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Name: Census of the Colony of Queensland, 1861
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1861.
QUEENSLAND.
C E N S U S
OF T H E
COLONY
OF
QUEENSLAND,
TAKEN
7h
ON T H E
A P R I L , 1861,
UNDER T H E
A C T O P C O U N C I L , 24° V I C T O R I A , N o . 5.
Presented to both Houses of the Legislature,
by Command.
Brisbane:
BY AUTHORITY:
F R O M T. P . P U G H ' S
PRINTING
1861.
OFFICE, GEORGE
STREET.
Extract
from
re
"Courier"
of
Census R e t u r n s , P o l i c e
of
North B r i s b a n e
1856.
District
Brisbane.
No.of Families
Division
7th A p r i l ,
Males
Females
Persons.
370
1017
1080
2097
228
440
508
948
51
162
107
269
52
147
133
200
23
107
69
176
165
521
405
926
122
310
295
605
41
153
66
219
17
120
63
193
6
58
12
60
1075
3035
Eastern S u b - D i v n .
of
N.
Brisbane
Western
Parish
Sub-Divn.
of
Toombul
Kedron B r o o k , P i n e
& Caboolture Rivers
S. Brisbane & New S o u t h
Wales
Suburbs
Kangaroo P t . , B u l i m b a
ft C l e v e l a n d
Rivers A l b e r t ,
& Tweed
Logan
W o o g a r o o, W o l s t o n &
Yeerongpilly
Moreton I s . &
Shipping
Total
The w h o l e p o p u l a t i o n
10,296 s o u l s ;
it
of
thus
i n excess of
2738
the N o r t h e r n D i s t r i c t s
appears
is
525
half
of
the N o r t h e r n D i s t r i c t s w i l l
that
5773
i n 1851
exhibited
the B r i s b a n e D i s t r i c t
t h a t number.
now be
No d o u b t
25,000
the
souls.
alone
population
CENSUS-1861.
R E P O R T
TO T H E
HONORABLE ROBERT GEORGE W Y N D H A M H E R B E R T , ESQ.,
C O L O N I A L S E C R E T A R Y , & c , &c. & c .
Registrar- General's Office,
Brisbane, 22nd August, 1861.
SIR,
I n obedience to an A c t of the Parliament of Queensland, " 24thcensusA c t .
" V i c t o r i a , N o . 5," a Census of the Population of this Colony was t a k e n
on the night of the 7th A p r i l l a s t ; its results, prefaced by a few introductory remarks connected w i t h its collection and subsequent tabulation,
together w i t h a brief analysis of some few of the more important statistical
data i t has supplied, I have now the honor to forward to you.
I . The whole responsibility of preparing, p r i n t i n g , and issuing the
forms and preliminary instructions for enumerators and collectors; of the
subsequent receipt and examination of the Schedules ; of the compilation,
tabulation, and of the ultimate publication of a correct C e n s u s ; was, by
the above A c t of Parliament, imposed on me.
Responsibility,
I I . I t was not u n t i l the 2nd of M a y , that is, twenty-four days after
the Census had been collected, and, of course, long after a l l preliminary
arrangements had been made, that I obtained any clerical a s s i s t a n c e — M r .
W a l t e r M c C l i n t o c k , who had been appointed to superintend the tabulation,
aided by one clerk, commenced his work on that day ; the further assistance
of a second clerk was obtained about the 16th of the same month.
By
the end of J u n e this portion of the work was completed, and the clerks'
services were dispensed w i t h ; M r . M c C l i n t o c k , of whose assiduity and
practical knowledge of the subject I beg to speak i n the highest terms,
occupied himself for about three weeks longer, i n the preparation of the
Census tables, to which this Report forms the preface.
Amount of Clerical
A s s i s t a n c e
-
Iv.
REPORT—CENSUS,
1861.
D i v i s i o n of the
Colony into E n u merators' Districts.
I I I . The Colony was, " for the purposes of the above A c t of
" P a r l i a m e n t , " divided into seventeen Enumerators' D i s t r i c t s , coinciding
w i t h the Police or Commissioners' D i s t r i c t s . These divisions were selected
as being those whose boundaries are best known and defined, but even they
proved to be i n many instances very vague, and i t was occasionally necessary
that an arbitrary line of division between conterminous districts should be
predetermined on by the Enumerators.
