WITH INTRODUCTORY REPORT.

TASMANIA:

WILLIAM THOMAS STRUTT, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, HOBART.

1883.

ERRATA AT CORRIGENDA.

Report, page x, line 4 from top, for " decreasing," read " increasing".

Report, page xii, last paragraph but one, for " any given area by the number of inhabitants residing within it. It is, in fact, the ratio of area to population (A:P or A/P)," read " the population by the area. It is, in fact, the ratio of population to area (P:A or P/A)."

Report, page xxix, paragraph 8,—

For " 11,880," read " 11,889."

For " 844," read " 844."

For " 1131," read " 1132"

For " 632," read " 681."

Report, page xxxv, paragraph 3,—

For " 0-30," read " 0-30."

For " 30-50," read " 30-50."

For "50-70," read " 50-70."

Report, page xxxvi, line 4 from top, for " Occupation," read " Occupations."

Table IV., page 4, for " Buildings," read " habitations."

Table IV., page 4, notes, line 2 from top, the words, " Sex not distinguished" should be transposed so as to stand immediately before the figures " 568."

Table XVI., page 17, for " Queenborough," read " Sandy Bay."

Table XIII., page 174, Order 9, Sub-order 2, for " Farrier," read " Farrier."

Table IX., page 182, Order 9, Sub-order 2, for " Farrier," read " Farrier."

PART I. TASMANIA, CENSUS, 1881.

GENERAL REPORT

Date of Enumeration, April 3, 1881.

TASMANIA:

WILLIAM THOMAS STRUTT, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, HOBART.

1882.

CONTENTS.

ERRATA AT CORRIGENDA.

REPORT.

PART I.—POPULATION, BUILDING, AND LAND.

PART II.—AGES OF THE PEOPLE.

PART III..—EDUCATION.

PART IV.—BIRTH PLACES.

PART V.—CONJUGAL CONDITION.

PART VI.—SICKNESS AND INFIRMITY.

PART VII.—OCCUPATIONS.

INDEX TO REPORT.

INDEX TO TABLES.

GENERAL REPORT.

TO THE HONORABLE THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.

Census Office, Hobart,

April 15, 1882.

SIR,

I HAVE now the honor to place before you the following report on the Census of Tasmania which was taken on the 3rd April, 1881.

The printing of the tables has been much delayed by several causes, such as the sitting of Parliament (during which little or no work of the kind can be done), and the publication of the Electoral and Assessment Rolls, beside large demands for forms for different departments, and other emergencies. Had there been no obstacles of this kind, the first parts might have been put through the press by the time the tabulation of the last parts was completed, and much time have been thus saved ; but, as it was, the printing of the first tables could not be commenced until the tabulation of the last had been finished. [Delay in printing.]

Such being the case, with the permission and concurrence of the Government, it was decided to publish the tables in parts, as they might be printed. And as the whole of them may very possibly not be completed before the close of the next Session of Parliament, it seemed expedient to reverse the natural order of things, and to issue the report at once without waiting until all the tables were in type. In this way the general results of the Census will be more speedily made known than they would otherwise be, while those who are interested in special lines of inquiry will not suffer any inconvenience by publishing the report before the tables to which it refers. [Report published before completion of tables.]

Before proceeding to deal with the latter, it may not be inappropriate to offer some remarks in respect of the mode and work of taking the Census on this and former occasions in this Colony.

The first Census proper appears to have been taken in 1842. On the 30th June, 1841, an Act (5 Vict. No. 7) was passed, directing that an account of the population should be taken annually on the 1st January ; and for this purpose Commissioners were to be appointed, and the Island was, within three months of the passing of the Act, to be divided into convenient parishes, quoad hoc. The division (into districts and parishes) was accordingly made by letters patent dated September 27, 1841, and published in theGazetteof October 1. An abstract of the Census returns was published in the Gazette of May 20, 1842. [History of Censes in Tasmania.]

On Nov. 15, 1843, an Act (7 Vict. No. 5) was passed, repealing the former Act, and directing that a Census should be taken triennially on 1st January, commencing in 1846. No action however was taken in that year ; but by a proclamation, dated Nov. 15, 1847, the Census was directed to be taken on the 1st January, 1848. In the Statistics of 1847 the date of the Census is enormously stated on the 31st December, 1847.

The Act 9 Vict. No. 3 (31 Oct. 1845) abolished the triennial Census, and provided that thence forward the Census should be taken at such times as theLieutenant-Governorin Council might appoint.

By proclamation of Jan. 22, 1851, the next Census was directed to be taken on the 1st March of that year ; the result being published in theGazetteof July 15.

On January 17, 1857, another Act (20 Vict. No. 11) was passed, enabling the Governor from time to time to make a new division of the Colony into parishes for Census purposes ; and, on Feb, 16 a proclamation was issued, appointing the 31st March as the day for taking the next Census ; and on the 21st July following the numbers were published in theGazette.

The Act 24 Vict. No. 10 (4 Oct. 1860) directed that a Census should be taken in 1861 on such day as might be fixed by the Governor in Council ; the provision being for the first time introduced that it should be the same as that appointed for the like purpose in the United Kingdom. The day appointed for this purpose was declared by the Proclamation of Feb. 25 (Gazette, 1861, Feb. 23, p. 433) to be Monday, April 8 ; but in the table giving the results of the Census, and in the notice referring to it (p. 1032), the Census is stated to have been taken on the 7th and not on the 8th of April. A similar discrepancy is found in regard to the Census of the year 1848, the day for taking which appears in the Governor's proclamation as Jan. 1, 1848, and in the Statistics as December 31, 1847.

The next Census was taken in 1870, with especial reference to contemplated changes in the mode of Parliamentary representation. The Act 33 Vict. No. 7 (22 Oct. 1869), left it to the Governor in Council to fix the date, which by proclamation of Jan. 3 (Gazette 1870, p. 18) was declared to be the 7th February.

The Census of 1881 was taken under the Act 44 Vict. No. 1 (20 Oct. 1880), which named for the purpose the 3rd April, or such other day as might be appointed for the United Kingdom. Certain particulars on which information was to be sought, were specified in the Act, and the Governor in Council was empowered to prescribe the forms to be used, and to make regulations for carrying out the Act. On this occasion Religion was not included among the subjects of enquiry, but two new ones were added—1. Physical and Mental Condition, whether deaf-and-dumb, blind, lunatic, or idiot ; and 2. Land in occupation. In the other Colonies, and elsewhere, returns are given every year of the number and size of holdings ; and it was thought that the taking of a general Census would afford a favourable opportunity of making an attempt to obtain similar information in regard to this Colony, and enquiries were accordingly made in the householders' schedules as to the quantity of land occupied by each head of a family, 1. As freehold ; 2. As leasehold ; 3. As partly purchased from the Crown. As to the results of this attempt I shall have to speak further on. [Objects of Census of 1861.]

Additional information was also sought, at the instance of the Chairman of the Board of Education and the Chief Inspector of Schools, as to the attendance of children at school, and a separate Schedule was prepared with the object of showing the number of children and young persons under 20 receiving instruction—(a) in Government Schools ; (b) In private Schools ; (c) At home ; (d) At Sunday Schools only. Thus, if the returns were correctly rendered, the number of all the rising generation who were receiving any kind of instruction whatever,—at school, or at home—secular, or religious—would be ascertained, and the number of those who were growing up in utter ignorance, would be also known. The Educational Schedules proved a source of great trouble, and were misunderstood by many ; but fortunately it was possible, by comparing them with the householders' returns, to correct most of the errors, each acting as a check upon the other. I shall have to speak more fully on this point when dealing with the tables specially relating to it. [Additional enquiries—Schools.]

The results of the Censuses, as taken previously to 1881, were presented in the most meagre form. On being entrusted with the Superintendence of the Census to be taken in 1881, it seemed to me that the present state of statistical science imperatively demanded that the work should be much more elaborately done than it had ever been done before, and that every endeavour should be made, as far as circumstances would permit, to bring our forms into accordance with those of the United Kingdom and the other Australasian Colonies. My recommendations with this view were cordially approved ; and I have much pleasure in expressing my acknowledgments for the support and encouragement which I have uniformly received from yourself and the [Census of 1861 more complete.]

members of the Government generally, and for the confidence which has been reposed in me.

Parliament act in 1880 until the 1st of November ; and a few days after the prorogation I proceeded to Melbourne and thence to Sydney to study the systems in use in the Colonies of Victoria and New South Wales. I have to express my obligations especially to Mr. Hayter, for the information which (with the permission of his Government) I obtained from him ; also to the gentlemen engaged on the Census of the latter Colony. I also consulted the forms used in New Zealand, with which the Registrar-General had been good enough to furnish me some years since. [Arrangements for it.]

I found that it was necessary to devise an entirely new system, partly because that which had previously been observed was crude and inadequate for the purpose, and partly because the work which I proposed to do covered a far larger surface than anything of the kind that had been done in this Colony before, and required greater nicety of manipulation and a more exact attention to details. Full instructions for enumerators and collectors were therefore drawn out, based upon those of Victoria, but modified to suit our requirements. [New system necessary.]

The Legislature had directed that the Census should be taken according to Electoral Districts of the House of Assembly, and these, therefore, were the basis of the whole work. But there were other divisions of scarcely less importance which it seemed highly desirable should be recognised, namely, those into Municipal and Registration Districts. It is very obvious that questions will not unfrequently arise respecting Municipalities or Municipal Districts (often styled " Police Districts") which have not yet taken upon themselves the responsibilities of local government, in the consideration of which it may be necessary or highly useful to know the population or other particulars such as only a Census can supply in regard to such districts. The division into Registration Districts is important in connection with vital science, since the births, deaths, and marriages are grouped according to those districts. For instance, we know the general death-rate for the whole Colony, and can therefore watch how it rises and falls. But we have never yet been able to ascertain the actual rate of mortality of any one district, and compare it with that of others, because we have never hitherto known the population of that district. The population being given, however, if the rate be excessive in any registration district we shall be able to discover it, and thus to know where to apply the remedy. Such knowledge lies at the very root of all sanitary reform. [Divisions.]

On these considerations the facts collected by the householders' schedules were arranged according to three divisions :—1. Electoral ; 2. Municipal, (including the so-called " Police Districts") ; 3. Registration. In order, however, to economise the funds as much as possible, the tabulation was not in all cases carried as far as the three divisions, but only in those cases where the practical advantages to be gained seemed to outweight the cost, the object kept in view throughout being rather actual utility then more uniformity of system.

To effect this extended tabulation, it was necessary to have an entirely new set of forms. These, with a few changes which have been suggested by experience, have answered satisfactorily. The greatest difficulty in the tabulation was found in dealing with the occupations, which caused more trouble than all the rest of the work put together. For this part I employed the card system (according to which each person's occupation is entered from the householder's schedule on a card, the cards being then arranged, counted, and the numbers under each head noted on the tabulation sheets), but have not been altogether satisfied with it. It was thought that by means of the cards a small number of sets of sheets would be sufficient ; and as these are very bulky and elaborate, and costly to print, application was made to the Government of Victoria for a limited supply of those drawn up by the Government Statist there, which were generously furnished free of cost. It was found, however, afterwards that a larger number of some of these forms was absolutely indispensable, and I was reluctantly compelled to have them printed here. The Victorian forms were, however, of great value ; and especially the instructions to tabulators in regard to occupations, which were in constant use for reference while that part of the work was in progress.

No notice was taken of the division of the island into counties and parishes, as those have no significance outside the Lands Department.

The present division into Electoral, Municipal, and Registration Districts, is very confused, and caused some trouble in taking the Census. These often overlap and are

entangled together in such a way that it requires close attention to trace them out. In order to make my way safely amid this labyrinth, I applied for and obtained from the Lands Office a map showing the divisions which it was intended to recognize for Census purposes—namely, Electoral, Municipal, and Registrational—denoted respectively by green, red, and brown lines. Separate maps of each Electoral District were then prepared in duplicate on a similar plan ; each Enumerator was instructed to mark on these the sub-districts (one for each collector,) into which he proposed to divided the Electoral district, and to return one copy to the Superintendent of the Census, retaining the other for his own guidance, until the completion of the work, and then to forward it with the last of the papers. In this way, by comparing the enumerator's list of collectors with the sub-divisions marked on the map, it could at once be seen if any part of a district were omitted to be provided for, and in any such case the omission could be rectified before the day appointed for taking the Census. Each Collector was furnished with a map of his sub-district, which was also directed to be returned when done with. These maps will thus be available for the purposes of the next Census, should they be still suitable ; and much time and expense may in this way be very probably saved.

Printed descriptions of the boundaries accompanied the maps, so that if any difficulty should arise, one might throw light upon the other.

The boundaries being thus indicated, as clearly as the nature of the case admitted, it was easy to distinguish the several parts of Municipal and Registration districts which made up any given Electoral district ; and in order to effect the tabulation according to this threefold division, nothing more was necessary than that the householders' schedules appertaining to each portion contained within the Electoral districts, should be kept separate, and carefully marked, which was done by a card attached to the left hand corner of each hundle of Schedules, printed as follows :—

If the blanks were rightly filled in, and the bundle securely fastened, it would be impossible for any confusion afterwards to arise through displacement of papers.

Where the directions in regard to keeping separate the different portions were faithfully observed, there was not the slightest difficulty in tabulating. Each portion, being kept distinct on the first sheets, could be afterwards placed with the Electoral, Municipal, or Registration district, to which it belonged. One primary tabulation sufficed for the three divisions ; the totals of each portion being afterwards copied into one or another secondary sheet, as might be required.

In regard to the collection of the Schedules after delivery to the householders, it is laid down as a general rule, by these who have had experience in Census work, that the number of houses assigned to one Collector should not, under ordinary circumstances, exceed 250. This rule was, as far as possible, observed in the Census of 1881, and every effort was made to collect the Schedules in the shortest practicable time ; but even thus, it was found that some persons had changed their abodes between the dates of leaving and calling for the schedules, and these had to be specially looked after subsequently. The quicker the work of collecting the schedules is done, the less risk there is of any one escaping enumeration. The result of our experience in this Census is that the number of houses assigned to one Collector should rather be diminished than increased. The fewer houses there are to each Collector, and the greater the number of Collectors,—so that they be fit for the purpose,—the quicker and more efficiently the work is done. [Collection of Householders' schedules.]

A short time before delivering the Schedules notices were published in the news-papers fully explaining the object sought to be attained by the Census, and the mode of conducting it, and soliciting the cordial co-operation of the inhabitants, who were also requested to give information if any one should be overlooked by the Collectors. The press also gave valuable assistance by publishing other articles on the subject. When the collection of the Schedules was completed, a final notice was published asking any who had not been called on by the Collectors to communicate with the Enumerators or Superintendent, but very few responses were received, justifying the conclusion that the number of persons overlooked by them must have been very small. [Public notices.]

