95, including 4 Maori members, elected by the natives. The control of native affairs, and the entire responsibility of dealing with questions of native Government were transferred in 1863 from the Imperial to the Colonial Government. In 1864, the seat of the general Government was removed from Auckland to Wellington, on account of the central position of the latter city. Statistics The population of New Zealand on the 30th June, 1885, was estimated at 572,132, excluding the Maoris, who numbered 44,097 at the census taken in 1881. recent years. chiefly from Australia, as well as a field for the labours of the Missionary Societies. In 1840, the native chiefs ceded the sovereignty of New Zealand to the British Crown by the Treaty of Waitangi, and the islands were erected into a British colony. The aborigines, called Maoris, are a remarkable people-a branch of the Polynesian race. According to their own traditions, their forefathers came about 600 years, or twenty generations ago, from Hawaiki, which was probably Hawaii in the Sandwich Islands, or Savaii, in the Navigator, or Samoa, group. They are divided into about twenty different clans, analogous to those of the Highlands of Scotland. There have been two Maori wars; the first lasted from 1845 until 1848; the second lasted from 1860, with little intermission, The revenue, the trade, and the other elements of until 1870. But fully half the clans have always material prosperity have increased largely during been friendly to the English; and many of them Thus the revenue was in 1861, have fought on the side of the Colonial Govern- 691,4647., and in the year ending 31st December, ment against their own countrymen. Permanent 1881, the total ordinary and territorial revenue was tranquillity appears to have been established in 1871 throughout the country. as follows:-Ordinary revenue, 3,280.1157.; terriAn agitation amongst certain tribes in 1881, which threatened torial, 427,3731.; total 3,707,4887. The population of the chief towns on the 3rd of April, 1881, was for a time to create a disturbance, was promptly as follows:-Wellington (the seat of the general quelled by the Colonial Government. estimated in April, 1881, that the Maoris (including suburbs, 42,794); Auckland, 16,664 (or, includIt was Government), 20,563; Dunedin, 24,372 (or, including half-castes) amounted to 44,097, all of whom ing suburbs, 30,952); Christchurch, 15,213 (or, dwell in the North Island, with the exception of including suburbs, 30,715); Nelson, 6,764. All the 2,496 scattered over the other islands. productions of the temperate climates of Europe and Asia can be cultivated with great success in New Zealand. There are extensive coal mines and from the colony up to 31st December, 1884, was rich gold fields. The gold entered for exportation valued at 49,457,4951.; and the annual production is now about one million sterling. The wool exported in 1884 amounted to 81,139,028 lbs., valued at 3,267,5271. In 1855 it amounted to 1,772,344 lbs., valued at 93,104/. The live stock in New Zealand in 1884 was:-Horses, 162,000 for 99,859 in 1874; cattle, 700,000; sheep. Constitution. A constitutional form of Government was esta blished in New Zealand by the Imperial Statute 15 and 16 Vic., cap. 72, passed in 1852. By that Act, the Colony was divided into six provinces, since increased to nine-viz., Auckland, Taranaki, Wellington, Nelson, Canterbury, Otago, Hawke's Bay, Westland, and Marlborough-each governed by a Superintendent and Provincial Council, elected by the inhabitants under a franchise which practically amounts to household suffrage. By an Act of the General Assembly,39 Vic., No. XXI., passed in 1875, the provincial system of Government was abolished. The powers previously exercised by superintendents and provincial officers are now exercised by the Governor or by local boards. The Act provided that the abolition of the provinces should not have any operation until the day after the conclusion of the then next session of the Assembly, excepting that in the meantime Provincial Councils should not hold any meeting. Before the next Session there was a general election, and the first Session of the new Parliament ended on the 31st of October, 1876. Nothing was done during the Session to repeal the Abolition Act, and the provinces, therefore, ceased to exist the day after the Session concluded. The provincial system being abolished provision was made for the division of the country into Counties, and the necessary machinery for their self-government was provided. A Central Legislature, called the General Assembly, was also established by the Imperial Statute of 1852, and consists of the Governor, of a Legislative Council, and of a House of RepreBentatives. The Governor is assisted by an Executive Council, composed of the Responsible Ministers of the Colony for the time being, according to the usual practice of Parliamentary Government. The Legislative Councillors are appointed by the Governor, and hold their seats for life. The Members of the House of Representatives are chosen by Electors possessing a liberal franchise. Every elector is qualified to become a Member. The House of Representatives now consists of 14,056,266 for 11,704,853 in 1874. The number of 1,291,565, exclusive of land laid down in grasses, acres under cultivation in February, 1885, was the extent of which was 5,258,834 acres. worked remarkably well. The last quinquennial The system of Government Life Insurance has examination was made in 1881, by eminent actuaries resident in England, and their report was highly satisfactory, showing that a large amount was available as a bonus to the insurers. Public Works Policy. In 1870, the Immigration and Public Works Act and cognate Acts were passed, and the policy contained in them may be shortly described as follows: The colony was to incur a liability, spread over 2. Main railways throughout each island. 