Notes and Comments.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 134, 28 November 1901, Page 2

Notes and Comments.

A recent number of the New Zealand Gazette con* mew tains a summary of the Zealand's various religious bodies beligions. as revealed by the census of March last. A comparison of the religions now and in 1899 is given, and makes very interesting reading. The Church of England gained in that time an addition to its strength of 82,858, or 11.69 per cent. Presby- - terians increased 16,551, or 10.85 per cent; Wesleyan Methodists, 7661, or 12.09 per cent; Primitive Methodists, 3102, or 44.06 per cent (the largest inorease of all) ; Roman Catholics, 11,485, or 11.73 per cent. Among the notable decreases the Salvation Army decreased 2593, or 24.05 per cent; Mormons decreased 17, equal to 5.88 per cent, and Atheists 81.62. The Church of England has 40,69 per cent of the population in its ranks, Presbyterians 22.87, Wesleans 8.20, and Roman Catholics 14.12. In the Wesleyans, the Primitive Methodists, the Salvation , Army, and in all kindred churches women are more numerous than men. In the Church of England, the Presbyterian Church, ana the Roman Catholio the raverse holds good. Taking the three greatest churches numerically, the Church of England, Presbyterian Church, , and Roman Catholic Church, it is found that their numbers vary in | the various provinces. Taking ' them in the above order, their numbers are*—ln Auokland, 80.679, 27,597, and 27,246; Taranaki, 17,222, 4779, and 5077 ; Hawke's Bay, 36,496, 6978, and 5256; Wellington, 63,981,22,794, and 18,827 ; Marlborough, 6622, 2223, and 2298; Nelson, 16,466, 4720, and 6571; Westland, 5302, 2480, and 4622; Canterbury, 65,097, 26,935, and 17,422; Ofcago, 41,993, 77,976, and 21.633.

r~ r ' ■■—»-■ Accountancy and book keeping ha' bean adopted by by the Educatic Department an a subjeot in the Ch Service examination. Tha Pr*sider ■of the Incorporated Institute c Accountants has been appointed b the Minister of Education oxamint for the colony, and is now raakin arrangements for the examineation. The Dairy Commissioner complain bitterly of the way in which cases c southern cheese are sent to Wellingto to be,graded and shipped to London "They have been knocked about o board coastal steamers. He als •complains of the disfigurement o •cases by the amplication of shippinj marks in paint. He is sending one o -hi3 instructors to visit some of thi southern factories to correct error of manufacture. Owing to lack o accommodation the Commissione finds that he will have to abandor the idea of grading in Wellington thi southern cheese sent to the port fe; transhipment to London. News from Auskland states that th barque Royal Tar struck the Slioare Hock about 2 o'clook ypslerday morn ing. The steamer Ngunguru ii passing saw the vessel sanding u| signal rockets, and proceeded t< render assistance, but before she go alongside the Royal Tar slipped of the rock and sank in deep water. Th< •steamer found the captain and crew o the barque in two boats. Captair Morrison stated that the mite tra? 'drowned. The saptain's wife and chile Tvere landed on Tiritiri, Captair Morrison and drew were brought tc Auckland by the tug Admiral. The name of the mate who was drowneri "was Kirby. Ha was a single man. jand a native of Lancashire. THE CARE OF SWINE. In his annual report the Secretary 3£or Agriculture utters a strong protpst for the better treatment of swine. He says:—"The necessity of passing of a 'measure dealiog with the better ■bousing etc. of pigs is daily becoming more pressing. The treatment many -of them receive is scandalous. They are without shelter either summer or wiuter and so suffer from both the •beat and the cold." THE FEDERAL TARIFF. As an illustration of the effect of the tariff, the Star mentions that the Westralia's sole cargo from the Bluff for Sydney consists-of a solitary Tjox of cheese. Up to the present there is nest to nothing booked at Lyttoiton and Wellington, and when =the vessel leaves the latter port on Saturday it is expected that her cargo ■under hatches will not embrace more ■than fifty "tons. THE ROYAL TAR. The Royal Tur, which was wrecked •on Shearer Rock on Tuesday morning, "was a wooden vessel of 591 tons net, kuilt in 1875 by W. Marshall, of Nambucra (N.S.W.), and her dimensions were as follows : —Length. 171 ft 2in ; breadth. 31ft 4in ; depth of hold, 17ft 2in. The vessel conveyed the members of the New Australia patty to Paraguay. After her second trip [ ■she was purchased by Mr J. Craig, of Auckland, and has since been trading j •between this coljny and Australia.