Careful and detailed accounts have been kept, not only of the Expenditure of the Census, but of many other matters in connection with it, which will be of great service in making arrangements for the next enumeration ; will enable the work to be planned and executed with greater facility ; and will greatly economise both time and money. The advantage will be specially felt in regard to the subdivisions. Every information will be available—the number of sub-districts, the boundaries, the number of habitations in each, the time first fixed and that actually employed, together with the cost ; and the maps relating to these sub-districts will be preserved and ready to be again used if required. The new forms which were devised for the Census of 1881 will also serve in great measure for the next. The facilities for that work will therefore be very much greater than those which existed in 1881 ; and the experience which has been gained will be most valuable, especially in regard to the tabulation. [Information available for next Census.]

Before the next Census is taken it would probably be well if the different Superintendents were to exchange ideas on the subject of tabulation, and compare their several methods, so that from a comparison of all the best mode might be selected and perfected ; and with the view of promoting this object, I shall offer a few remarks as the result of the experience gained in the Census now under review. [Tabulation : occupation of methods.]

The forms for the tabulation were especially designed to secure economy in regard to—1. Time and labour ; 2. Expense, which would naturally follow from the first ; and 3. Printing. With this view males and females were tabulated on the same sheet, so as to avoid the delay of turning from one sheet to another. But in order to facilitate the cross additions, the males were entered on the lines and the females a little below them, so that no delay might be caused by confounding the two. In this way the cross additions were made just as readily and surely as if only one sex had been placed upon the sheet.

It was thought that case and rapidity of working would also be promoted by keeping the sheets within a moderate compass, and therefore each sheet was confined to one subject, as age, education, conjugal condition, &c. Small sheets are more manageable than large, since they require less room, admit of a greater number of compilers to do the same work, are less confusing, as containing fewer columns, and save time, since there is less space for the hand and eye to travel over backwards and forwards. Thus in a day of 8 hours, if one foot is saved each way at every entry, and one entry is made every two seconds, there would be a saving of 28,820 feet, or nearly 5 miles, to each compiler. So in regard to time, if half a second be saved at each entry, there would be a gain of two hours on each day's work.

After all the forms were drawn out, my attention was directed to the system in use in the State of Masaachusetts as explained in the account of it published in 1876. It is there called the " check and dot system." There can be no doubt that it can be worked with great rapidity, and is therefore worthy of attentive study ; but as far as I can learn from the one example there given, its weak point is, the difficulty of checking—that is, of identifying any particular entry in the tabulation sheets with the corresponding entry in the schedule—one which is found also in the "tally" system. It is possible, however, that there may be some means of obvisting this inconvenience, and therefore before the next Census is taken it would be well to obtain more precise information as to the mode in which the system is adapted to the different subjects—the example given in the account referred to showing only how it is applied to the general summary of population by families.

1.—HABITATIONS AND POPULATION.

The number of persons enumerated on the 3rd April, 1881, was 115,705—61,162 being males, and 54,543 females. The males were, therefore, to the females in the proportion of 112 to 100 ; that of females to males being 89.18 to 100. [Number enumerated.]

The females exceeded the males in the two principal centres of population, Hobart and Launceston, the numbers being,— [Males and females.]

In every country district, without exception, the reverse was the case, the males predominating.

The proportion of the sexes in 1881 in every 100 was,—males, 52.86 ; females, 47.14. In 1870 the males were 53.4, the females 46.79, in every 100. In 1861, 55.12 per cent. of the population were males, and 44.88 females. The males have therefore been decreasing in proportion to the females from 1861. What the proportions were before 1861 cannot be ascertained with any exactness, the sexes of a certain portion of the population not having been distinguished. Thus in 1857, 690 persons were set down as "military, including wives and children," but it never seems to have occurred to any one as desirable that their ages and sexes should be specified. In the older Censuses—those of 1851, 1847, and 1841,—the case is still worse.

The number of both sexes, from 1841, and the increases, as between each Census and the one immediately preceding, were as follows :— [Numbers and increase at different Censuses.]

Reducing the intervals between the different enumerations to even periods of ten years, the increases will be as shown below :—

The actual increase per cent. as between 1881 and 1870 was 16.49 ; the increase for a period of ten years only would be 14.32 per cent., being 2.56 above the centesimal increase shown by the previous Census.

Between the Census of 1870 and that of 1881, 36,126 births were registered, and 18,781 deaths. There were thus 17,345 persons added to the population of 1870 at the time of the Census of 1881. There should therefore have been 116,673 persons living at the date of the latter Census, supposing that there had been no immigration or emigration to disturb the natural increase. But the actual number enumerated on the 3rd April, 1881, was only 115,705. The addition to the population between 1870 and 1881 was therefore less than the natural increase by 968. [Natural increase, 1870-81.]

According to the statistical returns, 89,193 persons left the Colony, and 87,957 arrived in it during that time, showing a loss of population by emigration of 1236. Taking into account the immigration and emigration, as well as the births and deaths, the population at the date of the Census would have been by calculation 115,437, which is 268 less than the number shown by the Census. But as the account of immigration and emigration was made up to the 31st March only, and as one vessel arrived with nearly that number of passengers between that date and the day of the Census, the difference is reduced to a very inconsiderable number. [Immigration and emigration.]

From the time of the Census of 1870 to the year 1875 inclusively, there was a constant loss of population by emigration ; but since 1875 the case has been reversed, the immigrants exceeding the emigrants. The numbers in the two periods were these :—

Since the foregoing was written, the "Preliminary Report and Tables" relating to the Census of England and Wales in 1881 have reached my hands. From them I find that the circumstances were very nearly the same there as here. In the first place the "natural increment" (i.e., the excess of births over deaths) was greater than the actual increase, as found by enumeration ; the former giving an addition at the rate of 15.08 per cent. for the period 1871-81, and the latter only 14.34 per cent., the difference per cent. being 0.74, which is attributed to " the combined effects of all other movements of the population, including emigration and immigration." The excess of the natural increment rate as compared with the enumeration rate in 1861 was 0.68, and in 1871, 0.39 ; the mean of the three periods being 0.60. These rates will be of great value to us in testing the accuracy of our own estimates in the years' intervening between one Census and another. Secondly, we learn that the same uncertainty which is felt here with regard to the returns of passengers by sea is experienced in England ; for the Report goes on to say " neither the actual number of emigrants nor the actual number of immigrants can be told with more than vaguely approximative accuracy." It may also be added that the outward passengers exceeded the inward, as they did here until 1876.

The rate of increase in Tasmania, according to the natural increment, on the period between the Census of 1870 and that of 1881 was 17.034 per cent., which, adjusted to a period of 10 years, would be 15.277 per cent. The rate of actual increase being 14.32 per cent., it appears that the natural rate was in excess of the actual rate by 0.96. In the next decennium the discrepancy will probably be much smaller, or it may even be turned in favour of the actual population, in consequence of the inward movement exceeding the outward.

The mining population, as far as can be ascertained, numbered 6427 ; 4518 being males, and 1909 females. Of the males, 1409 were under 21, and 3109 were 21 and upwards. [Mining Population.]

In speaking of the " mining population" in this Colony we almost always have in view those only who are concerned with the two metals—gold and tin. The number of persons engaged in procuring each of these is not distinguished in the tables, but as the two are not found (with a few exceptions), in the same locality, it is easy to ascertain it approximately. The following were the males-in the gold and tin-mining localities respectively :—

The following were the number of " special inmates" of the Government establishments on the date of the Census of 1881 :— [Inmates of Government Establishments.]

The persons in Government Establishments chargeable to the public funds were therefore in the proportion of 1 in every 70 of the whole population. The patients in

the General Hospitals were in the proportion of 1 in every 756.

Before taking the Census of 1881 instructions were given to the Enumerators to state the number of the population of all towns of and over 500 inhabitants. The boundaries could not conveniently be furnished, but it was assumed that the local authorities would be sufficiently familiar with them to be able to carry out the instructions. These were not in all cases attended to by the Collectors in entering the Schedules in their books. The numbers given in the table must therefore be regarded as only approximate. It is possible that in some cases persons residing outside the actual boundaries of the towns were included, and that there is therefore an admixture of the suburban with the strictly urban population. [Population of principal towns.]

No complete information has ever yet been given as to the population of the numerous islands belonging to this colony. A table has now been added showing the number of persons residing on them at the time of the last Census—namely, 352 males and 278 females, or together 627. The great majority of these were on Bruni (218), and the Furneaux Group (252). [Population of Islands.]

In regard to the "half-castes" residing on the Furneaux Group, some interesting particulars were elicited in reply to enquiries made by Sir J. H. Lefroy, while administering the Government of this Colony, and be kindly permitted me to make use of them. There seem to have been living 19 adult descendants of Tasmanian aborigines, only one of whom was unmarried. Three male and 5 female decendants of Australian aboriginals had intermarried with descendants of the Tasmanian race, and these unions seem in every instance but one to have been fruitful, several having large families. One pair had 10 children, two 9, and one 8 ; others had 6, 4, two had 2 each and only two 1 each. Four white men had married wives of Tasmanian aboriginal descent. These all had children, but none more than 4, two having 2 each, and one only 1 child.

Beside these, there were one female and five males, descendants of the Australian race, who were in no way related to Tasmanian aboriginals. Three of the males were married, two to white women. One of them had two children, another one child, and the third was childless.

A white man, who was married to a half-caste woman (of which race, or whether mixed, is not stated) had 9 children.

There are said to be three deaf mutes among the offspring of some of these mixed marriages—two of them in one family.

The number of persons on board vessels enumerated on 3rd April, 1881, was 697, namely, 614 males and 83 females. Of these 417 were at Hobart, 66 at Launceston, 63 at Franklin, 34 at Sorell, and the remainder in other parts of the Colony. [Persons on board vessels.]

The density of population is the quantity found by dividing any given area by the number of inhabitants residing within it. It is, in fact, the ratio of acres to population (A : P or A/P). [Density of population.]

According to data furnished by the Lands Office, the total area of Tasmania and its dependencies is 16,778,000 acres, or 26,215 (more exactly 26,215.625) square miles.At the Census of 1861, taking the Colony as a whole, there were 3.432 persons to a square mile ; at that of 1870, 3.789 persons ; and at the Census of 1881, 4.389.

The most populons of the Electoral Districts was Central Hobart, with an area of 123 acres, which had 24,554 persons to the square mile. Taking the city of Hobart as a whole, there were 10,432 persons to a square mile in 1881, 9621 in 1870, and 9801 in 1861. Leunceston had 2881 persons to the mile in 1881, 1985 in 1870, and 1927 in 1861. In the country districts the maximum density was 89 to the mile, which occurred at Glenorchy, where the crowded pauper establishments are situated. Queensborough, a suburban district, having the Cascades lunatic establishment within it, had 76 to the mile. Of the strictly rural districts, Norfolk Plains had the densest population, 28 to the mile ; Clarence next (13) ; then Brighton (12) ; Westbury (11) ; Richmond (10 nearly) ; New Norfolk (9) ; Deloraine and East Devon had each a little over 7 ; Morven and Selby each about 6frac12 ; Cumberland, with its large extent of uninhabited country extending to the western coast, had only about one person to two square miles, and was the most aparsely populated part of the Island. Franklin, which adjoins Cumberland on the north, also has a large amount of uninhabited country, its density of population being only about one per square mile. Wellington and Glamorgan had nearly the same rate. The ratio of persons to an acre for the whole Colony in 1881 was 0.007 or 7 to 1000 acres.

To every person in the Colony and its dependencies in 1881 there were 146 acres. Cumberland had 1088 acres to a person ; Franklin, 697 ; Wellington, 596 ; Glamorgan, 575 ; Fingal, 291 ; George Town, 277 ; Ringwood, 268 ; Sorell, 191 ; Campbell Town, 159 ; Selby and West Devon, about 116 each ; Oatlands and Kingborough, 115 ; the remaining districts having less than 100 each. [Areality of Population.]

The number of buildings in the Colony was much more fully enumerated at the Census of the 3rd of April last than was ever the case before. The Victorian System was taken as the model, with this difference only, that the enumeration on this last occasion was made to embrace, not only inhabited buildings, or dwellings, but also all other buildings (excepting schools and places of worship) such as stores, workshops, offices, &c., not intended to be inhabited, and not used for the purpose. It was believed that this additional information would be valuable, and in fact, that the Census of buildings would not be complete without it. If, for example, it were required to estimate the wealth of the people, the number of buildings of all kinds, whether uninhabited or not, coming under the designation of " exchangeable commodities," would be an important element in the calculation. [Buildings.]

The number of buildings used as dwellings in the whole colony was 23,529 ; in the City of Hobart, 4179 ; in the Town of Launceston, 2454 ; in the rest of the colony, 16,896. As regards Electoral Districts, the largest number (excluding the two principal towns) was in Selby (1406) ; the next largest (1100) in George Town ; Wellington had 972 ; East Devon, 933 ; Westbury, 919 ; Kingborough, 876 ; Fingal, 882 ; West Devon and Deloraine between 800 and 900 each ; Franklin, Oatlands, New Norfolk, Sorell, Glenorchy (containing the pauper establishments), and Norfolk Plains, between 600 and 700 ; Cumberland and Brighton between 600 and 650 each ; Campbell Town, Mervon, and Queenborough between 400 and 500 ; and the remainder less than 400.

Of the buildings designed for dwellings 1533, or nearly 7 per cent., were uninhabited ; 138 were in process of construction. Twenty-seven were stores, offices, and public buildings, a part of which were inhabited by caretakers ; and 161 were tents.

In addition to the buildings inhabited, or intended for habitation, there were 878 not inhabited or intended to be inhabited ; making the total number of buildings of all descriptions, except those used for public worship and public school purposes, 24,407.

The total number of buildings and habitations at the date of the preceding Census (7 Feb, 1870) being 20,364, the increase on April 3, 1881, was 3882, or 10 per cent. [Increase since 1870.]

In the following table the number of unoccupied, or empty, and unfinished dwellings at the different Census dates, is shown :— [Empty and unfinished.]

It will be seen that the largest number of empty houses was in 1870, the time of Tasmania's greatest depression. The decrease in these as between 1870 and 1881 was at the rate of 28 per cent.

The " unfinished" houses were much fewer in the later than in the earlier years, notably so in 1861. The fact that the number was smaller in 1881 than in 1870 is remarkable, considering that the condition of the Colony had greatly improved, and that in the last few years more buildings were erected, at least in Hobart and Launceston (as to the country districts I have no information), then had been put up for many years previously. Possibly it may be accounted for by the difference in nomenclature. Before the last Census the term employed was " unfinished" houses ; in the last such unfinished houses were described as " building," which is more precise. It is very possible that previously to 1881 some houses may have been returned as " unfinished" which were inhabited, though not completed.

In regard to materials, in 1881, of the habitations 7672 were of brick or stone, 14,041 of wood, iron, or lath and plaster, 996 were slab, bark, or mud huts, 181 were tents or structures with canvas roofs, and 638 were undescribed. [Materials.]

On comparing the numbers with those of 1870, there appears to have been a decrease of 172 on the habitations of stone and brick ; but this is clearly due to some difference of classification, though it is not possible now to discover exactly how it arose. No separate columns were provided in the Census tables of 1870 for slab, bark, or mud huts, or for dwellings of " unstated materials ;" and all such tenements must therefore, when enumerated, have been classed under one or other of the heads " stone or brick," " wood or iron."