A correct definition of the
boundaries of the various divisions of the Colony is much required. '
L i s t of Enumerators
and Collectors.
IV-. The following is a list of the Enumerators' Districts ; of the
Enumerators appointed by Government; and of the number of Collectors
appointed by the Enumerators to each d i s t r i c t : —
DISTRICTS.
Brisbane, " T o w n "
Brisbane, " Police District "
Ipswich
,,
„
Drayton
„
„
Warwick
„
„
Dalby
„
„
Condamine
„
„
...,
Callandoon
„
„
Taroom
,,
,,
Gayndah
„
„
Nanango
,,
,,
Maryborough „
„
Gladstone
„
„
R o c k h a m p t o n ,,
,,
Maranoa, " Commissioner's D i s t r i c t "
Upper Leichhardt'
„
,,
Kennedy
„
„
ENUMERATORS.
N o . of
Collectors.
John Petrie, Esq., Mayor
...
W . A . Brown, Esq., P . M . . .
C. G . G r a y , E s q . , P . M
A . D . Broughton, Esq., P . M .
A . E . Halloran, Esq., P . M . . . .
F . S. B o w e r m a n , E s q . , C . P . S
R . Fotheringham, E s q . , C . P . S .
A . Lumsdaine, Esq., C . P . S . . .
W . Yaldwyn, Esq.,J.P
M . Airey, Esq., C.P.S
W . Miller, Esq., C.P.S
J . Kent, Esq., P . M
L . Young, Esq., C.P.S
J . Jardine, Esq., P . M
P . M c A r t h u r , E s q . , C . C . L . ...
W . H . Wiseman, Esq., C . C . L .
G. E . Dalrymple, E s q , C.C.L.
Collection of
A g r i c u l t u r a l and
L i v e Stock Returns.
V . I n addition to the Census returns, the Collectors were required
to obtain at the same time Returns of the Lands under Cultivation, and of
the Numbers of L i v e Stock ; and forms were supplied to them for that
purpose from this office.
Difficulties in the
way of Collectors.
VI.
Several circumstances combined to make the performance of
their duties i n many instances most arduous, and even dangerous, to the
Collectors.
The weather was unpropitious—torrents of rain, falling for
w eeks before and after the 8th A p r i l , had broken up the roads, carried
away bridges, and so seriously interfered w i t h the internal communication,
that even on those lines designated the main roads, the mails were interrupted for many days together.
I f this was the case on roads to some
extent marked and formed, how much greater must the difficulty and
danger have been when i t became necessary to leave them, and when the
collector had nothing beyond his own knowledge of the country to guide h i m
for long distances, through a bush intersected by dangerous swamps or
deep and treacherous creeks ? U n d e r these circumstances, i t w i l l excite no
surprise that some delay arose i n forwarding the returns to this office.
r
General Correctness
of Returns and
willingness to afford
Information.
Information refused
by-only one Person.
VII.
Notwithstanding the above difficulties, I have every reason
to believe that the collectors have done their work well and correctly, and
a highly creditable amount of intelligence has been shown i n the filling up
of the Schedules. Only one person i n the whole colony refused to supply
the required information ; but as i t happens that he is registered i n this
office as a M i n i s t e r of R e l i g i o n , qualified to celebrate marriages, the
information he refused to give was easily supplied, and I did not t h i n k i t
was necessary or expedient to gratify his desire for notoriety, and to raise
h i m to the rank of a martyr, by enforcing payment of the legal penalties
to which he had rendered himself liable. I t certainly does excite some
surprise that a M i n i s t e r of Religion should have been so silly.
REPORT—CENSUS,
1861.
v.
VIII.
I n the Census of the Colony of N e w South Wales, taken
in" the year 1856, the portion of that Colony which now forms Queensland,
was divided into ten districts, consisting of the Police D i s t r i c t s of—
Division of Colony
in the last Census.
