Original Correspondence. IS THE NATIVE POPULATION INCREASING OR NOT?

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 346, 25 August 1849, Page 2

Original Correspondence. IS THE NATIVE POPULATION INCREASING OR NOT?

To the Editor of the New Zealander. Sir,— ln the " Government Gazette " of the 15th June; List, a tabular return of the Native Population of the district of Auckland, within a radius of about ten miles, is published, by which it appears that the number of male and female native children under tivoyeara of age amounts to 83 — or, in other words, that during the last two years there have been 83 native births, — out of a population, as the return afterwards shows, 0f144S souls, that is 3 percent, each year. A similar return, published in the Gazette of the 23rd March last, of the European Population, shows that out of a total of 7003 souls, there are 416 male and female children under two years of age, amounting also to a per centage of 3 births each year. Those return 1 -, however, state that, while the preponderance of Native males over females is 404 out of a total of 1443, — that of European males is only 923 out of a total of 7003,—thus statistically testifying a greater proportionate rate of natural increase among the Natives than among the Europeans,— in the vicinity of Auckland. If we take the number of European births during 1848, specified in another column, as 194, the result is still more extraordinary, — for the European ratio is reduced to less than 3 per cent. Neither the European nor the Native population about Auckland have varied materially in amount during the last two years. Thus, unless the returns are extremely fallacious, the astounding result arrived at, is that, notwithstanding the boasts, on the one hand, of European prolificacy in New Zealand, and the complaints, on the other, of Maori sterility, — notwithstanding the notorious fact that half of the female Maories in Auckland are common prostitutes whom demoralisation, spirits, and tobacco have irretrievally debased into barrenness, still the ratio of natural increase is in favour ot the Natircft, As statistical calculation, upon such a basis would be grossly delusive, — I hope that some of your readers may be induced, as many are perhaps well able to do, to furnish accura'e returns of births and de<itns among some definite number of JVfaonVs, in order to a&ceitaiu whether their race is really on the increase or not, — a fact, I need hardly say, of great importance and universal intmest. I remain, Sir, Your obedient servant, "Facts and Figures*.

To the Editor of the New Zealand*'. Sir,-— A petition to the Legislative Council is in course of iignature this evening, the ostensible prayer of which ii to the effect, that home law or regulation may be made, rendering it compulsory on perions about to quit the Colony to give notice, so that the public may be made aware of their intention before their tlepaiture The necessity of such a restriction has heroine apparent from the fact of several par.i-s, who were conbiderably in debt, having taken the ma Be)v s suddenly off in vencls touching at this port, from Sydney, and bound for California. The authorities should have taken care long ago to establish such a regulation, for although it might appear to partake mo<e of the ttringent spirit of a penal colony's enactment than of that of a free country hke this, yet our very contiguity to thoie coloniei is a reason why such reitrictions ore very necessary for our own protection here. There is one sentence in the petition, however, which h contrary to fact, and wuich hag, no doubt been overlooked by many who have signed it without looking deeper than its &urface import. I refer to the statement, which ii to this effect, that a very general wish to leave the Colony prevails. Now this statement should not be allowed to go forth to the world signed by the inhabitants of Auckland, far although such a feeling may be more extensive than could be wished for, yefc we have only an average share of it here in proportion to the other colonies around us. Here, as elsewhere, many have their heard fixed on California ; but I deny that such is the case with the inhabitants in general. The settlen in New Zealand have nearly all a stake in it that holds them to the country ; and it is in the power of the Government to bind them still more closely to a land to which they are much attached. The Governor's reply of to-morrow w.ll, I trust, be such as will strengthen that attach* ment. While I believe that the Council will refuse to receive the petition, so long as it contains the expressions to which I refer, I do hops th.it the Executive will not be slow in attending to the prayer of it. A Colonist. Friday Evening, August 24.