The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY,NOVEMBER 28,1877.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 2, 28 November 1877, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY,NOVEMBER 28,1877.

We have received a copy of tho " Statistics of New Zealand for 1876." Unpromising reading matter though ifc looks at first sight we find on closer examination thafc the volume before us contains much that is of interest, as showing the progress or otherwise of the colony during the twelvemonths to which it relates. Commencing with the " vital statistics " we find thafc tbe estimated population, exclusive of Maoris, on the 31st December, was 397,075, showing au increase of 23,219 in the year, the natural iucrease as represented by the excess of births over deaths being 11,264, or 2538 more than the similar increase in 1875; the increase by oxcess of immigration over emigration amounted to 11,995, less by 13,315 thaujin the previous year, Une case of birth is mentioned as being remarkable, the mother (an Irishwoman) being stated to be 65 years of age, the correctness of which was confirmed on enquiry. It is not a favorable symptom that despite the increase of population the marriages were 13 less in 1876 than in 1875, the numbers being 3196 and 3209 respectively. The deaths, like the marriages, were actually less in number than in the previous year the numbers being 4904 in 1876, and 5712 iii 1875, the death rate having fallen from 15-92 per 1000 to 12-66. Out of the 4904 who died, 2296 M^ere child/ren under 5 years of age. Of violent deaths there were .153 males and 74 females, and of these 157 males tmd 28 females were drowned, and 39 males and 3 females committed suicide. Twenty-nine deaths were attributed to [intemperance. The hospitals are U in number, containing accommodation for 719 males and 223 .'females. Into these 3373 males and ?73 females were admitted during the year. There are eight Lunatic Asylums, which at the end of 1876 continued 785 patients, of whom 129 males and 74 females were supposed to be curable, and 390 males and 192 females incurable

JJnder the heading "Trade and Interchange* we #nd that there has been a considerable decrease jq> tfie total shipping entered inwards, owing probably to sotije extent to the fact that immigration was not carried on so vigorously as in the previous year. Tlie vessels entered inwards were 878 Jn number, of 393,180 tons, being a decrease as pomparod wjty 1875 of 48 in number and 23,547 in topnagje. T>h« anjpnjj.t of tonnage belonging to e.^ch po'rfc'wap 9$ "follows.-— Auckland. J5,379; Napier, 552; Wellington, 8023; Nelson, 10g7; Ly|ttel,fcou, <Jl§0; bunedin, 12,003; and Invereargill, 1197. Tlje total value of imports in 1876 was £6,905,171, aud in 1875 £8,029,172, beiug a decrease of £1,124,001. It ia noticeable that while the total value of the imports had decreased to tfce pztent of 14 per cent, the value of beer and spirit? jn^o/rfced had increased to 10 per cent ou the value of Sinclair importations in 1875. The total value of the experts had increased from £5,475,844 in 1875 to £5,488,901 in 1876. The export of gold shjovs .a decrease of £139,211. Wool shows m jogrease in quantity of 5,451,914 lbs, hut a grease iv the declared value of £2,33!?. \n fcfup ye^rs time the actual production of wqql hijs increased by J5,598,6381b5, or 3S-6. per cent. The , number of letters received in the various districts throughout tbe colony shows an increase of 523,445, and of letters despatched an increase of 819,441; of newspapers received au increase of 835,386, and of newspapers despatched of 316,085. The total amount of postal revenue was £129,263 in 1876, against £122,495 in 1875. The number of miles of telegraph wire remained almost stationary, being 3170, against 3156 in the 'JsfeVioue yetr. The aggregate number of public nnd 'private i^v«A'»ins during the year amounted to 1,100,599, being an iwtfwe of 109,276. The revenue from 'prlvate'tefel grams was £64,336. Of railways there were .on December 31st, 1876:— constructed, 718

miles; under construction, 427 mile 3; surveyed, 161 miles.

Classed under the head of " Finance, Accumulationand Production" we find the following:—The total ordinary revenue in 1876 was £2,391,344, against £2,047,234 in 1875, being an increase of £344,110. The Customs revenue was £1,206,791, showing a decrease of £28,176. The expenditure by the Colonial Government was £2,234,363; by, or on account of, the Provincial Governments, £2,070,974, making the total expenditure chargeable on revenue £4,305,337. The total public debt of the colony consisting of debenture! and Treasury Bills in circulation amounted to £18,678,111; the total annual charge to £1,011,152, of which £896,806 was for payment of interest, and £114,346 to sinking fund. The total accrued sinking fund on December 31, 1876, was £1,289,956. lhe total debt per head of the oopulation, exclusive of Maoris, on the 3 Ist 'December was £46 16s, or considered as reduced by the sinking fund, £43 lis sd. The following items appear under the head " Accumulation ":—The total average liabilities of the Banks in the colony amount to £7,221,399, and the assets to £11,776,070; the total capital paid up is £4,826,632, and the total amount of last dividends £325,000. The number of Post Office Savings Banks in the colony is 124, the total deposits during the year amounting to £664,134. The withdrawals during the year were £32,146 in excess of the deposits. In other Savings Banks the deposits amounted £116,682. The total accumulated deposits in both classes of Savings Banks reached on December 31 the amount of £905,146. The total number of mortgages on land effected in 1876 was 719 a' representing the amount of £4,230,958; the releases were 2995 representing £1,650,164, the exceas of mortgages over releases amounting to £2,580,794. Of the morgages, 3156 representing £1,930,85 were effected under tha Land Trantfer Act, and 4042 representing £2,300,098 under the previous deeds regulation system. There is a deal more information of a varied, and some of it of an interesting character in the volume before ua which we shall summarise on a future day.