Of the 23,529 structures used as dwellings, those of brick and stone were in the proportion of 32.61 per cent. ; those of wood or iron, 59.68 per cent. ; slab, bark, or mud huts, 4.23 per cent. ; tents and canvas-roofed tenements 0.77 per cent. ; and 2.71 per cent. were undescribed.

It is now generally recognised that the dwellings of a people have a real and important influence not only upon its physical but even upon its moral condition. If, for example, a whole family is huddled together in a single room, it cannot observe the common decencies of life, and its morals must be deteriorated in consequence ; while the breathing of air deprived of its oxygen and overcharged with carbonic acid, which is the effect of crowding and insufficient space, must make the inmates sickly and disposed to catch any disease that may be prevalent. The physical again reacts upon the economical condition ; and whether a community is prospering, or the reverse, may to a very appreciable extent depend upon whether its people are living in miserable hovels of one or two rooms, or in comfortable dwellings of four, five, or more, according to their reasonable requirements. Means were accordingly taken to ascertain and tabulate the number of rooms in each house ; the result being as follows :— [Number of rooms.]

Thus 69½ per cent. of the houses were known to be of more than two rooms, and 26 per cent. were of one or two rooms.

The Tables also give the number of persons living in the different descriptions of houses. These were— [Inmates of dwellings of different kinds.]

The average number of persons to each dwelling throughout the Colony was 5.29 ; and in the city of Hobart the same. The town of Launceston was rather more crowded, the average there being 5.56 persons to a dwelling. The lowest average was at George Town (4.33) ; the next lowest (4.49) was in the Selby district. Glamorgan had 4.70 persons to a habitation ; Fingal, 4.93. Four districts had an average of above six—namely, East Hobart, Glenorchy, North Launceston, and Ringwood ; but in the case of all these, except the last, there was some special reason for the higher rate—the precence of some crowded pauper institution, or of shipping. In all the other districts, the rate ranged between 5.01 and 5.89. [Number of persons to one dwelling.]

The general average for the inmates of brick and stone houses was 5.38 persons ; for slab, bark, or mud huts, 2.85 (the rate at Westbury being as high as 4.70) ; for tents, &c., 2.91 ; for dwellings of unstated materials, (probably brick or stone, to judge by the rate) 5.51.

An attempt was made on this occasion for the first time to arrive at the quantity of land in occupation. It was divided into three classes—1. Freehold. 2. Rented (a) from the Crown ; (b) from private individuals, 3. Partly purchased from the Crown—that is, Crown land taken up on credit upon which the instalments had not all been paid. [Land in occupation.]

The intention was that each householder or head of a family should return only such land as he had in his own occupation ; freehold property leased being returned by the lessee. Thus the owners of property should have returned only such lands as were actually occupied by themselves, their servants, or agents, and all lands leased should have been returned by the tenants, not by the owners. If this principle had been observed, and the locality of each block correctly stated, there would have been no difficulty in arriving at a correct result. The matter being however new to the people of this Colony, was not understood by many, and consequently the figures given in the tables must be regarded as approximative only. By the next Census, should it be decided to make the same enquiry, the object of it will have been better understood, and more precise directions may be drawn up to guard persons filling up the Schedules against the mistakes which have occurred in the present case.

The area of land as thus returned was as follows :—

Excluding land rented and partly purchased from the Crown—namely, 1,484,136 acres—there would remain 3,600,776 acres as the quantity actually aliemated. In the statement furnished by the Lands Department for the Statistics of 1880 this is set down as 4,232,870

In the Australian Colonies not only the land in occupation is returned, but also the number and size of holdings. It was thought that the taking of a Census presented a favourable opportunity of obtaining some part, if not the whole, of the same information as regards this Colony.

The preceding remarks have been confined to the Electoral Districts, although corresponding tables will be found in the volume for the Municipal and Registration districts. I propose to pursue the same course in regard to other divisions of the Census. The tabulation by Municipal and Registration districts will be useful for special purposes ; but in a general report, such as the present, it need not occupy our attention. [Remarks confined to Electoral Districts.]

II.—AGES.

Up to the year 1857 inclusive the classification of ages in use in this Colony for Census purposes was as follows :— [Classification of former occasions.]

• Under 2 years.

• 2 to 7.

• 7 to 14.

• 14 to 21.

• 21 to 45.

• 45 to 60.

• 60 and over.

In the Census of 1861 a different arrangement was employed, which again was slightly altered in 1870, thus :—

In the last Census, (of 1881,) the classification was assimilated to that of the United Kingdom ; that is, by quinquennial periods from 5 years and upwards, the ages below 5 being given in single years ; and for electoral purposes the males were distinguished as of 21 years and over, and of those below that age.

It will be seen that the differences in system will prevent any complete comparison as to the number of persons in this Colony at different ages for any period previous and subsequent to 1861.

The ages of 313 persons enumerated in the Census of 1881 (principally passengers on board steamers belonging to other Colonies) could not be ascertained, and are therefore entered in the tables as " not specified." The number is not so large as sensibly to affect the calculations.

The whole population of the Colony and its dependencies, as enumerated on the 3rd April last, was, as before stated, 115,705 ; the males being 61,162, and the females 54,543. [Total population.]

The increase for all ages from 1861 to 1870 and from 1870 to 1881 were as follows :— [Increase as between 1861-70 and 1870-81.]

Between the Census of 1861 and that of 1870 there was an interval of 8.84 years, and between that of 1870 and that of 1881 an interval of 11.15 years. These intervals being unequal, before the figures can be compared they must be reduced to some common standard. Taking a period of ten years as the standard, the increase per cent. will be for all ages—

Thus the increase per cent. on both sexes in 1881 was 2.56 greater than in 1870 ; on males it was 6.67 greater ; while as regards females there was a decrease to the extent of 1.49.

On the same principle of equalizing the periods, there was an increase on the total population in 1881 at every age except 5.10, where there was a decrease of 350 or 2.15 per cent. The largest absolute increase was 7651 at the age 20.30, being 56.10 per cent. ; and the largest relative increase at the age 80 to 90, being 79.12 per cent. The next largest per centage was 45.80 at the age 15 to 20. [Proportion per cent. of sexes.]

The following were the proportions of males and females in every 100 of the population at the three last Censuses—

Thus the proportion of males has diminished, while that of the females has increased in exactly the same ratio.

The males have increased at the following periods :—10 to 15 ; 15 to 20 ; 20 to 30. Between 30 and 40 they decreased from 58.56 per cent. in 1861 to 48.65 in 1870, and increased to 51.54 in 1861. From 40 upwards there was a continuous decrease from 1861. There was also a decrease of young children under 2 years. Between 2 and 5 the numbers varied very slightly.

The females increased during the whole period from 1861 at the ages 0.2, and from 40 upwards. Between 2 and 5, they increased from 48.97 per cent. in 1861 to 49.87 in 1870, and decreased to 48.56 in 1881. Between 10 and 15 they increased from 49.25 in 1861 to 50.12 in 1870, and decreased to 48.78 in 1881. Between 30 and 40 there was an increase from 41.44 in 1861 to 51.35 in 1870, and a decrease to 48.46 in 1881. At all the periods from 40 upwards there was a larger proportion of females in 1881 than in 1870, or in 1881. At the ages 5 to 10, and 15 to 30 there was a decrease. The proportion of males and females at all ages in 1881 was very nearly the same as it was in Victoria in 1871. At the higher ages there were (proportionately) more men in Tasmania than in Victoria, but fewer women.

The proportion of females to 100 males of all ages in 1861

It will be seen that in 1881 between 30 and 50 the proportions of females was only very slightly below that of males.

The above numbers from 30 upwards show some interesting variations in the proportions of the sexes in the two years, which will be readily perceived by taking the differences, thus :—

From this it appears that the largest proportional increase was in females of 90 and over ; the next largest in those between 40 and 50 ; and the smallest in those between 70 and 80.

The sudden variations of the numbers representing the proportion of females in 1861 and 1870, at different ages, as contrasted with the evenness of the corresponding numbers in 1881 is very remarkable, and it would be interesting if we could discover the cause. In 1861 the proportion of females between 20 and 30 was about 120 to 100 males, and in 1870, 116, being the largest proportion at any age ; and the proportion between 15 and 20 was also large, being 116 in 1861 and 106 in 1870 ; while in 1881 the proportion of those between 20 and 30 was only 96, and between 15 and 20, 99.

The attention of the public was specially called in 1881 to the importance of being accurate and honest in returning their ages, and they were invited to co-operate in making the Census as perfect as possible. How much this circumstance may have conduced to bring about the result just noted, must be left to each one to decide for himself. [Importance of stating tree age.]

There must always be more or less of error and uncertainty in regard to the ages of a community. For in the first place, many people utterly fail to realize the fact, that it is the absolute duty of every loyal citizen to afford the most correct information which it is in his power to give, when the same is required of him by the State, and that he cannot be a thoroughly honest and conscientious man unless he does so ; and in the second place, a very considerable number of persons, not only in the uneducated, but even in the educated, classes, really do not know their own age,—and there are many parents who have forgotten the ages of their children. It is very desirable that the importance of furnishing correct information in regard to age, health, &c. should be better understood by the people than it is at present. I hope that the attempt which was made in connection with the present Census, to this end, may have produced a good effect.

In 1881, about 17 per cent. of the whole mixed population was between 20 and 30 ; 12 per cent. between 5 and 10 ; about 12 between 10 and 15 ; and nearly the same proportion between 15 and 20 ; the highest proportions at individual age-periods occurring between 5 and 30. Fourteen per cent. were under 5 years of age ; 53 per cent., nearly, were between 5 and 30 ; 25 per cent. were between 30 and 60 ; and 8 per cent. were 60 years of age and upwards. [Proportion of persons at different ages.]

The ages in the detailed tables for 1881 have, as already observed, been arranged in periods of five years ; but in some of the condensed tables the ages are shown in decennial periods, in order to admit of comparison with the Census of 1870, in which the latter classification was adopted.

The per-centage in 1881 and 1870 of males, females, and " persons" (mixed sexes) at the most important age-periods was as follows :—

In accordance with the practice in some of the other Colonies a table has been prepared and printed with the other Tables, showing the number of persons in the whole Colony at each year of age, with certain other particulars deducible therefrom. It was necessary to put down the numbers at each year of age in order to arrive at the mean age of the population, and to construct the Table referred to, but the work in its first form before it was condensed, was too bulky to be printed. I shall use it however for the purpose of noting some interesting facts which are not to be found elsewhere. [Persons at each year of age.]

The first thing that suggest itself has reference to the inequality of the sexes. Taking the whole Colony the females predominated up to 1 year

the males at 14 ; the females at 15 ; the males at 16 ; the females at 17 ; the males at 18 ; the females at 19 and 20 ; the males at 21 ; the females at 22 ; then the males again from 23 to 36 ; the females at 37 ; the males at 38 ; the females at 39 and 40 ; the males at 41 and 42 ; the females at 43 ; after which age the superiority of numbers is increasingly on the part of the males. At 44 and upwards there were 13,950 males and 9029 females of specified ages, the males being in the proportion of 65 nearly in every 100.

In the City of Hobart the males seem to have been generally the most numerous up to the age of 10 years inclusive. From 11 to 48 the females predominated without a single exception. Between 49 and 56 the numbers fluctuated, but from 57 upwards, with a few exceptions, there were considerably more males than females.

In the Town of Launceston the females were in excess from 13 to 27. From 28 to 33 the numbers fluctuated, but on the whole there was a difference of 14 in favor of the males. From 34 to 37 the females again took the lead, and again from 40 to 51, with the exception of the ages 43 and 47. From 52 upwards, with a few exceptions, the males were again in a majority.

In the Southern Districts (excluding the capital) the females were most numerous between 25 and 26, and 35 and 49, (except at 42 ;) the males between 13 and 21, 27 and 34, except from 50 upwards ; the greatest difference being at the last-mentioned period. In the Northern Districts the males were in excess from the age of 9 years and upwards, except at 11, and at some of the extreme ages.

The mean age of any number of people is found by dividing the aggregate of their several ages by the number of persons. Thus, if three persons are respectively 55, 67, and 73 years of age, their mean age is (55 + 67 + 73)+3 =65. The mean age of the people of this Colony, as shown by the Census of 1881, was 24.89 years. That of the males was 26.40 years, and that of the females 23.20. The males, on the whole, were therefore 3.20 years older than the females. [Mean age of population.]

In England, at the time of the Census of 1871, it was 26.4 for the whole population, 26.0 for the males, and 26.8 for the females.

The age of the whole population of Tasmania was therefore under that of the population of England by 1.51 years ; the males being 0.40 year older and the females 3.6 years younger. This difference is sufficiently accounted for by the larger proportion of native-born among the females, for while only 65.23 per cent. of the males were born in Tasmania, 73.51 per cent. of the females were natives.

We cannot compare the mean age of the people of this Colony at the Census of 1881 with the age at any former Census, inasmuch as we have no data on which to ascertain what it was before the last enumeration.

The proportion of people who have exceeded the ordinary limits of human life is greater in this than in most other countries. At the date of the present Census 642 persons were living aged 80 and upwards, the proportion per 1000 being 5.55. Three returned their ages at 100, one at 101, one at 104, and one at 108. Special enquiries were made in any case of extraordinary longevity, and in some instances, at least, with satisfactory results. One of those aged 100 ( a female) was blind, and was personally known to the enumerator, who vouched for the accuracy of the return. Another of the same age (a male) was visited by the enumerator for the purpose of making enquiries on this point. The man could not produce any documentary evidence, but stated that he came to the Colony in 1819 in the shipCounties of Harcourt, being then 39 years of age, and that he well remembered the rejoicings in England after the victory at Waterloo. The enumerator adds, that his present wife, aged 65, says she married him when she was 20, and that he was then getting grey, and looked, as every one told her, old enough to be her father. [Centesimision.]

events chronicled in history ... Had I not known these particulars previous to the Census-taking I should, like yourself, have doubted the accuracy of the schedules."

In regard to the man whose age was returned as 108, the enumerator did not believe him to be as old as he represented himself to be. His own statement was that he was born on Nov. 15, 1773 ; that he came to Sydney in the ship Regent Fax, and afterwards to Tasmania, in the same ship, but in what year he could not say ; that the vessel was commanded by Captain Jarvis, his uncle, and went to George Town ; that he was four years in the Colony before he saw a white man ; that he was about 25 years of age when he left England ; and that there was no Governor in this Colony when he arrived, and for many years afterwards. The officer who made the enquiries reports " he is positive as to the year that he was born in. I put him to every test, and could not move him from 1773, the year of his birth. He said that his uncle lived to the age of 111 years."

On closely examining the numbers of the population at each year of age, we find that at 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 they are strikingly larger than they are at the years before and after. Thus, to take 50 as an example, the figures for that and the two nearest years stand thus :— [Excess of membersat certain periods.]

The same thing occurs at the intervening quinquennial periods 45, 55, 65, and 75, but not in the same degree.

The anomaly appears to be greater in the case of males than of females.

