THE GROWTH OF LARGE TOWNS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1838, 17 April 1884, Page 3

THE GROWTH OF LARGE TOWNS.

As nearly throe years have passed since the Census was taken, the populations of laige towns now greatly exceeds that which was given in 1881, assuming the same rate of increase to continue. These decennial rates vaued, of couise, very gieatly, i.c , from 41.2 in Ralford to 7.3, taking twenty of the chief towns. They were as follows :— Saltord, 41.2 ; Oldham 24.8 ; Nottingham, 34,2 ; Leicester, 28.5 ; Hull 26 5 ; Bradford, 24.4 : Leeds, ' 19.3 ; Sheffield, 18.6 ; Sunderland, 18.6 ; London, 1T. 3 ; Birmingham, 16 6 5 Brighton, 16.3 ; Bristol, 13.3 ; Newcastle, 13 2 ; Poitsmouth, 12.7 ; Liverpool, 12.0 ; Wolverhampton, 10.9 ; Norwich 9.3 ; and Plymouth, 7.3 per cent. In the case of Manchester and Salford together, the ratg of increase was 8.8. Correcting the Census of these rates, thefojlovyjng will be the populations of large towns, dating to the middle of 1884 :— Salfoid, 197,153 ; Old ham, 122, 676 ; Nottingham, 205, 298 ; Leicester 132,773 ; Hull, 181, 225 ; Bradford, 209,504 i Leeds, 327,324 ; Sheffield, 300,565 ; Sunderland, 128,204 : Lon-, don, 4,019,361 ; Birmingham, 421, ?58 ; Brighton, 112,954 ; Bristol, 215,457 ; Newcastle, 151,325 ; , Portsmouth/ 133,059 ; Liverpool,' 573,202' ; Wolverhampton, 78,367 ;' Norwich? 00,410* j Plymouth, 75,509; and. Ma.acbe.ator,.

338,296. In addition to these, the population of Cardiff is now taken at 93,408 ; Hnddersfield, 86,004 ; Halifax, 76,479; Blackburn, 110,498; Preston, 99,488 ; Bolton, 108,968 ; Derby, 87,608 ; and Birkenhead, 90,870. Respecting the giowth of London, the Census Commissioners point out that the population has almost exactly doubled itself in the course of 41 years, whereas the population of the rest of England has taken 57 years to multiply in an equal degree. The Metropolis has thus been gaining in its piopoitions as eo:npaied with the country at large, and wheieas at the beginning; ot the century out of nine inhabitants of England and Wales one lived in London, the proportion has now risen to one out of seven.

SiiE-'Thay, Gnth, do you pcrtheivc that I litlip?' He— 'Thertainly not, You rlon't htlip any more than I do.' A Bkyvh Max.— Geneial Clarke tound himself on one occasion, with few men and scanty supplies, in a post surionnded by warlike and haughty savages. They apparently knew his reduced condition, and were disposed to cut him and his men off by a treacherous massacre. A council wa« called with the Indians in the fort, and, contrary to all usage and good intention, they came in fully armed, not only the leading ones, but the young and fiery braves. The general was in no condition to resent it. At the long council-table the insolent chief occupied the end opposite to Clarke, and the whole air and manner of the savages made him and his few white men feel that they were doomed. The chief was silent and sullen, and at length dri w from under his blanket a rattlesnake's skin, stuffed with powder and ball, and threw it towaid the general. It was a declaration of war, and every white man felt that he might at any moment hear the warwhoop, and see the blandished tovna haw ks. The Indians appeared to be only waiting for a signal from their chief to commence a butchery. General Clarke had in his hand a kind of riding stick, with which he turned the snake's skin over and over, drawing it nearer to him. All was as still as death, while they knew that then* lives hung on daring By-and-by he succeeded in coiling it mound his whip-stick, when with a 9udden motion he flii ted it back to the haughty thief, and said with dignity and boldness: "If the Indians want war they can have war." The confidence and prompt acceptance of the challenge led the Indians to think that recinits were at hand to relieve their beleagueied victims, and they quietly withdiew fiom the fort.— Oiegon : The Struggle for Possession. By William Bunows.