Page:Picturesque Dunedin.djvu/83

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HISTORICAL.
73

of Caversham, 4,448; South Dunedin, 3,902; Roslyn, 3,609; Mornington, 3,334; North East Valley, 3,221; Maori Hill, 1,388; West Harbour, 1,295; St. Kilda, 1,078; Ship board, 93; the gross population amounted to 45,611; Auckland with its suburbs alone, among the towns of the colony, exceeding this number with a total population of 46,654. The population for subsequent years cannot be given with anything like accuracy, the excess of births and arrivals over deaths and departures being the only basis on which to estimate. There can be no doubt in any unbiassed mind but that the population generally has been reduced during the past two years.

The vital statistics for Dunedin are:—

Births. Marriages. Deaths.
1886 1589 354 621
1887 1497 391 582
1888 1430 383 600
7 months, 1889 794 240 345

The declared value of imports and exports, and the revenue collected at Custom House for Otago during

1886 Imports 1,875,396 Exports 1,737,899
1887 {{{1}}} 1,721,840 {{{1}}} 1,901,661
1888 {{{1}}} 1,706,295 {{{1}}} 1,792,984

The values are not correctly stated in the Customs returns, as the last port of departure and possibly first of arrival gets credit for the whole value of the cargo, although the largest part properly belongs to other ports. The direct steamers are the cause of this discrepancy, of which the frozen meat trade returns afford a striking instance.

The Customs revenue collected at Dunedin for—

1886 was £319,499
1887 {{{1}}} £309,584
1888 {{{1}}} £350,913

The quantity and value of gold exported from Dunedin from 1861 to 1888 is 4,656,126 oz., value £18,374,522.

The latest development of progress, and one which deserves special attention, is the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition. Twenty-four years have passed since the first Exhibition was held in Dunedin on the lines of the Great World's Fair at London in 1862. A satisfactory result ensued from the attempt.