The cause of these aggregations about particular years is evident. Many persons either can not or will not state their exact ages, and put them down roughly at the nearest decennial or quinquennial period. Hence they cluster like a swarm of bees round those periods. Some people no doubt really do not know their own ages, but many more fail to return them accurately simply from carelessness or want to conscientiousness. Until we have a higher standard of morality—until men learn to carry their religion into the smallest affairs of common life ; to acknowledge that the obligation to be scrupulous in complying with the laws of the land is as great as, if not greater, than to hold orthodox opinions on controverted subjects ; and to shrink as much from putting their hands to an untruth on a Census Schedule as from swearing what they known to be a lie in a Court of Justice ; until they are educated to observe truth and honor in the smallest as well as in the greatest matters ; and until they are brought to see that it is for the interest personally as well as generally of every member of a community to make its statistics as perfect as possible ;—until all this is recognised and carried into practice, such anomalies as these will occur in spite of every effort we may make to prevent them.

The tendency of people to put themselves down at a round period, some multiple of ten, seems to be general, for I find it is noticed in the Report on the English Census of 1871, where it is said that " a certain excess has been thrown on the decennial years, 50, 60, 70, and so on, at the expense of the contiguous ages ;" and it appears by the Table at the foot of the page where this observation occurs, that the same practice prevailed in regard to the ages of persons buried in 1818-24.

By our English law 21 years is the time at which adolescence merges into manhood or womanhood, is released from parental control, and assume the responsibility of its own actions. It is also the age at which the male population is permitted to take part in the election of representatives, and in the administration of public affairs. In a political point of view, therefore, no age can be of more importance than this. Arrangements were accordingly made in tabulating the Schedules of 1881, to ascertain the number of males up to the age of 21, and of those over it. It was thus found that 30,202 belonged to the former class, and 30,960 to the latter ; the proportions per cent. being respectively 49.38 and 50.62. [Adult males.]

The number of persons on the Electoral Rolls, and therefore entitled to vote for Members of Parliament, after the last revision at the early part of 1881 was as follows :— [Political Electoral.]

• For the Legislative Council 3,128

• For the House of Assembly 15,659

In the City of Hobart there were 3829 persons having a vote for the House of Assembly, in the town of Launceston 2224. In the Southern districts the number was 7197, and

in the Northern, 7562. In the country districts (that is, the whole Colony with the exception of the two principal towns), there were 9608. Thirty-nine per cent. of the electors for the House of Assembly were therefore in Hobert and Launceston, and 61 per cent. in other parts of the Colony.

The proportion of electors to males qualified by age to have a voice in the election of representatives in Parliament—that is, of actual to possible electors—was, for the Legislative Council, 10.10 per cent., and for the House of Assembly, 50.58 per cent. In the Council districts, the proportion varied from 6.64 (Huon) to 15.11 (Buckingham) per cent. ; in the Assembly districts, from 14.27 (George Town) to 86.34 (South Hobart) per cent. Of course, as will be at once understood by all persons within the Colony and conversant with its institutions, the difference in the proportions as regards the Council and Assembly springs from the difference in qualification, which in the one case is freehold estate of the value of £30 per annum, or leasehold of £200 per annum ; in the other, freehold estate of the clear value of £50 ; occupancy or leasehold of the value of £7 per annum ; purchase of Crown land to the amount of £50 ; salary of £80 per annum ; profession, or degree of university or of Associate of Arts.

The proportion of electors to the total population of both sexes, and to the males of all ages, per cent., was as follows :—

This means, that out of every 10,000 of the whole mixed population 270 had a vote for the Council, and 1353 a vote for the House of Assembly ; and that out of every 10,000 males of all ages 511 were qualified to choose a representative in the Council, and 2560 a representative in the Assembly.

Each Member of the Council represented 7231 of the general population, 3823 of the males of all ages, 1935 of the males of 21 years and over, and 1888 of the males under 21 ; each Member of the Assembly, 3615 of the general population, 1911 of the males of all ages, 967 of the males of and over 21, and 944 of those under 21.

III.—EDUCATION.

In nothing in preciseness of language more necessary than in Statistics. The term " Education" is everywhere used for Census purposes, and there is fortunately no uncertainty as to the sense in which it is employed ; but it is a fact, nevertheless, that it does not exactly in that sense. Education, as commonly understood, is confined to the teaching of certain subjects ; the highest idea of it which most people can form being the cramming into the youthful mind of a certain quantity of knowledge, whether it can be digested, or not. Education and school instruction are supposed to be synonymous. A false etymology of the word has greatly tended to obscure its true meaning. It is generally said to be derived from educare , to " bring forth," and to consist rather in drawing out what is in the pupil, than is putting something into him. This is incidentally true, but not in the sense imagined. Education comes from educare, which again is from dux a " leader" or " guide," and e, ex, " out of," and therefore signifies the process of guiding or leading youth—going before it and showing it the way, as a dux militum goes before his men and leads them to the battle—from its earliest years until it has arrived at maturity, and taken the responsibility of its own actions. Education, therefore, in its full extent, means much more than mere school " cram" ; it implies not only the ingection of facts, but also moral restraint and guidance, religious teaching, and the formation of character ; the fitting of a being of infinite possibilities for the due discharge of its highest functions in this life, and in the never-ending life which is to succeed it. A good deal of this tree education can never the measured by figures, and therefore the word in statistical enquiries must be used in the more contracted signification of " school instruction," just because we can find no more convenient term in our language. [True meaning of Education.]

We have to reduce into order and summarise the facts concerning this part of Education, which have been elicited by the Census now under consideration.

The classification under this head was the same as that of 1870, a fourth line being added for persons whose education was not given in their schedules. [Number in each class.]

The number for the whole Colony was as follows :—

In order to compare these numbers with those at any former Census in this Colony, or with the corresponding numbers for any other country, we must reduce them to some common standard. This is done in the subjoined table, which shows the proportion borne by the males, females, and mixed sexes to 100 of each :— [Proportions per cent.]

Rather more than 54½ per cent. of the whole population could read and write, and rather more than 8½ could read only, leaving nearly 27 per cent. of the ascertained numbers as the proportion of those who had no school education whatever. It will be seen that the proportion of females who could read and write, as also of those who could read only, was slightly in excess of the males ; while in the class " cannot read " the males had the preponderance. The females therefore in this Colony have the advantage of the males in point of school learning.

At the Census of 1870 only 56 per cent. of the population could read and write, and 14 per cent. had only enough education to enable them to read ; while those who could neither read nor write amounted to about 29½ per cent. No distinction was then made as to sexes under this head. We cannot therefore make any comparison in this respect ; but, on the whole, it is clear that a very satisfactory advance in the educational condition of the Colony has been made since the preceding Census was taken. If we go back to 1861 we shall find that a still greater advance has been made, the proportion per cent. of those who could read and write at the Census of that year being only 53.66 per cent., or 11.31 less ; while the proportions of those who could read only, and of those who could not read, were respectively 14.60 and 31.74 per cent., or 5.80 in the one case and 5.60 in the other less than in 1861. We cannot compare the proportions as regards the sexes, in as much as the data necessary for that purpose were never before furnished. [Comparison with 1870 and 1861.]

The ages under the head of Education have been given as under 3 to 4 ; 4 to 5 ; 5 to 10, and from 10 upwards by quinquennial periods. The specifying of the ages below 5 by single years affords the means of ascertaining when the process of " Education " really does begin, and of removing some uncertainties in that respect. It appears that only one child (a female) under 3 was able to read ; and it should be recorded that South Hobart had the distinguished honour of being the place where this infant phenomenon resided. Between 3 and 4, 7 males and 5 females could read and write ; and 13 males and 24 females could read only. Between 4 and 5, 29 males and 38 females could read and write, and 92 males and 93 females could read only. [Children below 5.]

In one Table is shown the number in the different educational classes of males, females, and persons (mixed sexes) at each age-period in proportion to each 100 of the male, female, and mixed population of all classes at the corresponding age-periods. [Proportion at each age percent.]

From this table it appears that the proportion of children under 5 years of age who could read and write was 0.49 in 100 ; and of those who could read only, 1.38 in 100. Between 5 and 10 the proportion of those who could read and write was 40 per cent. ; of those who could only read, 21 ; and of those who could not read, 38 : at 10 to 15, 84 per cent. could read and write, 8 could read only, and 8 could not read. At 15 to 20 the proportions were 87, 5, and 7 ; and at 20 to 25 nearly the same ; these being the highest per-centages of those who could both read and write.

Up to the age of 35 the proportion of females who could read and write was greater than that of the males. From that age upwards the advantage was on the side of the males, except at one period, from 75 to 80, at which the females were again ahead.

It has just been stated that between 5 and 10 about 38 per cent. of children could not read ; between 10 and 15, 8 per cent. ; between 15 and 20.7 per cent. Between 20 and 35, the proportion of persons who could not read ranged between 8 and 9 per cent. Between 35 and 40 it was somewhat less than 8 per cent. It then increased pari passu with the ages from 12 to as high as 45 per cent. This is another indication that the state of Education as regards the people of this Colony has been improving, the per-centage of literates being smaller and that of the illiterates greater at the higher ages : in other words, those whose birth was most remote from the present time had, as a rule, the least education. In regard to people of extreme age, however, it would not be safe to place too much reliance upon averages, inasmuch as the numbers from which they are deduced being small, they are more liable to be influenced by disturbing causes. After making all due allowance on this account, it appears nevertheless clear that the proportion of the population which is allowed to grow up without any school instruction is much smaller in the present day than it was at the date of any previous enumeration. [State of Education improving.]

With the view of further carrying out the suggestions of the Chairman of the Board of Education and the Chief Inspector of Schools, and of supplying some additional information, a schedule was prepared and left at each dwelling with the Householders' Schedule, designed to show the following particulars :— [School attendance.]

1. The number of children receiving secular instruction in any way, either

   1. At Schools, which might be

      1. Under the Board of Education or receiving Government aid.

      2. Private.

   2. At home, from their parents, tutors, or governesses.

2. The number of children attending Sunday Schools as well as Secular Schools, or while receiving secular instruction at home.

3. The number of children or young persons under 20 who were not attending Secular Schools or receiving secular instruction at home, but were attending Sunday Schools.

The object was to ascertain the total number of the rising generation who were receiving any kind of regular instruction, whether secular, in school or at home, or religious, in the Sunday School.

These Educational Schedules were, however, often misunderstood, and proved one of the greatest difficulties in connection with the Census ; but by comparing them with the householders' schedules, and supplying the omissions of the one from the information contained in the other, the defects of each could be generally remedied. The result of the enquiries thus made was as follows :—

The Public Schools Amendment Act, 1873, (37 Vict. No. 11) makes it compulsory that all children between 7 and 14

In consequence of the exemptions, it is of course impossible to ascertain from the Census returns with minute accuracy what number of children are being allowed to escape the educational net which the Legislature, in its care for the general welfare, has spread for them ; but, having the numbers and proportions of children and young persons who are receiving instruction at schools or at home, as stated in the schedules, we shall be in a position to form some conclusion as to how the system is working, as far as numbers are concerned.

It will be seen by the tables that 10,008 children (including scholars up to 20) were attending schools receiving aid from the state, namely, those under the Board of Education, Industrial, and Ragged Schools ; 5566 being boys, and 4452 girls. Of the whole, 12 were under 3 ; 429 were between 3 and 5 ; 1423 were between 5 and 7 ; 5895 between 7 and 12 ; 1650 between 12 and 14 ; 532 between 14 and 16 ; 57 between 16 and 18, and 10 between 18 and 20. At the private schools there were 6776 pupils (3166 boys and 3610 girls), 4 being under three, 357 between 3 and 5, 1075 between 5 and 7, 3365 between 7 and 12, 1156 between 12 and 14,591 between 14 and 16, 198 between 16 and 18, and 30 between 18 and 20. The number of children returned as receiving instruction at home was 5919, 2725 being boys, and 3194 girls. The numbers at the different ages were these :—Under 3, 171 ; 3 to 5, 829 ; 5 to 7, 1235 ; 7 to 12,2374 ; 12 to 14,701 ; 14 to 16,418 ; 16 to 18,210 ; 18 to 20, 81. [School attendance at different ages.]

The whole number of young persons under 20 receiving secular instruction was 22,703, the boys being 11,447, and the girls 11,256. [Total receiving secular instruction.]

It is a very unusual thing for children under three years of age to have any regular instruction, only 71 of that age being returned as under instruction. In order to ascertain the proportion of children who were receiving instruction to the whole number of children in the population at large, we ought to exclude the children under three years of age.

The following, then, was the general population between 3 and 20 :— [Jerusale population at different ages.]

The proportion of young persons of both sexes to 100 of the whole population at each age-period was as follows :—At schools receiving Government aid, 3-20, 21-06 ; 3-7, 15-34 ; 7-14 (the school age), 39.05 ; 14-16, 9.92 ; 16-20, 0.62. At private schools, 3-20, 14.26 ; 3-7, 11.86 ; 7-14, 23.40 ; 14-16, 41.01 ; 16-20, 2.13. Receiving instruction at home, 3-20, 12.32 ; 3-7, 17.10 ; 7-14, 15.91 ; 14-16, 7.79 ; 16-20, 2.72. The per-centage of children under secular instruction at school and at home was—3.20, 47.64; 3-7, 44.31 ; 7-14, 78.36 ; 14-16, 7.79 ; 16-20, 2.72.

It thus appears that out of the whole number of children at the school age, 79 per cent., or more than three fourths, were returned by their parents or guardians as receiving secular instruction at school or at home—82.45 per cent. at school, and 15.91 per cent. at home. [Proportion receiving secular instruction.]

The following figures show the numbers per cent. of both sexes between 3 and 20 taught at school and at home respectively :—

At the schools receiving Government aid the boys were in excess of the girls, the proportions per cent. being 22.95 and 19.09 respectively ; at the private schools there was a preponderance of girls, the proportions being 15.48 and 13.09 for girls and boys respectively. In the children educated at home the difference was also in favour of the girls, their per-centage being 13.56, while that of the boys was only 11.12. On the whole number of children educated at school and at home the girls again had the advantage, being in the proportion of 48.15 per cent. to the whole number of girls at the same ages, the per-centage for the boys being only 47.36.

The following seems to have been the number of children at the school age (7 to 14) under instruction :— [Number at school age under instruction.]

The number of children at this age under instruction to 100 children at the same age enumerated in each district was—

There was a considerable difference therefore in the proportion of children under instruction, as between the principal towns and the country districts, in favour of the former.

According to the Return furnished as my request by the Secretary of the Board of Education, the actual number of children who attended the Government Schools on the 4th April, 1881, (the day after the Census) was 6758. At seven schools there was no attendance on that day. Five of these are stated to have been " closed." In regard to four of them, no reason was assigned, but it is presumed that sickness among the children may have been the cause ; one is stated to have been closed on account of hop-picking ; one is reported to have been " not open ;" and as to another it is noted that there was " no attendance." Had these seven schools been open the attendance in all the schools would have been about 7000. This would be about 3000 less than the number of children shown by the Census schedules as attending schools receiving Government aid. But from this 3000 should be deducted the number of children in the Ragged and Industrial Schools, and in the Boy's Home—any 650—leaving 2350 only. This number is subject to further reduction on account of children hop-picking, assisting in harvest, and other work, and staying away from school from sickness and other causes ; so that, due allowance being made for these things, the number of children attending the Government Schools on the day (Monday) after the Census, and the numbers given by the house-holders as being in the habit of doing so, will tally so closely as could be experted. [Children at Board Schools on 4 April, 1881.]

