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
