STATISTICS OF THE COLONY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 259, 16 January 1873, Page 5

STATISTICS OF THE COLONY.

(From the Star.) On examining the Statistics of tlie Colony, laid before Parliament last session, we conceived it possible that there might be some necessary connection between the state of the population in New Zealand, and the very large industrial results, as shewn by our surplus produce, compared with the neighboring Colonies. Some of our readers will recollect it was proved incontrovertibly that the value or New Zealand's exports, in proportion to the number of inhabitants, was much greater than that of any of the Australasian group — perhaps, in fact, greater than of any known country. But since there- may be

those who have forgotten the fact, we may remind them that tables were laid before the House, giving comparative returns for five years prior to 1872 of the exports from Victoria, New South Wales, and New Zealand. Such a comparison may be considered, on the whole, a fair test of the relative industrial positions of the j countries, excepting in the matter of gold; the export of which is not so invariably direct as that of more bulky and less valuable produce. Thus Victoria, in its return of gold exported, includes in it large quantities forwarded by that route from New Zealand, and perhaps from Sydney ; while the fact of there having been a mint at Sydney for some years, has tended to the retention of gold there for coinage : so that both New Zealand and New South Wales tend to swell Victoria's nominal export. So far as agricultural produce is concerned, the very superior soil and more favorable climate of this Colony give it advantages that no effort on the part of settlers in Australia can ever compensate ; and perhaps the same may be said of pasturage. But no matter what the causes that exist, apart from the population, all that is required for our present purpose is to show that there is a larger return for labor and capital invested in New Zealand, than in either New South Wales or Victoria, which are usually considered the most prosperous of the Australian Colonies. Beginning with gold in the year 1867, Victoria exported the value of £8 14s for each unit of its population; New South Wales, 5s 9d; and New Zealand, £12 9s 2d. It was the. largest amount during the five years, both for New Zealand and Victoria. The next four years the exports were as follew :—

So that as a gold-producing country, assuming that all the gold exported from Victoria was Victorian gold, New Zealand took the lead in proportion to the population. It would scarcely have been expected that a similar result would follow in the production of wool. Both the older Colonies extend over a large area, and both were engaged in pastoral pursuits for many years before New Zealand was colonised. But here, too, the older Colonies ■were out- stripped on the whole by their younger neighbor. The declared values of the exports were in the following proportions per inhabitant in pounds, sterling and decimals *.—. —

Of agricultural produce, New South Wales had the lead in 1867; in 1868 New Zealand was just its equal ; in 1869 this Colony fell short 2d per head; in 1870 the export was double that of New South Wales per unit of the population. The average for the five years stands in shillings and decimals — Victoria, 316; New South Wales, 975 ; and New Zealand, 11*67. In timber we were surprised to find New Zealand and New South Wales taking the lead of Victoria in actual as well as comparative value ; and as flax is exported solely by New Zealand, no comparison is needed, excepting in an estimate of the aggregate amount of the leading industries. Taking the sum of the exports of these principal products, therefore, it is quite fair to look upon them as indices of the profits of labor in each Colony ; for the cost of living of those engaged in producing them -would not vary materially in any case. At any rate the difference in the rate of wages in cost of production is against New Zealand — that is, they are higher here. We find, then, the result to be that, on an average of five years, from Victoria the exports amounted in pounds and decimals to 1352; from New South Wales, 6*02 ; and from New Zealand, 17" 82. We were prepared to find, in view of these results, that there was something exceptional in the producing power of the population of New Zealand, and with that expectation we turned to the statistics furnished ; but -we find nothing in them to account for the marked difference in the results of labor, indicated by the returns we have quoted. The proportion of children under ten years of age scarcely varies in the three Colonies, in each of which they are nearly one-third of the whole population. In New Zealand they are 39*927 of the people ; in New South Wales, 30326; and in Victoria, 30*6. From ten to fifteen years oE age the proportion is larger both in New South Wales and Victoria than in New Zealand. The proportions are : — New Zealand, 8*636 ; New South Wales, 11467; Victoria, 11*733. From fifteen to twentyone also, the older Colonies have an advantage : in New Zealand they are 7*882 per cent. ; in New South Wales, 9*857, and in Victoria 8*824. Up to this point the oldest Australian Colony has the advantage, for in New Zealand 47*454 per cent, of the inhabitants are under 21 years old ; in Victoria, 51*157 per cent. ; while in New South Wales, the land of the least production, the proportion is only 42*650 per cent. New Zealand's advantage is, however, seen in the very large proportion of people in the very prime of life, between the ages of twenty-one and forty; while in Victoria they are but 29053, and in New South Wales 29*809 per cent., in New Zealand they are 38*151 per cent, of the population. From 'forty to fifty-five, Victoria numbers 15*189 per cent, of the people; New South Wales 12*304 per cent., and New Zealand 10*87 per cent. We might neglect any comparison of the remainder, for it is not often that very heavy work is done by that portion of the inhabitants of a country Between fifty-five and sixty-five years of age ; but for the sake of accuracy, we may state that New Zealand only numbers 2*444 per cent. ; New South Wales, 4*107 ; and Victoria, 3*223. On examination of these statistics, there does not seem to be sufficient in the difference of producing energy in the people, judging by their ages, to lead to the conclusion that they could, under equal circumstances, produce one-third greater result than in the other Colonies ; for in Victoria and New South Wales they have the advantage of railways to economise labor, while a large section of our people are engaged as distributors, and not as producers. The probability is, that with equal industrial facilities, the contrast would have been still greater. The only fair; conclusion, therefore, is that in New Zealand there is a surer return for investment of capital than in Australia; and that if this were known authoritatively, it would prove a great attraction to intending emigrants from Europe.

XOUI J.CUO IOW IOIV IOIJ. ictoria 553 6*66 455 43 575 r . S. Walei 3-81 4'o 6-50 5 -45 No return ew Zealand 723 669 575 685 60

XOVO. 4.0UJ7. £ s. d. £ s. d. ictoria - 913 9 71010 LS. Wales 0 5 4 012 9 F. Zealand II 0 0 9 17 5 iOI V. JLOI 1. £s. d. £ a. d. 615 0 7 8 8 0 J5 4 No return 814 3 10 8 10