TASMANIAN STATISTICS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5160, 5 October 1877, Page 3

TASMANIAN STATISTICS.

We have received a copy of the statistics_of the colony of Tasmania for the year 1870. The information contained in it is complete and exhaustive, and a summary of its contents should bo interesting to readers in any of the Australian colonies. On the 31st of December, 1876, the population of the entire colony was estimated at 105,484, of whom 55,633 were males and 49,851 were females. During last year New Zealand absorbed 215 of the population of Tasmania, and Victoria 526, while New South Wales only absorbed 66. It woidd thus appear that Victoria and New Zealand are the favorite places foi the young people of Tasmania to migrate to. The value of the imports during the year was £1,133,003, or £22,276 less than the imports in 1875. The exports amounted to £1,130,983, being £15,007 in excess of that of 1875. The total value of the import and export trado of our sister colony for 1876 is thus £2,263,986, or at the rate of

£2l 9s. 3|d. per head of the population. During the year the exports to New Zealand were £26,563 less than they were in the previous year. The total revenue of the colony (including outstanding sums) for 1876 was £327,349, against an actual sum of £242,606 in 1875, a decrease on the year of £15,257. The open accounts at the Savings Banks at the end of February, 1877, numbered 11,514, with a credit balance of £302,273, against £289,223 in the previous year. In 1877 the average amount of depositors' balances was £26 ss; in 1876, £25 16s. Id. The road trusts had under their control in 1876, 3625 J miles of road. The annual value of property in Tasmania, as ahown by the valuation rolls in 1876, was £627,430, against £604,347 in 1875. In 1876-7 the total area of land under cultivation was 332,558 acres, against 332,824 acres in 1875-6, a decrease of 15,265 acres. Of the above area of land under cultivation in | 1876-7, there were 127,282 acres under crop, 113,571 acres in permanent pastures, 21,532 acres in fallow, and 70,185 acres " other cultivated land." Of the land under crop, 6419 acres were devoted to orchard and garden purposes, and 641 acres as hop gardens. The growth of hops seems to be decreasing, for in the year previous there were 661 acres, a decrease of 20 acres on the year's transactions. Of hops, there were produced 839,5151b5., against 1,032,0081b5. in the year 1875-6. Of apples, 153,812 bushels were produced last year, against 136,682 bushels in the previous year. The crop of pears also increased, there having been 23,148 bushels produced last year, against 16,310 in the previous year. The number and value of mortgages also appear to be on the increase. In 1876 the number registered under the Land Titles Act was 108, against 83 in 1875, and the amounts secured were £31,065 and £19,415 respectively. The total number of mortgages registered during the year was 338, for amounts aggregating £231,984 12s. The number of schools is increasing, but the number of pupils is decreasing. In 1875 the number of schools was 154 ; in 1876, 158, the pupils being 12,271 and 12,231 respectively, showing a decrease of 40. The births registered in 1876 numbered 3149, being 44 more than in 1875 ; while the deaths were"l73o. against 2078 in 1875. The general birth rate of the colony was 30-11 per 1000, andthedeath ratel6's7 per 1000. Theprincipal zymotic diseases prevalent were measles, scarlatina, diphtheria, quinsy, croup, typhus, typhoid, erysipelas, dysentery, diarrhoea, and cholera. There was an increase of in 1876, the marriage rate for that year being at. the rate of 713°per 1000 of the general population, the highest rate recorded during the past ten years. ° Religious views seem to be less varied than they are in this colony. The total population is classed under eleven different headings, the Episcopal Church of England and Rome embracing more than 75 per cent, of the whole population, the percentages of these two churches being—Church of England, 53-41 per cent, of the total population, and the Church of Rome, 22'24 per cent. The Methodists come next to the Church of Rome with 7'23 per cent. 56'32 per cent, of the population can read and write ; 14'04 per cent, can only read, and 29'64 per cent, can neither read nor write. From the table of occupations of the people, it would appear that physically the colony of Tasmania is a healthy one, but morally it is different, for while 81 medical men are all that are necessary to attend to all the physical ailments of the people, 129 clergymen are required to look after their morals. The occupied houses number 18,048, and unoccupied only 2146. The nationality of the people are largely British. Native born Tasmanians number 59,119, natives of Great Britain and Ireland, 37,145, together 97,264. Then there are considerable numbers from British colonies, Cauada, Gibraltar, Malta, Cape of Good Hope, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Mauritius, &c. Of the exports of Tasmania in 1876, no fewer than £09,487 worth the produce of that colony was sent to New Zealand, whilo we only sent good 3 to the value of £9137 during the same period. The balance of trade was therefore £60,350 against us. The great bulk of the goods for which we gave the Tasmanians over £60,000 last year, consisted of jams and green fruits, articles which we not only ought to supply ourselves with, but be able to export. That we have to send so much money out of the colony every year for 3uch articles is not creditable to our country settlers, but as over 10,000 apple trees have been planted out in various parts of this province this season, we hope this disgrace upon our farmer friends is in a fair way of being wiped out. With the single exception of wool, fruit in its various forms is the largest export which Tasmania has. It is a steadily growiui.' one. In 1871 the value of the exported fruit was £72,282. In 1872 it increised to £78,725, which was increased to £98.281 in 1873. In 1874 it rose to £120,027; in 1875 it was £116,576, and last year it reached the respectable sum of £136,774, nearly one-half of which was obtained from New Zealand. The value of the wool export last year was £439,603 The amount of public debt at the end of last year was £1,520,500, upon which £85,379 14s. was paid as interest during the year. The debt has gradually increased since 1867 from £lO 6s. llfd. per head to £l4 Bs. 3£d. last year. The volume before us is creditably got up, and gives those anxious to know the true state of Tasmania a vast amount of useful information.