The number of children shown by the teachers as actually at Government Schools on the 4th April, together with the estimated number in the habit of frequenting the schools closed on that day, and the Ragged Schools and other kindred institutions before mentioned, (in all about 7650), was in the proportion of 78.44 per cent. of the whole number returned by the parents and guardians as under instruction at schools receiving aid from the State. The Returns of the Board of Education for 1880 gave the average number of children on the school rolls during the year as 8352, and the average daily attendance as 6002 ; the latter being only 71.63 per cent. of the former.

The result of the test thus applied to the Census figures must be regarded as very satisfactory.

The result of the enquiries made with reference to Sunday Schools is as follows :— Of the children of both sexes attending these schools (12,859), 11,475 were also receiving secular instruction of some kind ; 1090 were not receiving any secular instruction ; 294 had been at secular schools but had left them. [Sunday Schools.]

Of the children of specified ages who were stated to be attending Sunday Schools, 1636 were above the school age—14 ; 1089 being between 14 and 16 ; 400 between 16 and 48 ; and 147 between 18 and 20. Many of these young persons were, doubtless, gaining their own livelihood.

The number of children of both sexes receiving instruction in 1870, according to the Census was— [Comparison with 1870.]

The number not receiving instruction at school or at home was stated to be 17,001.

The number on the books of the Sunday Schools was returned as 10,011.

The increase in the numbers returned in 1881, as compared with those in 1870, was—

or 28 per cent.

On the children returned as not receiving any instruction the increase was 1236, or only 7 per cent.

On the children attending Sunday Schools the increase was 2858, or 28 per cent.

IV.—BIRTH-PLACES.

Of the 115,705 persons enumerated on the 3rd April, 1881, 79,991 were born in Tasmania, 3987 in other Australasian Colonies, 28,243 in the United Kingdom, 665 in British Possessions outside Australasia, 1195 in foreign European countries, 1028 in foreign states not European, 207 at sea ; while the birth-places of 389 persons (chiefly passengers in vessels within Tasmanian waters) could not be ascertained. [Numbers.]

Victoria contributed to the population 2594 persons ; New South Wales, 665 ; Queensland, 96 ; South Australia, 223 ; Western Australia, 46 ; New Zealand, 335. England gave as 16,964 ; Ireland, 7192 ; Scotland, 3744 ; and Wales, 343. From India we derived 372 ; from British America, 61 ; from the West Indies, 50, from Norfolk Island, 23 ; from the Cape of Good Hope, 25 ; and smaller numbers from various others of the numerous British colonies.

The table of birth-places of the people of Victoria in 1881 suggests some comparisons which are of interest to the inhabitants of this Colony.

The number of persons enumerated in Victoria in 1881 as having been born in Tasmania was 11,876, against 9297 in 1871, the proportion to the whole population of Victoria being 12.71 in 1871, and 13.77 in 1381 ; showing an increase in the hundred of 1.06.

The proportion of the active born in Tasmania to the whole population was 69.13 per cent. in 1881. In 1870 it was only 59.52 ; the increase being 9.61 in the hundred. In Victoria the native-born increased from 45.06 per cent. in 1871 to 57.89 per cent. in 1881 ; the difference being 12.83.

The great proportion of European foreigners came from Germany, which supplied 782. Denmark was the birth-place of 136 ; France of 59 ; Sweden of 66 ; Norway of 23. Eighteen were born in Austria ; 17 in Russia ; 14 in Holland ; 14 in Portugal ; 12 in Spain ; 12 in Greece ; 11 in Italy ; 11 in Switzerland ; and 4 each in Belgium and Poland.

As to other foreign countries, 844 were Chinese, 141 were natives of the United States, and 43 came from other places.

As regards the sexes, there was generally no very remarkable disparity, making due allowances for the fact that men are naturally more likely to migrate than women. The chief exceptions were the immigrants from England and China. Of the English born 11,170 were males, and 5794 females ; the proportions per cent. being 65.84 and 34.16 respectively. The Chinese were, of course, nearly all males, it being their almost invariable custom to leave their women at home. Only 2 out of the 844 were females. [Sexes.]

Of the Tasmanian born 39,894 were males, and 40,097 females, the latter having therefore an excess of 203.

The following were the proportions per cent. of the population contributed by each country :—Tasmanian-born 69.13 per cent ; natives of other Australian Colonies, 3.44 ; of England, 14.66 ; of Ireland, 6.21 ; of Scotland, 3.24 ; of Wales, 0.30 ; of foreign countries, 1.93 ; while 0.95 per cent. were born in other British possessions and at sea ; and 33 per cent. were classed as " Not Specified." [Proportions per cent.]

As compared with the corresponding proportions at the previous Census, there was an increase in the Tasmanian-born of 9.61 per cent. ; on other Australasians, of 1.64 ; on persons born in other British possessions and at sea, of 0.42 per cent. ; and on foreigners, of 0.99 per cent. On those whose place of nativity was the United Kingdom, there was a decreases in 1881 of 12.99 per cent.

In regard to ages, the population was divided in the tabulation into those under 20, and those of 20 and upwards. It would have been interesting, especially in regard to the native or home born, if the ages could have been shown more in detail ; but this would have involved a large amount of additional labour and considerable expense, as the tables would have been rendered much more complex, and the resources of the Government Printing Office would not have been equal to the additional strain put upon them.* Even as it is, they have been severely taken. The information now given as to age in connection with the birth-places, has not been supplied in any of those colonies except South Australia and Queensland. The following statement exhibits the numbers in each of the age-groups for the most important countries :— [Ages.]

Of the Tasmanians, 67.42 per cent. were under 20, and 32.58 were 20 and over. Of the natives of the other colonies of the group, 59.39 per cent. were under 20, and 40.61 were of and above that age. In regard to natives of the United Kingdom the case was reversed, no less than 97.27 per cent. being of the higher age, and only 2.73 per cent of the lower.

V.—CONJUGAL CONDITION.

In describing this division of the Census the term " conjugal " rather than " civil " has been used, because the former is unmistakeable, while the latter is ambiguous, as it might equally well be applied to a person's condition in other respects beside that of marriage, as, for example, whether he has forfeited his liberty by any offence against the law, whether he is a " civilian," or in the army or navy. [Choice of terms.]

The term " never married " has been chosen in preference to " unmarried," which is elsewhere used, for a similar reason, since a person who is " unmarried " might be taken to mean, not only one who has never been married, but also one whose marriage has been dissolved. " Unmarried " may imply a previous marriage, just as " undone " implies a previous doing. It was thought well, therefore, to avoid employing it, and to substitute for it an expression which admits of no uncertainty whatever.

The conjugal condition of the people will be earn at a glance from the following summary :— [Numbers married and single.]

Deducting the children under 15, and omitting those whose conjugal condition was not specified, we arrive at the following result :—

The proportions to each 1000 of the total population, male or female, as the case may be, at all ages, were these :— [Proportions per 1000 of total population at all ages.]

Thus out of every 1000 males at all ages, 299 were married, 39 widowed, and 670 had never been married ; and out of every 1060 females, the married were 314, the widowed 55, and the spinsters 631. Of 1000 of both sexes taken mixedly, 301 were married, 46 were widowed, and 652 had never been married.

Those who were or had been married were in the proportion of 329 to every 1000 of the males of all ages, 370 per 1000 of the females, and 348 per 1000 of both sexes ; while those of marriageable age (15 and over) who had never been married formed 303 per 1000 of the males, 233 per 1800 of the females, and 270 per 1000 of both sexes.

Adding together the married, widowed, and divorced, as one class—namely, those who had been at some time or other married—and taking those returned as " never married "—namely, the bachelors and spinsters—of and above 15, in order to arrive at the number of each sex who were marriageable but not married, we obtain the following proportions to each 100 males, females, and persons of and over 15 years of age :— [Proportion per cent. of marriageable population.]

Thus, out of the whole marriageable population, more than the half were or had been married.

The number of divorced persons was very small, being only 11, or 0.095 per 1000 of the total population.

The largest number of married persons at any one age-period at the Census of 1881 is found between 25 and 35. After 35 it gradually declines. Three hundred and fifty persons under 20 were returned as married. At that age the proportion per 1000 of the married was 10 ; at 20-25, it was 93 ; at 25-30, 132 ; at 30-35, 123 ; at 35-40, 112 ; at 40-45, 111 ; at 45-50, 103 ; at 50-55, 23 ; at 55-60, 71 ; at 60-65, 66 ; at 65-70, 38 ; at 70-75, 24 ; at 75-80, 10 ; at 80-85, nearly 5. [Proportion of the married at different ages.]

Of the marriageable population in 1881—those of 15 and upwards—the proportions per 1000 returned as actually married were these :—15-20, 4.89 ; 20-25, 45-36 ; 25-30, 64.15 ; 30-35, 60 ; and from this point they gradually decrease to 54.77, 54.05, 50.39, and so on.

In 1847 the proportion of married persons to 100 of the whole population was 27.43 ; of single (including the widowed, divorced, and unspecified), 72.57. In 1857 the married and single were in the proportion of 35.71 and 64.29 respectively ; in 1881 the proportions were 30.14 and 69.86. Of the males in 1847, 21.40 per cent. were married, and 78.60 single ; in 1857, 31.22 were married, and 68.78 single. In 1881 the proportion of the former was only 29.01 ; and that of the latter had increased to 70-99. The married females in 1847 were in the proportion of 39.09 per cent., in 1857, 41.63, and in 1881, but 31.41 ; the single being in 1847 at the rate of 60.91 per cent., in 1857, 58.37, and in 1881, 68.59. [Comparsion with former Censuses.]

Thus it will be seen that the proportion of married persons, as regards the whole population, of both sexes, and of each sex taken singly, has diminished.

In 1881 the unmarried men of the age of 20 and upwards was 11,888, the unmarried females of 15 and upwards, 12,733, showing an excess of the latter of 845. In the city of Hobart the unmarried males and females were 1706 and 3276 respectively, giving an excess of females of 1570. In Launceston the males were 1131, the females 1813 ; the excess of females being 682. In 13 of the country districts there was an excess of unmarried females ; in the remaining 11 districts the excess was on the side of the males. Four of these were mining districts, where an excess of males was naturally to be expected.

The proportion of single women to 100 single men of marriageable age throughout the Colony was 107 (omitting fractional parts) ; in Hobart 192 ; and in Launceston 160. Taking the electoral districts separately, the highest proportion was 333, in South Hobart ; the next, 252, in Queenborough (where a large number of the males are between 20 and 25) ; and next in order, 216 in South Launceston. Mining operations in the districts where they are being carried on have quite reversed the positions of the sexes, the influx of marriageable males having brought down the proportion of spinsters to bachelors in Fingal to 38, in George Town to 41, in Selby and Wellington to 45 to every 100 of the latter. [Proportion of marriageable bachelors and spinsters.]

The number of husbands in 1881 in the whole Colony was 17,744, and that of wives 17,134, giving an excess of husbands of 610, the proportion of husbands to 100 wives being 103. In Hobart the number of husbands and wives was 2983 and 3191 respect [Husbands and Wives.]

ively, the excess (208) being on the side of the wives, of whom there were 107 to every 100 husbands. In Launceston there were 1974 husbands to 2002 wives, the excess of wives being 28, and the proportion to 100 husbands 101. As regards the country districts, in Cumberland, Franklin, Glamorgan, Glenorchy, Kingborough, Oatlands, Richmond, Sorell, Campbell Town, West Devon, Fingal, George Town, Ringwood, Selby, and Wellington, the husbands exceeded the wives ; of the non-mining districts the excess was greatest in Sorell, where it was nearly 9 in the 100.

At the Census of 1870 the population, in regard to conjugal condition, was divided into two classes only—married and single ; and no distinction of age was made. Nor is there anything to show whether the widowed and divorced were regarded as married or single. Any comparison, therefore, between the respective numbers in 1870 and 1881 must be regarded as only an approximation. We may, however, judge from the marriage rate whether the tendency in this respect is one of progress or the reverse. In the five years 1866-70 the marriages were in the proportion of 6.32 to each 1000 of the population at all ages ; in the next five years (1871-75) the rate increased to 6.38 per 1000 ; and in the similar period ending in 1880, it had still further increased to 7.51 per 1000. [Classification in 1870.]

The number of marriages between the Censuses of 1870 and 1881 (being a period of 11.15 years) was, by calculation, 8972 ; and the actual number of births registered, 35,230. [Marriages and Births, 1870-81.]

There are various other particulars relating to the conjugal condition of the people, such as the mean ages of the married and single, of the widowed, the relative ages of husbands and wives, which would have been interesting to the general public, and useful for the purposes of the actuary, but to have extracted them from the schedules would have entailed an additional expense which I did not feel myself justified in recommending.

VI.—SICKNESS AND INFIRMITY.

In accordance with the practice of the United Kingdom and of some of the other Australasian Colonies, enquiries were made in the householders' schedules with the view of ascertaining the number of persons suffering from sickness, from the effects of accidental injuries, or from certain forms of corporeal and mental disease. As the Census Commissioners of England and Wales observe in their Report for 1871—" In the present advanced state of statistical inquiry a Census would be incomplete which failed to take special notice of the classes of the population suffering under grave infirmities, such as blindness, deaf-mutism, idiocy, and lunacy."

Directions were given that those only were to be returned as sick or suffering from accident who were unable to follow their usual occupations, but it is certain that in many cases these directions were disregarded, or misunderstood, and persons, such as young children, were included who had no " occupation " in the sense intended. With the view of obviating the error, in New Zealand all persons under the age of 15 years are excluded ; but as this mode obviously fails to reach the case of persons of 15 and upwards, and is therefore imperfect, it was deemed better to follow the Victorian practice, and leave the numbers as they stood.

This is one of the points on which it seems desirable to come to a general understanding before the next Census is taken, with a view to uniformity of system in all the colonies.

Some further direction seems also to be required in regard to the terms " sick " and " accident." I presume that they are not intended to include cases of long-standing or permanent disability, but in the absence of any specific instruction to that effect, it is very possible that such cases may have been returned. In this Colony, where the proportion of old people, many of whom are so disabled, is unusually great, the matter assumes an importance that does not attach to it elsewhere.

The cases of sickness returned on the day of the Census were 1751 ; 913 being those of males, and 838 those of females. Out of every 10,000 persons of both sexes living on that day 151 were therefore sick ; the proportion for males being 149, and for females 154. This excess of sickness among the females is an unusual circumstance, the number of males being generally greater than that of the females. [Sickness.]

There is reason to believe that the amount of sickness at the time when the Census was taken was above the average, measles being, as I am informed, very prevalent in the Colony.

The proportion of the sick to the healthy may be otherwise shown thus :—Of both sexes taken together 1 in every 66 was so affected ; of males, 1 in 67 ; of females, 1 in 65.

