THE STATISTICS FOR 1858.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 178, 16 February 1860, Page 3

THE STATISTICS FOR 1858.

..[.From the Wellington Independent .] briefly alluded in our last, to the yoliune of' “ Statistics for 1858,” which lias just been published by the General Government, and for a copy of which we have to express our acknowledgments to the Colonial Secretary. Without attempting a digest of the information this volume contains, we now propose placing before our readers a few items, all fending to show that in the race for prosperity which the Provinces are running, Wellington makes a most respectable second, occasionally taking a good lead. Population, fyc. —The Population of the' colony‘twhich* iu 1851, was 26,707, had reached in 1858 to 59,328. That of Wellington "(including Hawke’s Bay) which in 1851 was 6409, had reached in 1858 to 13,207. The Wellington increase during the above seven years was 6,858 as against Auckland’s 8747.

Tho various religious denominations in Wellington divide the population as follows— Church of England 6417, (giving with 939 iu Hawke’s Bay, a total of 7356 in Bishop Abraham’s diocese.) Presbyterians 1710, Wesleyrns 1448, lloman'" Catholics 1247, Congregationists 202, Baptists 226, Primitive Methodists 141, other denominations 362.

The state of education in /fellingtoij. is very satisfactory, especially as' , "regards the number of children attending private schools. The number of children under 12 years in the whole colony, is 21,656. The average centesimal attendance in Government schools is ; 22 and in private schools 23, showing a perj centage of 45 under actual iustraction ofi some sort or another. In Wellington thej population under 12 years is 4494* The centesimal attendance in Government schools is 20 and on private schools 37, showing that there is the large per centage of 57, of our juvenile population, under the schoolmaster’s eye.

The native population in the Northern Island amounts to 53,056 ; of which 38,269 are in Auckland and 8099 in Wellington There are in the Middle Island only 2283, and in Steward’s Island 200 ; making a total Maori population in the three islands of 55. 539—3789 less than the .European, which is 59,328. The piovinces in which the Maori race yet oiit number the European are— !

Houses. —There are in the colony 10,179 wooden bouses, 307 brick or stone, and 2326 of other materials—total 12,812; giving an average occupancy of a little more than 4| souls. The domestic condition of Wellington may he gathered from the following particulars. Number of wooden houses 2,458, brick Ac., 22, other materials 319; total 2799. Tiiese are inhabited 1901 married females, 97 widowers, 149 widows, 4488 unmarried males and 3179 un married females, these two last mentioned including 4494 children- under 12 years. The occupancy in this province is slightly below the average for the colony, being a trifle lessj than 4.\. The low average throughout the* colony arises from the general realisation cfj the desire to possess a house of his own, wi.h. which every industrious settler is animated, j Trade and Comm:tce.— The number of vessels entered inwards during 1858 was 339, amounting to 90,118.t0n5, exclusive of coasters. Wellington’s share is 59 vessels, 13. 22J tons —the arrival in this harbour only falling below those in the port of Auckland by 7 vessels. The imports-into the colony in 1853 were £597,828; in 1858 they were £3,141,273. Wellington .including Hawke’s Bay) has increased from £161.457 in 1853 to £283, 899 in 2 858. The principal places of import, in 1858, were—

The exports from the Colony in 1853 were £303,582; in 1858 they were £458,023. Every province has considerably increased with the exception of Auckland, whose exports during the last few years have been gradually decreasing. In 1858 they were £155, 323;* in J 858 they were only £91,479. Wellington (inclusive of Hawke’s Bay) exported to the value of £100,854 in 1353, and to £ll-1,690 in 1858. The following were our chief markets in 1858.

The shipments of wool in 1853 amounted; to £66,508, to which Wellington (inclusive o!! Hawke’s Bay) contributed £46,849; in 1851 they amounted to £254,025, to which 7# el- j lington contributed £75,915. This return; does not however accurately show the quantity! produced, some shipments having been made! from "Wellington, especially in the earlier' year, received coastwise from other provinces. There were 13,533 oz. of gold, valued at £52/1-14, exported from A r ew Zealand in 1858, almost entirely the produce ef Nelson, £16,305 of which was sent from Wellington. The total value of New Zealand gold exported in 1857 and ISSB amounted to £92,886.

Lite Stock —The comparative returns of live s;ock for the years 1851 and 1858 ; exhibited a large increase in every province. Horses in 1858 number 14,912 as against. 2890 in 1851; oattio 137,188 as against 34,787; and sheep 1,523,316 as ogaiust. 233,043. Of this increase Wellington’s 'shave, (including Hawke's Bay) is 3026 horses

in 1858 to 788 in 185140,291'ca1Uc lo 11,407 ; ami 336,314 sheep-to--64 ; 009i

EUROPEAN'. MAORI. Auckland , 18,177 38,269 Taranaki 2,6G0 3,015 Hawke’s Bay 1,514. 3,673

COLONY. . WELLINGTON. U. Kingdom 532,590 163,566 N. S. Wales 605,332 97,002 Victoria 71,042 21,135

COLONY. WELLINGTON. u. Kingdom .£242,523 £73,214 N. S. Wales 132,035 16,142 Victoriu73,736 25,320