260

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

adopted, yet in some localities may have left it open to doubt whether Holdings may not
have been omitted, or Returns imperfectly made.
(3.) Considerable difficulty in obtaining full information was experienced in several parts of the
Colony in consequence of an idea that the Government required it for the purpose of some
new taxation. Of course this notion had no evidence to support it, but, on the contrary, was
discountenanced by such facts as that this was only an adoption in part of a system which
has been carried out for years, and on a much more extended and searching plan, in the
Australian Colonies, and that the proposal to take such an Account (although approved
and supported by the Government) was originally brought forward, not by the Government,
but by private Members of the Legislature, (the Honorable Mr. Holmes in the Legislative
Council, and Mr. Robert Campbell in the House of Representatives),—while the details as to
the particular subjects to be included in the Schedule to the Act (for the more extended
objects of the Census) were specified in a Report agreed upon after a Conference by Select
Committees of both Houses. It may be hoped that the delusion upon this point will not
operate on any future occasion; indeed I should not have thought it necessary to advert to
it here had I not been assured that it has had an actual and injurious operation with respect
to the Account for 1869.

There are not materials in the present instance for any lengthened Report such as those given in some
other Colonies, (which are for the most part made up of comparisons with the results of similar Acconnts
taken in previous years, and of remarks relating to branches of information which were not included in the
Schedules here). A few supplementary observations, however, may be useful, especially to persons at a
distance who may not be able immediately to refer to the Census Statistics of this Colony.

According to these Returns, the Total Number of Acres under Crop was 687,015 (not including
Holdings of less than one acre in extent, or Gardens attached to Residences, both of which were exempted
from the inquiry). The subjoined Table will show the average proportions in which every 100 Acres of the
Cultivated Land was divided amongst the respective Crops :—

CENTESIMAL PROPORTION OF LAND UNDER EACH DESCRIPTION OF CROP.

The Numbers of LIVE STOCK were not ascertained under the arrangements for this Account, but as, in
several other Countries, it has been usual to state them in connection with Agricultural Statistics, it may
be convenient to show compendiously the Numbers of the principal descriptions when the last Census
(December, 1867) was taken:—

The General Totals for the Colony (including the Returns from the Chatham Islands not stated
above) were, Horses, 65,715; Cattle, 312,835; Sheep, 8,418,579; and Pigs, 115,104. In addition to these
Descriptions of Stock, there were in the Colony, 323 Mules or Asses; 11,964 Goats; and 676,065 Poultry.

The following items of information on kindred subjects are also taken from the Census Results.
There were then in the Colony, (in December, 1867), 579 Thrashing Machines, viz.. 92 Steam, 17 Water,
and 470 Horse:-736 Reaping Machines; 12 Steam Ploughs, and 28 Steam Harrows....... The production
of Butter during the year (1867) amounted to 3,834,252 lbs.; and of Cheese to 1,300,082 lbs.

I have the honour to be,
Sir,

Your most obedient servant,

The Honorable E. W. Stafford,
Colonial Secretary, &c.
JOHN B. BENNETT,
Registrar-General.