The proportion of the sick (both sexes) at different ages to 100 of the sick at all ages was as follows :—

One-half the cases therefore occurred in persons of 50 and upwards.

The ratio per 10,000 of the population at each age-period was—

The ratio increasing with each advance in age.

The number of persons returned as unable to follow their usual occupations on account of accident was 225, 179 being males, and 46 females. The proportion per 10,000 of population was,—For both sexes, 19 ; for males, 29 ; and for females, 8. Of the mixed population 1 in every 514 was so disabled ; of the males, 1 in every 342 ; of the females, 1 in 1186. [Accident.]

Rather more than one-half of these persons (117) were under 50 years of age. In proportion to the population, however, the number at and over 50 very greatly preponderated.

The proportion of accident-cases at each of the age-periods before mentioned to the whole number of cases at specified ages per cent., was as under :—

Here the greatest proportion is between 50 and 70.

The ratio to the population at the corresponding age-periods, per 10,000, was—

and at all ages, 19.44 per 10,000.

As regards the sexes, the proportion per 10,000 of population was for the males 29.27, and for the females 8.43. Accidents, of course, happen more frequently to males than females, their employments and amusements being more dangerous, and their habits leading them to expose themselves more frequently and freely to risk.

The Deaf-and-dumb were 63 in number—31 males and 32 females ; the proportion per 10,000 being—mixed sexes, 5.44 ; males, 5.06 ; females, 5.87. It thus appears that this affection was more prevalent among the females than among the males. [Deaf and Dumb.]

One in every 1837 of both sexes was deaf-and-dumb ; 1 in every 1973 of the males ; and 1 in every 1704 of the females.

In every 100, 39.34 were under 15 ; 37.70 were between 15 and 30 ; only 22.96 per cent. being of 30 and upwards.

The deaf-and-dumb were found chiefly among the younger portion of the population, 47 being under 39, while only 13 were 30 and over. The proportion per 10,000 up to 30 was 6.08, and for the remaining ages, only 3.40.

It is a curious circumstance that, while the proportion of males affected with deaf-mutism was somewhat greater in the earlier ages than in the later, that of females similarly affected was very much greater in middle life and old age—from 50 upwards.

The number of the blind was 185—131 males, and 54 females ; the proportions per 10,000 being—mixed sexes, 16 ; males, 21.42 ; females, 9.90. The proportion of males was therefore more than twice as great as that of females. [Blind.]

Of the mixed population 1 in every 625 was blind ; of the males, 1 in every 467 ; of the females, 1 in every 1010.

Only 48 of the blind were under 50 years of age, while 132 were of 50 and upwards ; the proportions per 10,000 of the aggregate population at those ages being 4.90 and 75.78 respectively. Although nearly 85 per cent. of the population was under 50, the proportion of the blind under that age was only 25 per cent.

Blindness increases almost uniformly as age advances. Thus at 15-20 the proportion per 10,000 (omitting decimals) was 3 ; at 35-40 it was 10 ; at 55-60, 39 ; at 75-80, 187 ; at 80-85, 331 ; at 85-90, 381 ; at 90-100, 667 ; and at 100 and over, 1667 ; the last being exactly the ratio of the sick.

The following were the ratios per 10,000 to the population at the respective age-periods :—

The Lunatics returned were 346—206 being males, and 140 females. The males were therefore in excess of the females by about 32 per cent. [Lunatics.]

There was only 1 under 15 ; between 15 and 30, there were 57 ; between 30 and 50, 105 ; between 50 and 70, 145 ; of 70 and over 37. The largest number was therefore between 50 and 70. Dividing them into two age-periods, there were 163, or 16-64 per 10,000 under 50, and 183, or 105.07 per 10,000 of and over 50.

The absolute proportion to the whole population was—for both sexes, 1 in 334 ; for males, 1 in 297 ; for females, 1 in 390.

The proportion per 10,000 of the general population was—for both sexes, 29.90 ; for males, 33.68 ; for females, 25.66.

Lunacy, like blindness, increases with age, but not, it would appear, with the same regularity. The proportions for both sexes per 10,000 living at each of the following age-periods was—at 5-10, 0.70 ; at 25-30, 35.09 ; at 40-45, 80.31 ; at 45-50, only 25.66 ; at 55-60, 157.66 ; at 70-75, 102.62 ; at 80-85, 162.55 ; and at 86-90 only 95.24.

Of the 346 lunatics returned, 257 were in the Hospital for the Insane at New Norfolk, and 71 (of the criminal class) were at the Cascades ; leaving 18 at large in the care of their friends.

The number of Idiots returned was 76, of whom 31 were males, and 45 females. [Idiots.]

The proportion to each 10,000 of the mixed population was 6.57 ; the proportion of males to every 10,000 of the male inhabitants was 5.06 ; and that of the females to 10,000 of the female population, 8-25. However ungallant it may seem, we are therefore compelled to declare, that the number of females who are born or become idiots is, so far as the results of the present Census go, (and they agree with those of the Census of Victoria in 1871 in this respect), in excess of that of the males who are in the same condition. As regards the sexes the cases of lunacy and idiocy are reversed, lunacy being more prevalent among the males.

Taking both sexes, 1 in every 1522 of the population was an idiot ; of males, 1 in every 1973 ; of females, 1 in every 1212.

Idiocy is found more frequently at the earlier ages, up to about 25. Of the 76, 16 were under 15, 42 between 15 and 30, 10 between 30 and 50, and only 7 over 50* ; the number under 50 being nearly 91 per cent. of the whole.

The ratio at certain age-periods to 10,000 of the population at each of such periods was as follows :—

Thus it appears that, relatively to the population (which is the only really trustworthy criterion), the greatest number of idiots was found between 15 and 30. The next largest (12.10) was at the age of 70 and over. Idiocy belongs chiefly to the periods of youth, (10 to 25) and extreme old age—adolescence and second childhood.

Of the idiots 15 were at the Hospital for the Insane, New Norfolk, the remainder, 61, being under the guardianship of their friends.

In regard to the lunatics and idiots it should be observed that they were almost certainly understated ; first, because some persons would probably forget or neglect to make the required entries in the Householders' Schedules ; and secondly, because there will always and everywhere be some persons who will try to hide the melancholy fact that some of the inmates of their houses are afflicted with these infirmities, from which human nature naturally shrinks. The same cause will, however, operate in all other countries in about (probably) the same proportion.

In comparing the ratio of sickness and infirmity in Tasmania with that of England and Wales, and of some of the Australian colonies, there is found to be an excess under some of the heads, and it seems therefore advisable to discuss the matter somewhat fully. [Ratio of sickness and infirmity in Tasmania and elsewhere compared.]

The following table shows the absolute proportions to the whole population in each of these countries :—

The ratios for New Zealand are here shown, for the sake of completeness, but they will not be further noticed in the comparison, inasmuch as New Zealand stands apart from all the other members of the group of colonies in regard to the healthiness of its climate. [Sickness and infirmity, Tasmania and elsewhere contunied.]

The particulars relating to sickness and infirmity are not given in the Census of New South Wales.

The next table shows the relative proportions of sickness and accident to every 10,000 of the population at each age-period, in those countries where the data for making the comparison are furnished.

The South Australian Census does not enable us to ascertain the proportions of sick at the different ages, nor does it show the number suffering from accident.

The rate of sickness at all ages was greater in Tasmania than in Victoria. This may probably be accounted for by the prevalence of measles, as before mentioned. From 30 upwards the Tasmanian rate was lower than the Victorian : it was higher only at the earlier periods.

The accident-rate was rather higher in Tasmania for all ages. It was also higher for persons under 15, and of and over 50. Between 15 and 50 it was lower ; at 30-50, very much so.

The calculations in the above table, and in the tables which are to follow, having been made on a definite number of the population at each age, in each country, are final, and do not depend upon any other calculations, or require to be modified by any such. As, however, the element of population enters into these tables, it may be interesting to show here the proportions of the population at the different age-periods in Tasmania and Victoria. These were as follows :—

The subjoined table shows the proportion of Deaf-and-dumb, Blind, Lunatic, and Idiot, at various age-periods to each 10,000 of the population at each of such age-periods, in Tasmania and Victoria, and (as far as can be ascertained) in South Australia.

In all these classes, as regards all ages, there is an excess in Tasmania. The proportion of deaf-and-dumb was, however, smaller between 30 and 50, and at 70 and over. The blind were less numerous (relatively to the population at that age) under 30, and more so at each other period. The rate of lunacy was lower up to 50. From 50 upwards it was very much higher. The idiots were more numerous at all the periods.

Sufficient cause for these excesses in Tasmania may be found in the circumstances connected with the early settlement of the Colony, which affected the physical condition of a large portion of the older inhabitants and their offspring ; and in the fact that for many years there was a tendency among the most vigorous part of the population to migrate to other countries, especially Victoria.

In the table which follows will be seen the corresponding ratios for England and Wales, and for Scotland and Ireland in 1871 :—

The number of the Deaf-and-dumb at all ages was rather greater in Tasmania than in England,

The Blind at all ages were more numerous in Tasmania than in England, Scotland, or Ireland. At 0-30, however, they were fewer than in any of those countries ; at 30-50 the rate was higher than in England or Scotland, but slightly lower than in Ireland ; at 50 and upwards it was very much higher than in any one of the three countries ; so much so, as to raise a doubt whether the number in Tasmania may not have been improperly swelled by the addition of persons who were only partially blind. In regard to this point the English Commissioners of 1861 observe in their report : " It is possible that a few persons labouring under partial blindness may have been entered as blind, but such cases may be taken as a set-off against accidental omissions. In preparing the abstracts, however, every care has been taken at the Census Office to exclude persons described in such a manner as to indicate that their sight was merely impaired by the advance of years or otherwise, and to reckon only those who might be fairly assumed to be destitute of sight for all useful purposes." The Commissioners of 1871 say that " Persons described as partially blind, unless actual inmates of public institutions for the blind have not been reckoned." It is clear, therefore, that with this exception, they intended that none but the totally blind should be returned.

It is desirable that when the next Census is taken here, more precise directions should be given as to blindness and some other infirmities, in order that none who are only partially affected, may be returned. Thus no one should be entered as " Deaf-and-dumb " unless he be deaf as well as dumb. A few directions in regard to these matters should be added to the householders' Schedule and corresponding instructions should be given to the collectors and enumerators.

The ratio of lunacy was higher at all ages, and at each age-period than in England, Scotland, or Ireland ; and the rate for all ages was also higher in Victoria and in South Australia. Victoria at 70 and over, had a lower rate than England or Ireland, but at all the other age-periods she had an excess as compared with England, Scotland, and Ireland.

The proportion of Idiots was smaller, as a rule, at all periods in Tasmania than in those countries, the only exception being at the age of 70 and over, in which case there was an excess as compared with Ireland. It should however, be observed, that in the

United Kingdom imbeciles are included with idiots. This appears also to have been the case in Tasmania as far as regards persons of 70 and over, who were inmates of charitable institutions. The ratios in Victoria are extraordinarily low.

VII.—OCCUPATION.

For the first time in the history of this Colony, the occupation of every persons (with a few exceptions where it was not given) has been shown ; and the system of classification now in general use in the United Kingdom and the Australian Colonies has, as far as possible, been followed. In this part of the work much use was made of the instructions and lists compiled by the Government Statist of Victoria for the Census of 1881. [Preliminary sexes., 26.]

On previous occasions, the information given in regard to the occupations of the people was extremely scanty and incomplete. No attempt at systematic classification was made ; nor was it possible to compare the results with those of other years or other countries.

No part of a Census is more important than that which deals with the occupations. To labour for a definite end is the appointed lot of man : it is one of the things which specially distinguish him from the brutes : and in labour, rightly directed, he finds his chief contentment and his highest glory. In regard to the industrial condition of a people, much may be gathered from the returns of its imports and exports, and also from those of its agriculture, pasturage and productions, where these are sufficiently full ; but this information is not complete without that which can be supplied only by the machinery of the Census.

For we want to know not only what the people are actually producing but also what the number of producers is—what they are capable of producing—what proportion are employed, and how many are unemployed. The principle generally adopted is, to show the principal occupations of the population on the day of the Census, and only these. But, while this method enables us to arrive at the actual number of persons employed on a given day, and the nature of their employments, it fails to show the producing power which is, so to speak, kept in reserve, and which might under different circumstances be called into action. Thus, for example, a man who has served his apprenticeship as a carpenter, or a bootmaker, may be keeping a public house, or a general dealer's shop, and would of course be returned in one of the latter capacities, and thus, while the number of publicans would be correctly returned, that of carpenters or bootmakers would be diminished by one ; although, if the demand for his services as such should be sufficiently urgent, he might again fall back upon his original trade, and pursue it, either singly or in combination with that of a publican. To take another and more familiar instance. A minister of the Crown generally has some other occupation : he may be a lawyer, a medical practitioner, an agriculturist, or a sheep farmer ; but if he returns himself as a minister, he substracts one from the class to which his other occupation belongs ; and thus we do not get at the true number of that class. This might be obviated by showing in subsidiary tables the secondary or tertiary occupations ; and in that case we should get at the total industrial power of a people. It is worth considering, whether when the next Census is taken some such plan as this might not be followed, assuming that the necessary particulars were in all cases furnished.

This same difficulty in regard to plural occupations is felt in another way, and one that is not so easy to be remedied. A person who is following two avocations on the day of the Census, can be placed in one class only : and thus it happens, that the number of persons in another class is deficient. The English Census Commissioners in their Report for 1861 thus expressed themselves on this point:—" The double occupations were as great a source of difficulty as the varying degrees of the subdivision of labour in the manufacturing and other districts. The same person is a member of Parliament, a magistrate, a land proprietor, and an occupier of land ; in a lower circle, an innkeeper and a farmer ; a maltster and a brewer ; a fisherman in the season, a farmer or a laborer in the rest of the year. The enumerators were instructed to this effect, that a person following more than one distinct trade may insert his occupations in the order of their importance ; and in the classification the first occupation was generally taken."

" The whole population had to be passed in review, and every man had to be referred to some one head, although his time might be passed in two [or more] occupations ; but if a class thus sometimes obtains more constituents than it deserves, it on the other hand often sustains counterbalancing losses."

To get a perfect knowledge of the productive power of a people, we should need to ascertain—1. Not only the principal occupation, but all the occupations which each person was following on the day of the Census ; 2. Any other skilled occupations, which, though not then exercised, might, on occasion, be again called into action.

This would, however, considerably increase the matter, time, and cost of the compilation.

With these preliminary observations, I proceed to the consideration of the tables showing the occupations of the people of Tasmania on the day of the Census now under review.

Following the precedent not in the English tables, the population has been divided, act only into males, females, and " persons " (mixed sexes), but in regard to ages, into two groups—those under 20 years of age, and those of and over 20.

The occupations of 983 persons, or 0.850 per cent. of the whole population, were unspecified, and could not therefore be classified. Of these 792, or 80.40 per cent., were 20 and upwards, and 191, or 19.60 per cent., were under 20.

