The Religious Census

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 49, 5 December 1907, Page 9

The Religious Census

'The New Zealamd Official Year-Booik 'keeps growing in bulk, and the issue fox the present year— received a few days ago — has expanded to proportions befitting the state and dignity of the new Dominion. From its pages, compared with those of the leaner and more slender isstues of 1897 and 1902, we compile the following table of religious beliefs :—: —

In this and the "following table given above, ' Episcopalians undefined ' and ' Protestants undefined ' are included under Churoh of England ; several religious bodies are included, jinde'r Methodists ; .and a small numfoer of ' Catholics undefined ' are counted under ' Ronran Catholics.' From the issues of the ' New Zealand Year Boalc ' for 1897, 1902, and .1907, we • compile the following taT>l.e, giving the proportions per cent, of the population of the nrinciual religious erouns* at the last

" Fi^rib/information on p. 173 of the .' Year Book 'JEor 1907 we. learn that from 1896 to 1905 (inclusive) the number of private , schools in New Zealand (including Catholic schools) rose from 283 , t0 291, and the' attendance thereat from 13,947 to 16, 639. This gives an jncrease of eight schools during that period and of 2692 pupils. But during that time Catholic schools increased by 31, and their attendance by. 2148. In other words, 23 non-Catholic private schools have been closed, while 31 Catholic ones have been opened. -Here is, 'in tabular form, a story of the progress of Catholic schools during ten years :—

The figures given above do not include the many Catholic schools for Maori children, but only those attended by Europeans. \ And thus, despite many adverse circumstances, the cause of religious education among Catholics goes marching grandly, on.'

census-periods :—: — Penominatioii Church of England Presby terianß ' Methodists - Baptists Cougregationalists Salvation Army . Roman Catholics Proportion per Gent, of Population. 1886 1891- '1896 1901 1906 40.17 40 51 40.27 40.84 4151 22.59 22.62 22.78 22 87 22.96 9.55 10.14 10.44 10.86 10.06 2.48 2.37 2.28 2.08 2.00 135 1.07 0.97 0.87 0.83 0.91 1.60 1.50 1.04 095 13.94 13 96 14 07 14 23 14 32

Denomination - Church of England Presbyterians Mettiodista Baptists 0 on fi xeg-ationalists Salvation Army Roman Catholics Census *1896 282809 159952 73867 16037 6777 10532 ' 98801 Census 1901 315263 176503 83802 16035 6699 7999 109822 Census 1906 368065 203597 89038 17747 7360 8389 126995 -

Year 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 Catholic Schools 115 120 124 133 132 • 129 - . 139 • - , . - 149 146 - Pupils at Catholic Schools 9590 " 9642 - 10175 - «„ 10526 10687' 10448 . 10802 ' 10812, 11373 11738 -