4. The purchase of native land in the North 5. The supply of water on gold-fields. The administration of these services was vested in the General Government, and the responsibility, subject to some exceptions in which its action depended on the previous concurrence of provincial authorities devolved on the General Government. These exceptions have been abolished by subsequent legislation. Since 1870, and up to the 30th of June, 1885, the Agent-General for New Zealand has despatched to the colony 111,948 souls. Since its organization, the Public Works Department has constructed in the North and South Islands dray and horse roads to the extent of some thousands of miles, at a cost of 1,648,535., including several hundred bridges, opening up nearly all parts of both islands for settlement, and a further amount of 399,5957. has been expended by the Lands and Mines Departments on roads to open up Crown lands and gold fields, making a total expenditure on roads of 2,048,1307. It may here be remarked, that before the creation of the Public Works Department of the General Government, many thousands of miles of good and substantial roads had been constructed by the various Provincial Governments throughout the colony; and that since the Provinces have been abolished a very great deal of similar work has been carried out by the various County Councils and Road Boards in addition to what has been done by the General Government. The construction of railways is still being proceeded with. On the 31st March, 1885, there were open for traffic throughout the Colony 1,477 miles of Government railways. There was a balance of profit on their working during the twelve months ending the 31st March, 1885, of 355,6867.; while the total expenditure on construction of the railways open for traffic to the same date had been 11,810,1947., thus showing a profit of 31. 03. 3d. per cent. on the whole outlay. The length of railway opened for traffic is increasing at the rate of about 80 miles per annum. The railway system of the colony is indicated in the accompanying map of the islands. Maps herewith. Tariff. The Customs Tariff, regulated by the Customs Consolidation Act, 1882, is as follows: Import Duties. Boots and shoes-continued. Girls', Nos. 7 to 9, per dozen pairs Children's, Nos. 0 to 6, and slippers, per dozen pairs Women's lasting and stuff boots, without military heels, per dozen pairs Goloshes of all kinds, per dozen pairs Slippers, without military heels, other than childrens Candied peel, the lb. Candles, tallow, the lb. Candles, other than tallow, the lb. Caps, percussion, the thousand Cards, playing, the pack Cement, the barrel Chalk, the cwt. Chicory, the lb. Chocolate, the lb. Doors, glazed with ornamental glass, each Fish, dried, pickled, or salted, the cwt. Fish, potted and preserved, the lb. or reputed package of that weight, and so in proportion for packages of greater or less reputed weight Fruits, bottled, the dozen Fruits, dried, the lb. Glass, crown, sheet, and common window, the 100 ft. sup. Glucose, the lb. Leviable under the Customs Duties Consolidation Hops, the lb. Acid, tartaric, the lb.. Grain and pulse of every kind not otherwise enumerated, the 1001b. Grain and pulse of every kind not otherwise enumerated, when ground or in any way manufactured, the 100 lb. Hams, the lb. 09 10 0 2 06 1 0 4 0 20 1 0 20 5 0 26 Iron, fencing wire, staples, and standards, straining posts and apparatus, the cwt. Iron gates and gate-posts, the cwt. Iron, galvanized, corrugated sheets, ridging, guttering, spouting, washers, screws, and nails, the cwt. Iron galvanized tiles and rivets, the cwt. Iron nails, the cwt. Iron tanks of and under 200 gallons, each Jams, jellies, marmalade, and preserves, the lb. or reputed package of that weight, and so in proportion for packages of greater or less reputed weight. Lead piping, the cwt. Act, 1882. s. d. 0 1 Ale, porter, beer of all sorts, cider and perry, in bottle, the gallon, or for six reputed quart bottles or twelve reputed pint bottles, the gallon. 1 6 Ale porter, beer of all sorts, cider and perry, in bulk, the gallon. 1 3 Iron tanks, each Almonds, in the shell, the lb. 0 2 0 14 Leather, sole, the lb. Bitters, the gallon Leather, other kinds, the lb. Blue, the lb. 0 1 Liqueurs, the gallon 14 Boiled sugars, comfits, lozenges, Scotch mixtures, and sugarcandy, the lb. Maize, the 100 lb. 09 0 2 Maizena, the 100 lb. 1 0 Boots and shoes Men's, No. 6 and upwards, per dozen pairs Youths', Nos. 1 to 5, per dozen pairs 10 Boys', Nos. 10 to 13, per dozen pairs Women's, No. 3 and upwards, per dozen pairs Malt, the bushel 0 12 206 6 8 0 Girls', Nos. 10 to 2, per dozen pairs. Varnish, the gallon Whiting, the cwt. Wine, sparkling, the gall. Wine, Australian, containing less than Woolpacks, the dozen Woolpacks of the kind known as "wool- 8. d. Zinc tiles, ridging, guttering, piping, and 1 0 Solid wort, the lb. Spices: cassia, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mace, nutmegs, mixed and ground spices, the lb. Spirits or strong waters, not being sweetened or mixed with any article so that the degree of strength thereof cannot be ascertained by Sykes's Hydrometer, for every gallon of the strength of proof by such hydrometer, and so in proportion for any greater or less strength than the strength of proof, and for any greater or less quantity than a gallon. 14 6 Spirits or strong waters mixed with any so that the degree of strength cannot be Starch, the cwt. Stearine, the lb. Sugar, the lb. Sulphur, the cwt. Tea, the lb. Timber, sawn, rough, the 100 ft. sup. Timber, posts, the 100 Timber, rails, the 100 Tobacco, the lb. Tobacco unmanufactured, entered to be manufactured in the colony, at the time 6 4300102422∞∞ 10040000000 20 The following articles are subject to an ad valorem duty of 15 per cent. : Account books, apothecaries' wares, bagging and bags, apparel and ready-made clothing, and all articles made up wholly or in part of silk, cotton, linen, or wool, or of other or of mixed 0 0 materials, baking powder, blacking, black lead, blankets, blind cord and tape, bonnets, boot and shoe vamps and uppers, brass manufactures, not otherwise enumerated, brooms, brushware, not otherwise enumerated, buckets of wood or iron, cabinetware, capers, caps (apparel), carpet bags, carpets, carraway seeds, carriages, carts, drays and wagons, carriage and cart wheels, catsup, chinaware, chutney, clocks, coffee (essence of), 6 collars and cuffs of paper or other materials, combs, confectionery, not otherwise enumerated, copper manufactures, not otherwise enumerated, 2 0 8 0 |