Industrially the people are distributed into Six Classes,—I. Professional ; II. Domestic ; III. Commercial ; IV. Agricultural ; V. Industrial ; VI. Indefinite and non-productive. Each of these classes is sub-divided into " orders " and " sub-orders,"—the number of orders being 15. [Classification.]

I. PROFESSIONAL.—

In the first, or professional class, there were 2320 persons, 1529 being males, and 791 females. This class was in the proportion of 2.02 per cent. of the whole population. [Professional.]

It consists of persons engaged in the general or local government, or in the defence of the Colony, the learned professions, in literature, science, or art.

The number of persons in this class returned as employed in the service of the General Government was 593, 546 being males, and 47 females.

Thirty-four (1 being a female) returned themselves under some of the designations classed as " officer of local government." Only 3 appear as " member of local council " ; 2 as " magistrate," " J.P." ; and 26 as " officer of local body."

Thirty-four persons were also classed under the head of " Defence," being chiefly officers of the Imperial army and navy. Volunteers do not appear under this head ; they are disposed according to their ordinary occupations.

Ministers and other persons connected with religion numbered 203, of whom 41 were females, 40 being returned as " nuns, sisters of charity, &c."

The profession of the law had 162 representatives, all males ; medicine and surgery, 170, of whom 59 were regular medical practitioners, 12 dentists, 68 chemists and druggists, and 21 midwives,—the last being the only females connected with the healing art. Hospital nurses are classed elsewhere.

Only 2 persons (one a female) appear as " authors, editors, writers ; " the reporters and shorthand writers were 14.

The scientific persons were all males. They were 26 in number ; 23 being " civil engineers, " and 1 an analytical chemist.

Under the head of " Teachers," the females greatly predominated, their number being 607, while that of the males was only 253. The teachers in State schools were 157 females, and 127 males ; principals and teachers in private schools, females, 109, males, 40 ; in schools of kind not stated, 219 (both sexes) ; governesses and tutors, 181 ; teachers of languages or accomplishments (excluding music), 18.

Among those engaged in the fine arts we have 7 artists or painters, (1 a female), engineers, 2 ; photographers, 46.

The musicians were 91, of whom only 27 were males.

There were 9 actors, and 3 actresses, and 21 billiard-table keepers, markers, &c.

II. DOMESTIC.—

This is a very large class, embracing persons engaged in domestic duties, as wives, mothers, mistresses of families, children, relatives, and visitors not otherwise described ; and in performing personal offices for man. The per-centage of the total population thus described was 60.112. [Domestic.]

Under the head of " wife, widow, of no specified occupation," we have 16,621 individuals ; under that of " son, daughter, relative, visitor, (not otherwise described)," 9749 males and 16,100 females, nearly all the males being under 20. Under this class are included children receiving education. The number of these at public and private schools, and at home was 21,215, 10,595 being males, and 10,520 females.

In services connected with board and lodging, such as hotel, boarding-house-keepers, 790 persons were employed, 437 being males, and 353 females, 204 of the latter being wives assisting their husbands in the business.

Personal attendance occupied 720 males, and 3767 females. Domestic service employed 3040 of the females, and 430 of the males. One hundred and twenty females and 1 male returned themselves as house-keepers ; 362 females and 230 males as servants at inns, and other similar places of entertainment ; 50 males and 46 females were servants of charitable institutions ; 104 females were nurses ; 5 were keepers cleaners, &c., of private offices.

III. COMMERCIAL.—

The commercial class consists of persons engaged in mercantile pursuits, general dealers, carriers by railway, roads, and ships, persons employed in storage, and messengers and porters. [Commercial.]

Twenty-two males and 5 females are set down as capitalists ; 47 males as merchants ; 57 as share and stock-brokers, dealers, and jobbers ; the whole number of persons in the " mercantile " division being 713 males and 10 females. These were in the proportion of 0.630 per cent. of the whole population. One female was a commercial agent, one a commercial clerk, and 3 were commercial travellers.

The shopkeepers, pawnbrokers, hawkers, and pedlars numbered 832, 235 being females. Of the latter, 88 were described as assisting their husbands in their business.

The railways employed (in the carrying department) 256 males and 7 females ; conveyance of persons and goods by means of horses, 700 males ; sea and river carriage, 969 persons, only 6 being females. The whole number of persons occupied in the transport of persons and goods was 1632, or 1 in 59 of the total population.

One hundred and thirty-one persons (all males) were occupied about the storage of goods.

The conveyance of messages found employment for 266 persons—31 being females. Of these the telegraph service absorbed 42 males and 30 females.

IV. AGRICULTURAL.—

In this class there were 19,408 persons, or 16.918 per cent. of the whole population. [Agricultural.]

The number of persons set down as farmers and market gardeners is 5292 males and 237 females. The males so engaged were in the proportion of 14.13 per cent. of those of 16 years and upwards. There were 5893 children or relatives—3928 males and 1965 females—living or assisting on farms. The farm servants in door were 2658 males and 825 females ; the agricultural laborers, out-door, 1984 males and 3 females ; gardeners, 511.

Pastoral pursuits furnished occupation for 860 persons—734 males and 126 females. One hundred and forty-two males and 7 females are returned as squatters or graziers, and 57 wives and children as assisting ; 30 men as farm managers, overseers, &c. ; and 521 males and 95 females as servants on grazing farms.

Beside these, 293 other persons (24 being females) were in some way or other connected with land as proprietors, agents, surveyors, agricultural implement makers, &c.

Five hundred and seven persons were engaged about animals ; 186 about horses ; 6 as salesmen of live stock ; 1 about birds ; 117 as fishermen ; and 23 in other ways not

specified. It will be interesting to sheepowners to be informed that the little animal—the rabbit—which gives them so much trouble and anxiety, provided a livelihood for 174 persons—2 of these being women—who were engaged in catching and killing it.

V. INDUSTRIAL.—

The industrial class comprises all persons who are engaged in producing or dealing in manufactures, food, drinks, minerals, &c. As the Report on the Census of England and Wales for 1871 says, " This is the class of makers or artisans. They deal in matter that is either no longer living or that never lived. They alter the form, texture, or composition of the materials in which they work so as to produce a great variety of new goods, instruments, and machines." [Industrial.]

The whole number of persons in this class was 14,484, the males being 12,602, the females 1882. Of the males, 10,153 were 20 years old and upwards, and 2449 were under 20. Of the females, 1333 were 20 and upwards, and 549 were under 20. The following was the proportion (in round numbers) per cent. of persons, males and females, in this class to the whole population :—

That is, taking both sexes together, 13 per cent. of the whole population belonged to this class ; 5 per cent. of them were under 20 ; and 8 per cent. were of and over 20. Taking the males separately, the proportions per cent. were, at all ages, 21 ; under 20.8 ; 20 and over, 32. The females were about 3 per cent., 2 per cent., and 5 per cent. respectively.

In Tasmania the Industrial class has fewer representatives than the Agricultural. Where the population is small and widely scattered, as it is here, the manufactures that can be carried on profitably are very few. The people must occupy themselves principally in the production of raw material, and in such industries as can be carried on with the least expenditure of capital. The impediments to a free exchange of commodities with source of the other Australasian Colonies, which have become more and more serious, as their financial necessities have increased, or their protective proclivities have manifested themselves more strongly, have also tended very greatly to discourage, not only the working up of materials, but even the production of the material itself. Such has been the case with grain, green fruit, jam, timber, cheese, and many other things which would have given employment to a much larger number of persons, but for these impediments.

The Industrial class has five orders, and twenty-nine sub-orders, though some of the latter do not apply to Tasmania. As already remarked, there are but few females placed in it, in comparison of the males. They were engaged chiefly about dress and textile fabrics, and about food ; only 93 out of 1382 females, or about 5 per cent. being otherwise occupied.

Order 8 consists of persons engaged about art and mechanic productions in which matters of various kinds are employed in combination.

Sub-order 1 deals with books. Here there were 266 males, and 15 females. Among the former were 175 printers and compositors, 28 booksellers, &c., 29 bookbinders, and 10 newspaper proprietors, editors, or publishers.

Sub-order 2 (Musical Instruments). Only 10 persons, all males, were placed under this head.

Sub-order 3 (Prints and Pictures). Only 7 persons, males, came under this division. They were all lithographers, or lithographic printers.

Under Sub-order 4 (Carving and Figures) were 4 wood carvers, also males.

Sub-order 4 (5 and 6 not being required) had 58 persons, of whom 55 males and 2 females were watch and clock makers and assistants, and 1—a male—was returned as unoptician.

In Sub-order 9 (Arms) were 7 males, who were gunsmiths or in some way connected with the making of or dealing in these articles.

Sub-order 10 comprises persons occupied with machines and tools, of whom there were 69, all being males. Among these were 63 who were classed as mechanical engineers, engine and machine makers, agents, and dealers

Sub-order 11 (Carriages, Harness, and Implements) comprised 368 persons—of whom 1 was a female. There were 144 wheelwrights, 107 coach makers or dealers, 92 saddle and harness makers or dealers, 17 millwrights, 2 railway carriage makers, 2 whip makers, and 2 making or dealing in agricultural implements.

Sub-order 12 (Ships and Boats) had 188 persons, all males. There were 136 persons engaged in the ship-building trade, and 3 as ship-riggers ; 3 were ship-chandlers ; 18 boatbuilders ; and 25 sailmakers.

Sub-order 13 deals with Houses and Buildings. In this division there were 1892 persons. Of these the majority—957—were carpenters and joiners ; painters, paperhangers, plumbers, and glaziers numbered 243 ; reasons, paviors, 201 ; bricklayers, 148 ; plasterers, 107 ; builders, 111 ; house proprietors, 86 (of whom 41 were females) ; architects, 12 ; slaters, shinglers, and tilers, 10 ; house agents, rent collectors, and factors, 5.

Under Sub-order 14 (Furniture) there were 187 furniture makers, cabinet-makers, or upholsterers (4 being women) ; 16 furniture brokers and dealers, (3 women) ; 1 picture-frame maker ; 2 carvers and gilders ; 2 mattress makers.

Under sub-order 15 (Chemicals), there were only 6 persons, all being dyers or scourers, of whom 2 were females.

Order 9 includes all persons occupied about Textile Fabrics in Dress and Fibrous materials. In sub-order 1 there were 390. The great majority (297, 59 being females), were engaged in the soft goods trade ; 8 were woolstaplers ; 14 (4 females) in the manufacture of woollen stuffs ; and 5 (2 females) of cotton or flax.

Sub-order 2 (Dress) had a large number of persons—2941.—1393 being males, and 1548 females. The bootmaking trade occupied 1114 persons ; making and millinery, 918 ; tailoring, 311 ; washing, mangling, &c., found employment for 329 persons (one a man) ; and 38 women returned themselves as gaining their living by the use of the sewing machine. One man also appears under this head. There were 37 hairdressers ; 17 males and 16 females were employed in the manufacture of hats, caps, &c. ; and 12 males and 7 females were furriers. A few persons were returned under other heads.

Under Sub-order 3 (Fibrous Materials) there were only 4 persons—males—these being makers of or dealers in rope or cord.

Order 10 consists of persons occupied about food and drinks.

Sub-order 1 (Animal Food). Here the great majority were butchers and assistants, of whom there were 419, 12 being females. The cowkeepers, dairymen and women, and milk sellers (21 females), were 83 ; provision curers and dealers, and meat-preservers, 47 (7 females) ; poulterers, game dealers, 6 (3 females) ; persons curing and dealing in fish, 28.

Sub-order 2 (Vegetable Food). In this division there were 695 persons—87 being females ; 11 dealing in breadstuffs ; 120 working flour-mills ; 298 engaged in baking ; 65 as confectioners and pastry cooks ; 71 as greengrocers and fruiterers ; 6 as seed merchants, Sixteen persons were returned as jam-makers, employing 61 males and 25 females ; one as a manufacturer of outmeal, 20 as produce merchants, and 1 as engineer at a flour-mill.

Sub-order 3 (Drinks and Stimulants) comprised 355 persons—46 being females. The greater number (210) were in the grocery business—43 being females. Brewers were returned as 50 ; maltsters as 14 ; wine and spirit merchants as 18 ; manufacturers of aerated drinks and cordials as 43 ; tobaccouists, 17. One female was returned as a maker of cigarettes ; and 2 males as opium sellers.

Order 11 consists of persons employed about Animal and Vegetable Substances, of whom there were 1550, only 20 being females.

Sub-order 1 (Animal Matters) had 274 persons—8 being females. The leather trade employed 188 persons. There were 17 soap-boilers ; 12 tallow-chandlers and melters ; 6

engaged in the sale or manufacture of manures ; 3 (females) in dressing or mining feathers, gloves, &c. ; 10 persons (2 females) in the manufacture of brushes and hair brooms ; opossum skin rug makers, 2 ; house hair curier, 1. Under this head also were 2 whalers, and 2 scalers ; and 3 were in the wool-broking business.

Sub-order 2 (Vegetable Matters) included 1276 persons, of whom only 12 were females. At the head stand fencers, splitters, &c., of whom there were 459, 4 being females. Saw mills employed 401 ; 181 were returned as sellers or choppers of firewood ; 29 as timber merchants or dealers ; 12 as turners ; 49 as coopers ; 25 as basket-makers ; 17 as hay and straw dealers ; 18 as engaged in the stationery business ; 2 females as gatherers of or dealers in rags, or waste paper ; 1 was a maker of bandboxes ; 30 were dealers in or procuring or converting bark ; 3 were gatherers of blue-gum seed ; 12 were box or case makers (for the jam and fruit trade) ; 10 were broom-makers ; 1 was a maker of clothes pegs, and 1 of clothes props ; 4 were ringers and sappers of trees ; and 4 were laborers in wood-yards.

Order 12 enumerates the persons working or dealing in minerals ; and in view of the important part which mining now takes in the industrial progress of the Colony, it is one of the most interesting divisions of the occupation tables. The whole number of persons under this order was 4864. (of whom 5 only were females) ; the males being in the proportion of 12½ per cent. of the whole male population of 15 and upwards.

The number of persons engaged in mining, which is shown in Sub-order 1, is set down as 3090. Of these 1415 were connected with gold mining, and 1435 with tin mining, 2 with copper, and 84 were coal miners.

There were 154 other persons, whose occupations were imperfectly described, such as prospectors, engine-drivers, mining engineers and managers ; so that the numbers here shown as connected with the several kinds of mining must be regarded as only approximate.

Sub-order 2, shows the number of persons dealing in, or otherwise concerned with coal or similar products, those engaged in mining for coal being enumerated under the preceding sub-order. The dealers in coal and coke were 11 ; 12 persons were employed in burning or selling charcoal ; and 24 were returned as connected with gas-works. Under this head werer placed the chimney-sweepers, of whom there were 12, 2 being females.

The workers and dealers in stone, clay, earthenware, and glass, as shown by Sub-order 3, were 751—only one being a female.

Among them were owners and workers of quarries, 54 ; stone-cutters and dressers (as distinguished from masons, who are ranged under the head of " Houses and Buildings,") 12 ; lime-barners, &c., 11 ; brickmakers and dealers, 132 ; makers of and dealers in pottery, 16; in china and earthenware, 3 ; road or railway contractors, 33 ; road surveyors or inspectors (not Government) 11) ; labourers on roads or railways, 435 ; stone-carters, 39. Four were returned as engaged in quarrying slate.

