484

works of the Province. The greatest increase in the population is in the males, between 20 and 40 years of age, being 243 per cent in the 12 months.

Table 2—Social Condition.

Shows the number and descriptions of the houses and the social condition of the people of the province. It is gratifying to observe that whilst the increase of the population is 176 per cent, the increase in the number of houses is as much as 243 per cent in the last year. The increase in the married and unmarried males is in both cases 198 per cent. The increase in the married females is 150 per cent, and that of the unmarried females 129 per cent.

Table 3—Occupations.

Shows the occupations of the inhabitants, and it will be seen that the large increase is very evenly distributed under the different heads, with the exception of that under the head of “Agricultural and Pastoral” pursuits. In this column the increase is only 65 per cent.

Table 4—Places of Birth.

Shows the countries in which the inhabitants were born. Taking the three countries from which the inhabitants of the Province have been principally recruited during the past year it will be seen that of the increase 3152 were born in Scotland, 2510 in England and Wales, and 1242 in Ireland, but the order is reversed when the increase is calculated centesimally. The increase of those born in Ireland 357 per cent, in England and Wales 208 per cent, and in Scotland 147 per cent. Of the present inhabitants of the Province 33 per cent were born in Scotland, 26 per cent in England, 13 per cent, in Ireland, 12 per cent, in Australia, and 11 per cent in New Zealand.

Table 5—Religious Denominations.

Shows the religious denominations of the people. The members of the Church of Scotland, the Free Church and other Presbyterians are 39 per cent. of the Population, members of the Church of England 39 per cent. nearly, and members of the Church of Rome 14 per cent.

Table 6—Educational.

Is an educational return of the population. Of the population under 16 years of age, 54 per cent. cannot read, 13 per cent. can read only; and 32 per cent. can read and write. Of those 16 years of age and upwards, 4 per cent. cannot read, 8 per cent can read only, and 93 per cent. can read and write. No return was made last year of those at school, therefore the increase in this instance cannot be noted.

Table 7—Cultivation Crops, &c.

In this there will be noticed a diminution of the number of acres in wheat and in garden, &c. The first is no doubt correct as the high price of oats has caused the farmers to pay more attention to that cereal. The latter is apparent only, some of the land returned last year as in garden, being now placed under the more specified heads. The increase in the number of acres of land fenced in, is 73 per cent, and in the number of acres under crop 134 per cent.

Table 8—Live Stock.

The increase in the number of horses is 97 per cent. while that of the cattle is only 9 per cent, and that of the sheep only 29 per cent. The small increase in the last two cases being attributable to the great demand for butchers meat, caused by the great influx of population during the past year.

Table 9—Customs and Territorial Revenue.

The increase of the Customs Revenue, the best index of the material advancement of the Province, was £52,642 19 9 or 448 per cent. In the Territorial Revenue, or Revenue from land sales, there was a decrease of £5731 12 9 or 10 per cent. In the Total Revenue the increase was £20,227 12 10 or 33 per cent.

Table 10.

Contains the value of the imports and exports for the year 1863, with the number of vessels employed in the coastwise and over-seas trade, with their aggregate tonnage; and the centesimal increase in each case.

The increase on the value of the imports is 413 per cent, and that on the exports 871 per cent. The value of the exports being nearly one-ninth that of the imports; whereas last year the value of the exports was only one-thirteenth that of the imports. It is very satisfactory to be able to observe, also, that whereas the increase of the tonnage of the vessels entered and cleared coastwise is 104 per cent, that of the vessels employed in the over-seas trade (from which our Customs Revenue is principally derived), has increased at the rate of 146 per cent.

It may not be out of place to close these remarks with the observation that the increase in the exports is the more satisfactory, inasmuch as it shows a substantial progress not dependent in any way upon the yield of the gold diggings in the neighbouring Province.