✨ Superintendent's Memorandum
GOVERNMENT GAZETTE,
PROVINCE OF TARANAKI,
NEW ZEALAND.
Published by Authority.
NEW PLYMOUTH, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 1860.
Memorandum from the Superintendent of Taranaki to His Excellency Governor Browne.
The uncertainty as to the duration of the war in the province of Taranaki opens the question, how far it is proper to offer facilities for the departure of that part of the inhabitants not available for military service.
The whole civil population is about 2650 persons; all these are now concentrated within the town, except about 90, who occupy the Omata stockade and the Bell Blockhouse, and a small number attached to the camp at Waitara, or engaged in sawing and woodcutting.
The ordinary town population is 937 souls, and a part of this number reside, when at home, outside the protected part of the town. It may then be estimated, that 2500 persons are now occupying buildings which usually accommodate not more than 800. It is moreover reported on good authority that the Commander of the forces intends contracting the projected lines of defence, and should this be done, there would follow a fresh pressure on the centre from those settlers now living some distance outside the new line of posts.
It is superfluous to dwell at any length on the risk of general and epidemic disease in such a state of things, for though the town is by no means densely built over, the number of persons occupying each room is far greater than is consistent with health.
More pressing still is the evil to public manners from such close assemblage of persons of different families. Habits of filth, and too great freedom of intercourse among the sexes, must inevitably grow fast and may be said to have begun already.
Of the 2650 persons forming the population:
- 1167 are under 14 years of age,
- 682 females above that age,
- 33 males above 60 years,
- 128 between 14 and 18.
The remaining 640 are less than one quarter of the population, and when those are deducted whom special duties or infirmity render unfit for military service, the proportion becomes still smaller. This force, however, if mobilised would be of very great value in the event of protracted rebellion, from their familiarity with the area.
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Taranaki Provincial Gazette 1860, No 4
✨ LLM interpretation of page content
🏛️ Memorandum on Civil Population During War
🏛️ Governance & Central Administration31 March 1860
War, Civil Population, Taranaki, Memorandum, Superintendent
- Superintendent of Taranaki