Sub-order 4 (Occupations connected with Water) had only 15 persons, of whom 3 were well-sinkers, the others being employed about waterworks, or in carrying water. Many of the old inhabitants of the chief towns will remember the time when the " Water-cart" (a large barrel fixed longitudinally upon the frame-work of a cart), was the only means of distributing water to the citizens, and when it was bought and sold like any ordinary commodity. In some of the country places this useful class still exists.

Sub-order 5, consisting of workers or dealers in gold, silver, and precious stones, is a small one. In it are found 20 gold or silversmiths and jewellers ; 1 Ispidary ; 1 assayer ; and 1 plater.

Sub-order 6 (persons concerned with metals other than gold and silver) is a numerous one, consisting of 922 individuals,of whom 2 were females. There were 122 workers and dealers in tin ; iron-founders, &c., 26 ; brass-founders, &c , 13 ; blacksmiths, 638 ; dealers in ironmongery and hardware, 77 ; locksmiths, bell-hangers, 5 ; gas-fitters, 10 ; tin smelters, 19 ; boiler makers, 4 ; metal-roller, 1 ; needle-maker, 1 ; wireworkers, 2. In one or two instances the former trades, rather than the then present occupations, seem to have been returned ; but the cases in which the case thing has occurred do not seem to be numerous, and in these few cases the persons had passed the age of active employment.

We now come to class VI., described as " Indefinite and non-productive," in which there were 5038 males, and 626 females, or 5664 persons, being in the proportion of 4.940 per cent. of the total population. [Indefinite and non-productive.]

Order 13 comprises laborers and others whose occupations are not specifically described.

The only persons placed in Sub-order 1 are laborers, of whom therer were 3970—2 being women.

Sub-order 2 enumerates " Other indefinite occupations." Under this head there were 514 persons—445 males, and 69 females. The number is for the most part made up of engineers, engine-drivers, stokers, and firemen (160), passengers on board vessels, and travellers (224), shopmen and women (47), and watchmen (11).

Under Order 14 are classed " persons of property or rank, not returned under any office or occupation. " This order has no sub-orders. It includes annuitants and pensioners of countries other than Tasmania, of whom there were 98—42 males and 56 females ; 218 males and 214 females of independent means ; 9 persons who returned themselves as " gentleman " or " lady, " according to sex ; and 20 other " of property or rank. "

Order 15 consists of those who had no specific occupation, but were supported by the community. Among these were 26 Tasmanian pensioners ; 276 (142 males, 134 females) maintained in charitable institutions ; 78 in industrial schools, 29 being males, and 49 females. In regard to the inmates of charitable institutions and hospitals, it should be observed that the number stated under this head was only a portion of the persons maintained in them, the others being classified according to their occupations, where these were specified. This was done in accordance with the system in use in Victoria in 1871, but when the instructions to tabulators for the last Census of that Colony were received, it was found that a change had been made in this respect, and that such persons were directed to be placed under the "Indefinite and non-productive " class; and this course, (which was an improvement upon the former practice), was benceforth followed by our tabulators. There is an obvious inconvenience in admitting two systems ; but the difference was not observed until the tabulation had been completed, and it was too late to make any alteration unless at considerable expense and with much trouble.

Sixteen persons are returned as " dependent upon relatives; " but these can be but a very small portion of those who were really so circumstanced ; although, of course, the great majority of such dependents would be tabulated as engaged in " domestic duties, " or the like.

Sub-order 2 includes none but criminals. The remarks made above as to the classification of the inmates of charitable institutions and hospitals apply equally to criminals in gaols, all of whom were distributed among the general community. The only persons who appear under this head are therefore 71male prisoner lunatics ; 3 women in " refuge " for females ; and 31 professed prostitutes. The number of criminals in the gaols on the day of the Census was 320, the males being 242, and the females 79. Including the 71 lunatics just mentioned, the total number of criminals under confinement on the day of the Census appears to have been 391, the males being 313.

Sub-order 3 consists solely of those whose occupations were not stated. Of these there were 983, of whom 679 were males, and 304 females. One thousand six hundred and fifty-two persons—1241 males, and 411 females—were returned as unemployed, being in the proportion of 1.43 per cent. of the whole population. Of these persons the ordinary occupations, where stated, are shown in a separate table. In the case of 679 males and 304 females, the occupations were not returned. Of the specified occupations the great majority were as follows:—Law, 5 ; scholastic, 8 ; domestic and other servants, 7 ; clerks and accountants, 16 ; seamen, 30 ; connected with farming, 107 ; with sheep, 5 ; with printing, 8 ; with building, 32 ; with gardening, 9 ; boot and shoe makers, 12 ; buthcers, 10 ; miners (gold, tin, and coal), 26 ; blacksmiths, 5 ; laborers, 189. There were 679 unemployed males, no occupation returned.

The majority of the females out of employment were there :—Scholastic, 4 ; domestic servants, 93 ; dressmakers and seamstresses, 4. There were 304 females unemployed whose occupations were not stated.

Having now attempted to give a brief summary of the occupations tables, it seems necessary to offer a few remarks of a more general nature in regard to them. [General observations as to occupations.]

No part of the Census is more difficult than the classification of the occupations. This is especially the case in small communities where one person often follows several different callings, and where it is to some extent a matter of choice and almost of chance under which of them be return himself. A blacksmith, for instance, may be also an agricultural implement maker, a wheelwright, and a farrier ; and while be may describe himself under the first of these titles, others similarly circumstanced may prefer the second or third. In most cases the tabulators are compelled to take the designations as they stand, and thus the numbers under some heads may be deficient, while those under others will be to the same extent redundant.

Another difficulty lies in the inexactitude of the persons furnishing the schedules, and in the want of special trainining in the collectors and tabulators. A Census comes only once in every ten years. Many of the persons engaged on it are necessarily changed every time ; they have no opportunity of thoroughly mastering every detail ; and even if they should have done so, and be again employed, much of the facility thus acquired will disappear before it is again called into exercise. In the present case there were other difficulties. Parliament did not rise till the November preceding the enumeration, and my time being fully occupied in attendance upon the Council, nothing could be done while it continued sitting. It was not until the early part of December that active preparations could be made for the work by drawing out forms, and settling the details of a new system, and it was not until much latter that the forms for tabulating the occupations could be obtained. Had there been ample time to master all the details, and to give more precise instructions to the collectors and tabulators, some anomalies might have been avoided. When another Census is taken it will be much easier for those who may be engaged on it, having the forms and experience of the previous one before them, to carry out the same system.

While, however, there are some imperfections in the present classification of occupations, I believe that a large amount of valuable information, which has never before been accessible, has been procured, and that the way has been prepared for obtaining still more exact results in the future.

GENERAL REMARKS.

The Census was taken, in accordance with the Act, by Electoral Districts of the House of Assembly, of which there are thirty-two. These 32 districts were divided into 257 sub-districts. As a rule one collector was appointed to each sub-district, but in some cases it was found necessary to employ assistance, and in other cases one collector took two sub-districts ; the whole number of collectors and assistants being 258. The number of schedules supplied was 31,655, of which 23,956 were filled, the inhabited dwellings being 21,858. The number of persons to a schedule filled was therefore 4.82, or nearly 5 ; that of Schedules filled to a dwelling, 1.10

It may be well to state that a good part of the tabulation was performed under some disadvantages. At first, by the kind permission of the President and Speaker of the Houses of Parliament, the work of the Census was carried on in the Parliamentary buildings, and I was able to exercise a constant personal supervision over it ; but shortly before the commencement of the Session it was necessary to remove it to a less convement situation, where it continued to be carried on during the Session and for some time afterwards, until all the heaviest part of the compilation was done. Add to this that during the Session my Parliamentary duties prevented me from giving the attention to the details of the tabulation which I should have wished to bestow upon them ; and I was consequently obliged in a great measure to depend upon the gentleman who was entrusted with the overnight of the work—Mr. A. Spurling—whose zealous co-operation in carrying out my places and great industry I desire to acknowledge. Without the aid of an efficient helper, who would take more than a mere perfunetory interest in the work, it would have been impossible, under the circumstances, to perform it with any satisfaction. As it is, however, I feel justisfied in entertaining the hope that this Census of Tasmania may compare not altogether unfavourably with those of the larger Colonies, and be found to be more in accordance with the principles of Statistics as they are now understood, than any that has preceded it.

The cost of the Census of 1881, including estimated amount still required to complete it, was £3015. The following statement shows the expenditure under different heads, as compared with that of the Censuses of 1870 and 1861 :— [Cost of Censuses.]

It will be seen that the actual cost of collection was £13 16s. 6d. less than in 1870. The item " Remuneration to Enumerators" appears for the first time in 1881, the Enumerators having previously been required to do their work gratuitously. No expense was incurred on this account for Hobart or Queenborough, the duty of Enumerator for those districts having been performed by the Superintendent free of charge. The rate per head of population for collection only was in 1861, 384d. ; in 1870, 4.30d. ; and 1881, 3.93d., or, leaving out remuneration to Enumerators, only 3.65d.—less than in either of the other years.

Tabulation and general expenses cost £181 5s. 2d. in 1861, £292 10s. 9d. in 1870, and £1119 6s. 0d. (estimated) in 1881, the rates per head being respectively 0.483d., 0.587d., and 2.32d.

The whole expenditure per head was therefore 4.32d. in 1861, 4.88d. in 1870, and 6.23d. in 1881.

It may be interesting and useful to note the cost per head of taking the Census in some other countries in order to compare it with our own.

In Victoria the cost of enumeration only was in 1857, 8.90d. ; in 1861, 6.62d ; and in 1871, 3.76d. per head.

In New Zealand, the expenditure for both enumeration and tabulation was in 1871, 9d. ; in 1874, nearly 7d. ; and in 1878, 5¾d. per head.

The cost of the Census in Tasmania in 1861 exceeded the amount voted by 62.04 per cent., and in 1881, notwithstanding that the work of tabulation was so much more extensive and elaborate, and the expense on that account so much greater, by only 20.60 per cent. No special provision was made by Parliament for defraying the cost of the Census of 1870.

The proportions borne by the cost of collection and tabulation (including superintendence and general expenses) respectively, to the total expenditure, for the three years mentioned above is shown below :—

From the figures above given we deduce, among others, the following facts :—

1.

That while the population between 1861 and 1881 increased by 28.59 per cent., the cost of collecting the Schedules of the latter year increased by only 22.61 per cent. ; and that, proportiomately to the population, it was much less in 1881 than in 1861, or in 1870.

2.

That while the actual increase in the population in 1881 as compared with the number in 1870, was 16.49 per cent., there was not only no increase, but an actualdecrease, on the cost of collection.

3.

That the excess on the amount voted by Parliament is less for 1881 than for 1861 ; and this, notwithstanding that the absolute cost of tabulation, superintendence, &c., was about seven times as great.

4.

That the expense of collection (omitting gratuities to Enumerators) was less by 19d., or nearly ¼d. per head, than in 1870.

The rate of remuneration paid to the Collectors was 10s. per diem while acting on foot, and 20s. per diem when a horse was necessary. In a few instances, where special circumstances existed, 15s. per diem was paid to foot and 30s. to mounted Collectors, where two horses had to be employed. [Renumeration to Collectors.]

The Collectors received on an average, in Hobart and Launceston, (all on foot) £3 13s. 3½d. each, and in the country districts, (most of them mounted) £7 5s. 1d.

In Victoria, in 1871, the foot collectors averaged £2 14s. 9d., and the mounted £8 15s. 1¼d. each.

I have already acknowledged my obligations to the Statisticians of some of the other Colonies for the assistance received from them. I have now the pleasure of making a similar acknowledgement in regard to the Wardens of Municipalities, and other gentlemen who acted as Enumerators. It would be invidious to mention any one in particular, but in the districts where the population had most increased and was most unsettled, and where the nature of the country was most difficult, the duties of the Enumerators were especially troublesome and laborious, and I was much indebted to these gentlemen for the interest which they took in the work.

The Electoral Districts, according to which the Census was taken, sometimes consisted of two, or parts of two, Municipal Districts. In these cases the Wardens of the larger districts were appointed Enumerators, and since there was only one Enumerator to each Electorate, the smaller districts had, for Census purposes, to be made subordinate to the larger. The necessity of the arrangement was pointed out to the Wardens of those smaller districts, and their co-operation was asked ; and it affords me much satisfaction to be able to state that in every instance it was cheerfully accorded.

I also beg to express my obligations to the Government Printer and his staff for their zealous co-operation in regard to the lypography. The resources of that office have been severly taxed by the large amount of extra work thus thrown upon it, and that at a time when the demands in other quarters were unusually great.

With regard to this Report it is very possible that some defects of arrangement and execution may be discovered in it ; and I would therefore desire to explain that it was written under many disadvantages, such as continual interruptions and the distractions of other duties, both of which are unfavourable to community of thought. Another disadvantage was that, for obvious reasons, the figures were taken from the tables in manuscript before they were sent to press. Those who have had any experience in such work will readily understand how much easier it is to take in the whole significance, and to trace out the various relations of figures, and also to compare one place with another, in order to correct or reconcile discrepancies, when we have the whole matter in good clear type before us, than when we have to deal with each portion separately, and the eye has to range over large sheets of manuscript.

Had the tables been printed before this Report was written, and had there been sufficient leisure to analyse them more closely, many other interesting facts might doubtless have been brought to light, but I venture to hope that such information as it has been found possible to clicit from them under the circumstances, will not only be of much interest, but will also observe many purpose of practical utility.

I have the honor to be,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

E. C. NOWELL,Superintendent of the Census.

TASMANIA, CENSUS, 1881., POPULATION, BUILDINGS, AND LAND.

Date of Enumeration, April 3, 1881.

TASMANIA:

WILLIAM THOMAS STRUTT, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, HOBART.

1882.

PART II. TASMANIA, CENSUS, 1881.

AGES OF THE PEOPLE.

Date of Enumeration, April 3, 1881.

NOTE.—The periods between the Censuses above referred to were taken to be as follows :—7 April, 1861, to 7 Feb. 1870 as 8.625 years ; 7 Feb. 1870 to 3 April, 1861 as 11.15 years.

This table is to be read thus :—In every 100 of the population in 1861 under one year, 51.72 persons were males and 48.28 were females : or, to avoid decimals, in every 10,000 persons in that year 5172 were males and 4326 females.

This table is to be read thus :—In 1861, out of 100 males at all ages, 3.25 (or, to avoid decimals, out of 10,000 males, 325) were under 1 year, and out of 100 females 2.72 were of the cesus age ; the proportion of males to females being as 3.25 to 3.73, showing in excess of females at that age at the rate of 9.43 is every 100.

This table is to be read thus :—To every 100 males at all ages in 1861 there were 81.43 females, and to every 100 males under one year, 93.36 females : or, to avoid decimals, to every 10,000 males at all ages there were 8143 females, and to every 10,000 males under one year, 9336 females.

NOTE.—The Mean Age at the Censuses portions to 1881 cannot be ascertained.