New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, February 16, 1850.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 473, 16 February 1850, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, February 16, 1850.

In noticing the publication of the Statistics of this Province by official au hority, we promised, by a detailed examination of the different subdivisions of the work, to lay before our readers such additional details as were not included in the introductory Memorandum, to which it might be useful to give an extended circulation by repeating them in the columns of the local press. We take this opportunity of redeeming our promise, and intend referring to the subdivisions of the work in the order in which they are arranged. The first table gives a return of the European population in the different settlements in the Southern Pro. vince for the last six years, from which we extract the following summary, — Yean. Population. 1843 7109 1844 7825 1845 7581 1846 7381 1847 7973 1848 8903 From this it would appear that for the period of the first four years, viz., from 1843 to 1846 the population of the Province has remained nearly stationary, having in fact, during the two last of these years, owing to Capt. Fitzroy's mis-government and the troubles arising from the unsettled state of the different questions affecting the natives, been decreasing ; since that time, from the removal of these causes, from the establishment of peace, the improvement in the means of communication* and in the circumstances of the settlers, and the formation of new settlements, there has been a progressive increase of the population, which we may expect to see every year, from the continuance of these causes, and especially from the formation of the settlement of New Canterbury, become still more rapid. In the return for 1848 there are stated to be (including women and children) 1580 military making the whole European population of the Province 10,483 souls. In the return No. 2, shewing the birthplace of the population of European extraction, in the various settlements in 1848, it appears that 2265 out of 8903 persons, or more than one fourth of the population, were born in the Province, while the next return shews that 4792 persons, or more than half the population, were under 21 years of age. In Returns 4 and 5 the greatest increase of the Population in any Settlement, next to Otago, whither immigration hat chiefly been directed, has been in Wellington, the excess of Immigration over Emigration in 1848 being 138, and the number of births 170, making a total increase of 308 souls. The population of this Settlement in 1848 (not including the Military) having been stated in a previous return at 4758, the increase in 1848 was about 6J per cent. Since then we may presume the ratio of increase has been still greater, since the excess of Immigration over Emigration in 1847 was only 79, while in 1848 it was 138 souls or nearly double. There is reason also to believe that the actual increase of population in 1848 was greater than stated in these returns, since, as has been shewn in the Introductory Memorandum the actual number of births was greater than that of the number registered. The following is the Return of Births, Deaths and Marriages in the Province during the year 1848, being the latest official account published : —

Total number of Marriages in the Province. . 66 The Medical statistics shew the good effect of establishing hospitals for the benefit of the native race from the increasing number that resort to the Colonial Hospital for medical assistance, and later returns more

fully establish this fact, while the value and importance which the natives attach to them are 'still further confirmed by the fact that the natives at Rotorua have lately petitioned Sir George Grey to extend to theny the benefit of medical assistance by establishing a hospital with a resident surgeon at that inland district.

The Rev. W. Kirton has been appointed by the Assembly of the Established Church of Scotland, Presbyterian Minister in Wellington. Mr. Kirton with his wife and family, left Scotland as passengers in the Berkshire, and may therefore be daily expected.

On Thursday afternoon the following races came off at the Burnham Water Race Course. A considerable number of persons were on, the ground to witness the sport, and the day proved very favourable for the occasion. The first race was a private match between the owners of Pastile, Lady Helen, and Ancient Mariner, stakes five pounds each, once round and a distance. They subsequently agreed, however, to admit other horses, and the following six horsey started, — Mr. St. Hill's Pastile 1 Mr. Fox's Ancient Mariner 2 Dr. Featherston's Nominee 3 Mr. Skipwith's Screw .' 0 Capt. Stokes' Lady Helen 0 Capt. Marshall's Vampire 0 In the early part of the race Pastile waa leading closely followed by Ancient Mariner and the other Horses. Pastile maintained her place throughout the race, winning by about twenty yards,. Ancient Mariner being second, and Nominee- third. ■ The race was race was run in 2-min. 9- sec. Lady Helen had a bad stayt and could not recover it. After the race a protest was given in against Pastile by the owners of Ancient Mariner and Nominee. The next race which afforded considerable amusement, was between the Commanders of three vessels lying in harbour, viz., the Thames, the Cornelia, and the Camilla. The race was won by the Master of the Thames h on Scr Off gins. A match then took place between Mr? St. Hill's Orlando, and Mr. Ewen's Ganymede.^ Soon after passing the Stand, Ganymede's rider, owing to the breaking of one of his stirrup leathers, was thrown, which gave Orlando the race, the latter winniag^m a canter. Hurdle Race Stakes £2 2s. each. Mr. St. Hill's Harrybogine (Gordon). . 1 Mr. Drummond's Saddler (Pox) ... 2 Captain Marshall's Vampire. . . . (Trafford) Mr. Fox's Ancient Mariner .... (Rankin) Capt. Stokes' Lady Helen .... f Bromley) Mr. J. M. Taylors Phantom . . (Rowett) The course for this race was once round and a distance, over three leaps. At the first hurdle Lady Helen struck it and fell, throwing her rider, Vampire cleared the hurdle, but, unfortunately, fell on Lady Helen, and also threw his rider. Harrybogine and Saddler both took their leaps readily, and the race after the first hurdle lay between these two horses, Harrybogine taking the lead, and winning easily by about ten or twelve lengths. The day's amusements terminated with a match between Rubens and Pastile, once round aod a distance. Rubens carrying eleven stone, and Pastile ten stone. This was a very good race, Pastile leading until they came to the upper end of the course, when Rubens crept a-head, and came in about thirty yards a-head of the mare. Rubens was rode by Wintringham, and Pastile by Bromley.