per cent, of all the marriages celebrated during the year were by the Church of England, 18 per cent, by the Roman Oatbolio Church, and the remaining 47 per cent, by other denominations and at registrars' offices. New Zealand —22 per cent, were Church of England, 12i per cent. Roman Catholic, and 65} per cent, of other denominations nearly one-half the latter being Presbyterian. The marriages by registrars instead of by ministers were 6 per cent, of the whole in New South Wales, and 17} * par cent, in New Zealand,