7 12

NEW ZEALAND.

Not included in the above statement is the small population of the outlying Chatham Islands, 184 at the date of the census, which brings the total number of inhabitants of European descent, exclusive of British troops and their families, to 218,688. The troops, in December, 18(37, comprised 918 officers and men, 148 women, and 389 children.

The total mtmber of inhabited houses and other dwellings found at the census of December 19, 1867, in the colony was 54,015, or four individuals to one dwelling. Of these, 38,844 were described as constructed of wood; 1,182 of stone, or brick; 870 of 'Raupo'; and 8,524 of other materials ; while 4,595 were simple tents.

The number of aborigines, or so-called Maories, in New Zealand, is only known through official estimates, which however, are believed to be tolerably accurate. From these it appears that, at the com- mencement of the year 1868, there were in the North Island, 37,107, and in the South Island 1,433 Maories, or a total of 38,540 in the whole colony. The native population of North Island comprised 14,897 men, 12,353 women, and 9,857 children; and that of South Island 535 men, 427 women, and 471 children. According to all accounts, the Maories, like the aborigines of other countries settled by Europeans, are declining in numbers from year to year. The result of a native census taken all over the colony between September

1857 and September 1858, was the enumeration of 55,970 Maories — 31,667 males, and 24,303 females — so that, in the ten years from

1858 to 1868, the decline amounted to no less than 17,430 souls, or above 30 per cent, of the total native population. With a continuation of decay at this rate, the aborigines of New Zealand will have ceased to exist in another generation.

The following table shows the native countries of the white popula- tion of New Zealand, according to the census of December 19, 1867 : —

Countries of Birth

Males

Females

Total

New Zealand

England

Wales ....

Scotland

Ireland

Australia

Other British Colonies .

United States

Germany

France .

China ....

Other foreign Countries

At sea ....

Unspecified .

Total .

32,397

41,591

975

21.947

18,345

6,048

2,146

1.031

2,293

437

1,213

2,274

401

561

31,655

24.023

344

12,879

9,610

5,265

1,382

182

545

116

6

174

350

208

64,052

65,614

1,219

34,826

27,955

11,313

3,528

1,213

2,838

543

1,219

2,448

751

769

131,929

86,739

218,668