HAWKES BAY.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 281, 29 June 1860, Page 3

HAWKES BAY.

(From,;the Uerald.)

The census returns have not been made up from the schedules. We are enabled, however, to give ourreaders afew of the' totals—ralthough regretting thatj especially on the eve of tlie departure of the English mail, our information should be so scanty. ■_, ,_■'. :' .-■: ,■■.;, ■;. ■. ':'■' . , '•. > - The population which was expected- to be quite 3000, proves to be.only'2Bo4 ; but as it isicnown that in several cases the schedules "have either not been left, or riot afterwards called for, the probability is that the former number may be nearer 'the; truth.. Assuming 2804, however, to be a current .return, it shows an increase Aof 1289 over the census taken bythe General Government iii December j 1858--^equal Jo 45 per cent, .in the space •'of.],^!mdnths.".-.',.:;: .'/■, -.::- ~''■■ '■■'.?'--■■ .;,;,' -:.•:,-, ~ . iJiie sheep; in province are set down .at 222^499. The number in ; December, 1.858 was 183,206, so that the increase in thisitem is 40,293, or in round numbers 18 per cent.—a great addition to; the material wealth of the country, although ; scarcely coming up to our. expectations. .Under the head horses,, we have 1213 against 732 in the former return, showing an increase of 481. Cattle, then: 4465 are now' 6125, or 1660 over the December census. The number of acres fenced oiv under cultivation is? now found1 to be 10,927|—tlie increase- in this item being no less than 6816| acres. ;;: . . . r ; ' 'We trust in our next, to be in a position to give these important returns in greater detail.1 Meanwhile, we: may observe that the revenue of■ the pi-byince, ordinary and territorial, continues to flourish. The land sales for the first quarter of the year Amounted to £7605 25.-5 d.; for the month of April to £5146 10s.; and for the present month, so far as it has gone, to he between £4000 and £5000; The. three-eights of customs revenue to:which the province is entitled reached, during the first quarter of the year, the sum of 6s. lid.; and, during the month "of April, £240. There has also, been"1 a considerable revenue from publicans' licenses and other sources. There is no reason to believe that, for some time at least, there will be a diminution in the ten itorial, while a marked increase on the ordinary revenue may securely be calculated upon. '•■•';■ . ■ The. expenditure during the first quarter t of the year reached in round nutnbers £13,000—a considerable balance having been in hand op the Ist of January., Of this sum; the greater part'has been expended uppn roads and bridges in the...irite-: rior—large road parties having been'kept at work' during the summer months ; The prospects of the province cannot be considered otherwisefthau' encouraging! '|T.he land policy, of the Superintendent—as.regards fresh blocks handed over to the province—is suchas to; encour, rage.the introduction of a good class of men—-that of 'small agriculturalists. The export of what now constitutes the staple of the province is largely on the increase; while one great drawback to its prosperity that of a harbour unfit for the reception of large vessels; is in a fair way of being removed by the operations of the new steam dredge.

The Huntress is now being transformed from the paddle steamer into the more useful, but less ornamental dredge. The insists liave been unslu'p^ ped, and the'bu'ckets and other apparatus are being ;brough't; up and fixed in'their places.' ShevyiUbe ready for work, some time within a month, by which time it is;hoped that some of the punts.will be ready. ; Among the many rumour^ which get into circulation, nobody knows how, is one. to the effect that her'boilers are so ' much injured as to necessitate her being sent back to Sydney for repair, >For this We are assured there is not the slightest foundation—the boilers being good for threejears to come. This reminds us of the report, equally unfounded, which, a week or two ago, spread consternation among the good citizens of Napier—to the effect that the General Government had peremptorily instructed, the Superintendent to pay £300 on account of arrears of interest and- sinking fund alleged to be due on the Wellington debt! : • # ' . ATHENiKUM.T-The plan which has been approved of consists of a main building, tq be used as a lecture room; and. two wings—one of wh^ch to be the residence of the librarian; the other consist of reading room and library. For the latter wing, which is all,that the" funds at command of the committee will permit them at present to undertake, tenders have been called and several sent in. The building is to be on the reserve in Civicsquaire. The library will be 19 by 12; and the reading room 20 by 19; This institute when in 'working order, w ill prove a great boon to the inland settler; from whom, we dare say, subscriptions' would be gladly received by the committee. An Exodus of labor,:on a small scale, ;has latterly taken,place-r-about 30 roadmen having left .per White Swan. It would be impossible for the ■Government to maintain all the road parties during the winter, and-hence, wo presume the departure of so many. . Employment enough,, however, willit is believed, be afforded to those who remain, for the dredging operations alone will absorb the labor of'fifty pair of hands. It is also intended immediately to make a commencement of the Mohaka road at the Meane Spit, so as 'to do something towards the in)proyement of that execrable piece of shingle which pur;.Petane. ; friends have so often the pleasure of traversing^' ; T!#*i Militia RpjLt, which; will shortly he exhibited' in front of the court' house; • contains, 1120 name's.- The me^will not be ; caUed out for drill until a ■sufficient 'number' of fire-arms can; be supjplied byc'th^ Government, which is riot likely to: be for soime tithey; At present happily; there isnoprospvctof :tliQ services of :the militia being re-, quired. -'We learn that Colonel Russell is likely, to be: Lieutenant-Colonel, and -Captain Lambert, Adjutant of the new corps. . : X-' : ■■':■•■■