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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5034, 12 May 1877, Page 2

In the last number of the New Zealand Gazette published appears an interesting account of the number of holdings, the land in cultivation, and the agricultural produce thereof, in New Zealand in February of the present year, being a summary of information already pubWished in a more detailed form in the Gazette , from time to time, as received from the several superintendent collectors. It includes also a comparison with the agricultural statistics of February, 1876. In each Provincial District the increase in the year 187 7 over that of 1876 is considerable with respect to the number of acres under crop, including sown grasses, and it ia satisfactory to remark the progress made in the North Island. For the year 1877 the number of acres under crop lathe various districts is set down as follows : Auckland, 359,670$ ; Taranaki, 85,1595; Hawke’s Bay, 325,918$ ; Wellington, 586,718; Marlborough, 43,4015; Nelson, 86,538$ ; Westland, 5218& ; Canterbury, 653,383$ ; Otago, 536,7535; making a total number of acres under crop, including sown grasses, of 2,682,7575. Thus it will be seen that Canterbury stands at the top of the list, with Wellington next, and Otago third. But Canterbury and Otago of course show up in the agricultural columns. Wellington has increased largely in the growth of grain, and we may confidently hope that the district will before very long take a prominent position in such returns for agriculture. As we have before stated, the return under notice is simply a summary of information already published, and it is thei’efore unnecessary to enter into further particulars. Generally speaking, however, we may state that the return is very satisfactory as indicating marked progress all over the colony.

The following is a table showing the number of births, the actual mortality of males and females, and the proportions of deaths to population, in the boroughs of Auckland, Thames, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Hokitika during the month of April, 1877 :

The deaths of persons not residents of the boroughs, occurring at hospitals, have been excluded in all cases. The estimates of the population are calculated on the number of inhabited houses in each borough, as shown in returns supplied by the municipal authorities. The births were 40 less than in March. The deaths were 42 leas in number than the deaths in March. Of the deaths, males contributed 51 ; females, 32 ; 32 of the deaths were of children under 5 years of age, being 38*55 per cent, of the whole number ; 21 of these were of children under 1 year of age. There were three deaths of persons of 65 years of age and over ; all of these persons were males ; one aged 68 died at Auckland ; one of 75 at Wellington ; and one of 65 at Nelson.

Boroughs. : Estimated Population . Jan., 1877. Total Births. Total [ Deaths, Proportion of Deaths to f the 1000 of j Population. Auckland .. 12,024 48 14 116 Thames 4,466 10 4 .90 Wellington .. 10,130 61 24 1-49 Nelson 5,554 18 4 Christchurch 12,815 35 10 *78 Dunedin 23,305 74 18 •77 Hokitika 2,905 10 9 3-10 Total .. 262 83