Local Intelligence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 376, 11 June 1856, Page 6

Local Intelligence.

Tlie courtesy of the Provincial Secretary in forwarding to us proof-sheets of a Provincial Government Gazette, shortly to be published, enables us to-day to give the result of the Census of this Province, as taken on the 15th day of January last. The shuwn increase is in every way encouraging. The information conveyed by the Census is given under the separate headings as follows : —

Population. —Total "number, 5,347. Thus classided: Males, 3095; Females, 2,252. The separate districts of the Province give the following totals : —Town of Christchurch, 7lO: North Christehuvcb District, 985 ; South do., 800 ; Town of Lyttelton, 765 ; Lyttelton Country district, 525 ; Town of Kaiapoi, 475; Aka'roa, 522 : North Pastoral district, 217; Middle do.', 228 : South do. 130. It will appear from this that Lyttelton has the largest population of the towns of the Province. The proportion of sexes gives a numerical advantage to the.ladies of this town, the numbers being males, 382 ; females, 383.

The Ages of the inhabitants of the Province are thus stated: under 5 years, 1,024; between five and ten, 663; ten and fifteen, 519; fifteen and twenty one, 547 ; twenty-one and thirty, 1,137; thirty and forty, 929 ; forty and" fifty, 355 ; fifty and sixty, 134 ; over sixty, 39.*

Race.—English, 4,266; Scotch, 483Irish, 291; French, 62; Germuns, 66; other nations, 179.

Religion.—Church of England, 3.931 ; Wesleyans. 457; Presbyterians, 413; Independents, 25 : Baptists* 36 ; Roman Catholics, 153; other denominations, 52.

Under the heading of Education, we are told there are 389 who cannot read ; the numbers who can read only are 470 ; who can read and write. 3.151. The school returns give a total of 599 at school in the various places of instruction throughout the Province. At public schools, 459 ;at private schools, 140. Of these the numbers who attend Sunday schools, are 289. The totsil number of Dwellings is stated to be 1100. The description of the several buildings is not given. The extent of land purchased is 70,148 acres, we presume, although it is not printed in the proof forwarded to us : of these, 12,261 appear to be already fenced in. The total number of acres under crop is 6,462 ; in the following proportions: wheat, 3171 ; barley, 278; oats, 730 ; maize, 1 ; potatoes' 971; artificial grass, 815; gardens or orchards, 242 ; other crops, 254. Stock.—Horses, 1,189; mules and as-es 13 ; cattle. 12.434; sheep, 220.788 ; goats 401; pigs, 4,995.

Comparing the above with the Census taken on the 31st, of March, 1854, we fin') the following resulis. There has been an increase of the population of the Province of 1 452 souls; 284 additional houses have been erected ; 5,0-10 acres of land have been added to those previously fenced in; 3,542

acres more under crop—the greater proportion of this excess being in wheat, potatoes and artificial grass : the herds and flocks have nearly doubled their number; the increase of sheep being 105,788 ; cattle, 6,071 • and horses, 593.

Lyttelton Patriotic Fujstd.—To the Editor of the " Lytthltox Times." . Sir, —Will yon be good enough to insert in your paper, for the satisfaction of the subscribers, the following reply accompanying the receipt from the Secretary to the Patriotic Fund in London.—l beg to remain, &c, Charles Dudley, Honorary Secretary.

Royal Commission of the Patriotic Fund, 16A, George street, Westminster, 4lli February, ISO 6. S(R, — I have much pleasure in enclosing a recvipt lor £536 transmitted in yours of 21st September last, -being iunount subscribed by the inhabitants of the Lyltelton District, Canterbury Settlement, New Zealand ; and I am directed to request ih.it you will accept yourself and be go«d enough to convey to all engaged in this act of benevolence, the best thanks of the Royal Commissioners.

I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servnnt, E. Gardiner Fishbourne, •' Honorary Secretary. ' To Dr. Dudley, Port Lyttekon," Canterbury Settlement, N.Z.

Restdent Magistk vte's Court, Christchtjkch.—Present, the Resident Magistrate and Mr. Bray.—Several cases of debt were disposed of Robert Allen was charged by the Superintendent of Police with allowing a ball to go loose on land not in his own occupation. Allen said, in his defence, he had obliged neighbours by letting ths bull run with their cows. The Court said that the fact of his being an obliging neighbour did not alter the law of the case! His own admission having been sufficient to meet the requirements of the case, the Court had no alternative but to put the law in force, which inflicted a penalty of not less than £2 and more than £5.~ He was fined 3^, & *

From information received by the Postmaster here, we are glad to learn that the letters.f &c., {forwarded in the mail by the I' Queen of the Isles," are not materially injured, and that they will be dried and forwarded by the Postmaster of Wellington to their several destinations as opportunity offers. . rr J