The Southland Times. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1869.

Southland Times, Issue 1159, 5 November 1869, Page 2

The Southland Times. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1869.

liKSUHiNG consideration of -the Colonial Statistics introduced to our readers in last issue, we propose in this to quote a few more figures which may be 'generallyinteresting. Prom the tables before us, we gather that at 3Lst December, 1868, the total population amounted to 226,618, as against 219,032, at the same period of--1867. (The aboriginal natives, and the military, with their families, are not included in any of the calculations). This shows a net increase for the year, of 7586 souls, which is made up of an excess of births over deaths amounting to 6726; and of immigration over emigration of 860. The total immigration was 8723, and the gross emigration 7863. There were 9377 births, and 2651 deaths registered during the year. Of the children born 4762 were boys, and 4615 girls, a tolerably equal proportion of sexes ; while of the persons who died, 1624 were males, and 1027 females. The proportion of increase gained by each division of the colony was, by immigration — Otago, 1432 ; Canterbury, 716 ; Wellington, 348 ; Auckland, 287 ; Southland, 171 ; Nelson, 162 ; Hawke's Bay, 22 ; and Maryborough, 1. The inhabitants of Westlaud were reduced in numbers by the emigration of 2274, and of Taranaki by the departure of 5 persons. By excess of births over deaths, Otago gained 1793; Canterbury, 1490; Auckland, 1311; Wellington, 675; Nelson, 441; Southland, 315 ; Westland, 273 ; Hawke's Bay, 186 ; Taranaki, 130 ; Marlboro ugh, 108 ; and Chatham Islands, 4 souls. Of the total number of deaths, an alarming per ceutage was caused by violent circumstances. No less than 153 persona, of whom 12 were females, met their death by drowning, while the existence of 169, including 30 females, was terminated by other external causes ; making a total of 322 deaths of an accidental nature, or the startling proportion of nearly 1 in 8 of the whole number, and ' showing in a remarkable manner the risk of life to which the settlers of a new | country are exposed. The marriages solemnised throughout the country during the year number 2085. In this table the list is again headed by Otago with 464 ; Auckland, 433 ; Canterbury, 389; Wellington, 223; Nelson, 203; Westland, 177 ; Southland, 69 ; Hawke's Bay, 60 ; Marlborough, 31 ; Taranaki, 30 ; and Chatham Islands, 6. Of these, 734 were performed by Presbyterian, 518 by Episcopalian, 322 by Eoman Catholic, 244 by Methodist, 49 by Independent, 44 by Baptist, 3 by Hebrew, and 1 by Lutheran, clergymen ; and 156 by Begistrars. The tables next in order, if not in importance, are those devoted to shipping, from which we find that during the year 815 vessels of all descriptions, of the aggregate measurement of 227,105 tons, were entered at the various ports of the colony. Auckland shows the largest number of vessels, i

but Dunedin has an immense advantage in poiut of tonnage. At the former port 134 vessels, representing -33,325 tons, entered at the Customs,.' while at the \ latter the number is only 125, ftnjb the ." capacity comprised 49,139 tons/ Morg; ■ large strips^ in proportion to the? gross : j . number, seem to enter at the Bluff, how ever, than at any . otihexj^ew,.^Zealand port, for whereas the number, of entries, made there only amounts to 66* the grdss tonnage' reaches * 30,673 tons, nearly equal to the 134 of Auckia&Jd.The discrepancies in the comparison are, however, easily accounted for, — in the case of Auckland, by ' the large number of boats of light burthen engaged in her extensive coastal trade ; in that of Dunedin, by the numerous arrivals of large ships with foreign j freight ; and in that of the Bluff, by the i almosfctotalabsence of coastwise traffic,and i the fact of a large number of steamers making it their first port of call. Of the 850 arrivals, 846 brought cargoes, and 5 entered in ballast; 800 were British, and 51 foreign vessels ; 60 came, from the United Kingdom, 361 from New South Wales, 239 from Victoria, 63 from Tasmania, 26 from other British poshes-, sions, 1 from Batavia, 5 from Chili, 5 from China, 6 from Fiji, 2 from Norway, 1 from the North Pacific, 4 from New Caledonia, 12 from Panama, 31 from the South Sea Islands, 10 from Southern whale fisheries, and 25 from the United States. 873 vessels cleared outwards, the largest number, 146, at Hdkitika, but the greatest tonnage, 48,540, at Wellington; I Dunedin, Auckland, Canterbury, and the, Bluff ranking next, in the order named. Of those, 422— 156 with cargoes, and 206 in ballast — sailed for New South Wales ; 240— -195 loaded, and 45 .. empty — for. Victoria; '38 went to the United Kingdom ; 30—13 with cargoes, and' 17 empty — sailed, for T Tasmania ; 9 full, and 9 in ballast, for other British possessions; 5 in ballast for Chili'; 2 with cargoes for China ; 1 with cargo for France ; 29 empty, for Gruam ; 1 in ballast for Manilla; 7 loaded for New Caledonia ; " l2 loaded for Panama ; 2 with cargoes and 8 in ballast for Peru ; 33 loaded arid 3 "empty for the South Sea Islands ; 10 with cargoes : for the whale fisheries j and 12 with cargoes for the United States of America. The greatest trade seems to be done with ithe Australian colonies, the North Island dealing chiefly with New South Wales, and the Middle Island with Victoria. •<-■ These figures give a tolerably accurate idea of the present population, and the extent of the shipping trade of the colony.