The Southland Times. THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 1866.

Southland Times, Volume VI, Issue 498, 20 June 1866, Page 2

The Southland Times. THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 1866.

There has recently been issued from tlie Hegistrar-G-eneral's Office a work of considerable value to all interested in New Zealand, entitled " Census, Besults and General Statistics of New Zealand for 1864." It is an elaborate and carefully prepared work, and contains an amount of information that to fully elucidate it demands greater space than we can at present afford. Our chief object is to give a synopsis of the report and hereafter deal with the varied subjects that are brought out in a more particular manner. The first part of this report treats of the Census for the year 1864 — with an approximate estimate to the 30th June, 1865. In December, 1864, the European ' population (military excepted) was 172,158, of whom 106,580 were males, and 65,578 females. In this total the military settlers and their families, were set down at 6,382. The population of the several provinces was: — Auckland, 42,132 ; Taranaki, 4,374; Wellington, 14,987 ; Hawke's Bay, 3,770 ; Nelson, 11,910 ; Marlborough, 5,519 ; Canterbury, 32,276 ; Otago, 49,019 ; Southland, 8,085 ; the Chatham Islands, 86. Thus it will be seen that the four Northern Provinces united have a population of 65,263, while the five Southern Provinces number 108,509. These do not include the military and i their families, who numbered. 11,973. A comparison of these figures with the Census of 1861 show an increase during three years of 73,137 ; and to go back further we find duriug the previous three years years from 1858 to 1861 the increase was 39,643 ; and for the seven years from 1851 to 1858, the increase was 32,621. Thus between 1851 and 1864 we find that the population had, in this period of thirteen years, increased from 26,707 to 172,158; being an increase of 145,451. The Maori population was, in 1861, estimated at 55,336, ' viz:— 31,329 males, and 23,928 females. : Although ao reliable estimate can be ' formed of the increase or decrease since ' that time, an opinion is given that a 1 decrease has taken place j the Northern ! Island is estimated to contain 53,056, and the Middle Island only 2,280. Th,e i civil or uonjuguJ condition of the Euro, i

ried males, 27;482 ; females, 25,243 ; unmarried males (including widowers and male children) 77,711; unmarried femalea, 39,990 ; the number of widowers being 1,806, and widows, 1,809. Of every 100 of the male population, 25-78 were married, arid 44-95, above the ago of 15 years were unmarried; of every 100 females, 38-50 were married, and 17-43 of those over 15 were unmarried. The total number on the rolls a3 electors was 19,552 (the electors for the goldfields under Miner's Eights are not included). The total number of Representatives were fiftyseven, including the two goldfield members. The following are the proportion of different countries, from which the population claims birth — England, 58,444 ; Ireland, 20,317 ; Scotland, 30,940; "Wales, 1,029 ; New Zealand, 41,235 ; Australian Colonies, 9,533 ; other British dominions, 3,109 ; United States of America, 1,115 ; Prance, 505 ; Germany, 1,999 ; other foreign countries, 2,189 ; at sea, 601 ; not specified, 1,142. The occupations of the above is tkus classified : — Trade, commerce, and manufactures, 7,625 ; agricultural and pastoral, 12,089 ; mechanics, artificers, and skilled workers, 12,118 ; mining, 12,527; clerical, medical, aud legal, 619 ; teachers, surveyors, and other professions, 1,106 ; laborers, 12,639 ; domestic and general servants, 6,202 ; miscellaneous, 13,951 ; no stated occupation, 93,282. The number stated to belong to the various, religious denominations is thus put down: — Church of England, 1 73,118 ; Presbyterians (E.C. F.C. and U.P.) 42,058 ; Eoman Catholics, 21,507 ; Wesleyans, 12,506 ; Congregationalists, 1 3,689 ; Baptists, 3,391 : Primitive Methoi dists, 1,340 ; Lutherans, 1,804 ; Hebrews, 955 ; Society of Friends, 128 ; Protestants (denomination not specified) 6,825 ; otherwise described; 4,338. The Education table states the number of children attending school to be : — At schools receiving Government aid, 7,903 ; private | schools, 8,072 ; Sunday schools, 8,958., The agricultural and pastoral tables are presented so concisely in the report | itself, that we take from it the following : — It will be sufficient to exhibit the general results, carrying back the vie>v, to 1851, so as to show the steady and and rapid progress of the colony in these elements of prosperity. The quantity of land fenced in 1851 was 30,470 ; acres in 1858, 235,561 acres; in 1861, 409,763 acres ; and in 1864, 1,072,383 acres. The quantity of land under crop in 1851, was 29,140 acres ; in 1858, 141,007 acres; in 1861, 226,621 acres ; and in 1864, 382,655 acres. The aggregate number of live stock of all kinds, (excluding throughout poultry, which were not enumerated until 1861) were, in 1851, 299,115 • in 1858, 1,728,093 ; in 1861, 3,038,557 ; and in 1864, 5,310,062. Taking the principal kinds of live stock separately, the numbers were as follows : — Horses, in 1851, 2,390 ; in 1858, 14,912 ; in 1861, 25275 ; and in 1864, 49,409. Cattle, in 1851, 34,787 ;in 1858, 137,204; in 1861, 193,285; and in 1864, 249,760. The increase in the number of sheep, however, is the most remarkable ; — there were,in 1851, 233,043; in 1858, 1,523,324 ; in 1861, 2,761,383 ; and in 1864, 4,937,272. This work is so interesting, and embraces so large a variety of statistical returns, that we are compelled to postpone its further consideration till a future issue.