Brisbane,
Ipswich,
Drayton,
Warwick,
Dalby,
Cfayndah,
Maryborough,
Surat,
Commissioners' D i s t r i c t s of Leichhardt,
„
„
P o r t Curtis.
IX.
So many alterations have taken place, since the above year,
in the names, number, and boundaries of the Police and Commissioners'
Districts, as to render any comparisons, other than those affecting the total
population, or the population of some of the principal towns, and a very
few of the districts, useless from uncertainty, and I have not therefore
attempted i t to any extent.
Difficulties in the
way of Comparison.
X . The following are the Census Tables I have thought i t sufficient
to publish : —
1 Sex and A g e ,
2 Education,
3 Native Country,
4 Social and Domestic Condition,
5 Religion,
6 Occupations ;
L i s t of Census
Tables.
consisting altogether of 14 sheets. I have, however, i n further elucidation
of the subjects to which they relate, prepared and attached as an A p p e n d i x
to this Report, the following Tables, which I t h i n k may prove both useful
and interesting.
L i s t of Tables i n
the A p p e n d i x to
Eeport.
(List of Tables in
Appendix.)
A
Showing the Number of Electors on the R o l l at the last
General E l e c t i o n i n 1860, and the Number of A d u l t Males
i n each Electorate i n A p r i l 1861.
B
A n E x t r a c t from the New South Wales Census of 1856,
showing the Population of this Territory at that period, the
Proportion of the Sexes, at eight different ages, and the
Numbers i n each Police or Commissioner's D i s t r i c t .
C
A Compilation from the Education Tables of the N e w South
Wales Census of 1856, showing the state of Education i n
this Territory at that period.
D
A n Abstract, showing the number of Males and Females,
distinguishing the R u r a l D i s t r i c t s from the Towns.
E
A Synopsis of the Tables of Sex and A g e .
F
A
Synopsis of the Tables of Education, showing its present
state i n the U r b a n portions of the Colony.
G
A
Synopsis of the Table of Education, showing its present
state i n the R u r a l portions of the Colony.
H
A Synopsis of the Tables of Nationality.
vi.
REPORT—CENSUS,
I
1861.
A Synopsis of the Tables showing the Social and Domestic
Condition, and the Number and Description of Houses.
K
A Synopsis of the Tables of R e l i g i o n .
L
A Synopsis of the Tables of Occupations.
These are, I t h i n k , a l l that are necessary to form the foundation of almost
any variety of calculations or comparisons that may hereafter be required.
Importance of
Present Census.
XI.
This Census is, for several reasons, of more than usual
interest. I t is the first that has been taken, on the same day, throughout
almost the whole of the B r i t i s h Colonial Dominions, and Great B r i t a i n
itself; i t has not only been taken simultaneously throughout the A u s t r a l i a n
Colonies, excepting, however, N e w Zealand, but i t has also been collected
and tabulated by means of the same forms. I t is, moreover, to the
inhabitants of this Colony of unusually great importance, as the first
Census of Queensland, and as being therefore the foundation for a l l future;
statistical calculations.
Alteration in
Division of
Population into
Ages.
XII.
The only material alteration I have made i n the Tabulation
Tables, employed i n New South Wales on the occasion of the last Census,
is, that I have adopted the plan pursued i n Great B r i t a i n , of dividing the
ages into quinquennial periods, instead of following the New South Wales
system of division into periods of 4, 7, 14, 21, 45, & c , years. This
alteration is, I t h i n k , advantageous i n many ways ; and the principal
objection that might be raised to i t , v i z . , that i t impedes comparisons w i t h
former N e w South Wales Tables, is of little weight, for, as I have already
explained, the means of comparison are greatly interfered with by the
alterations made i n the Enumerators' Districts.
F o l l o w i n g then the
system pursued i n the U n i t e d K i n g d o m , I have divided the age of man
into eighteen periods—the first including a l l under one year of age, the
last a l l above eighty, the intermediate ages being divided into quinquennial periods.
Principal Results of
the Census.
Rate of Increase.
Analysis of Increase.
XIII.
The first and the grand result of this Census is to inform
us that the population of Queensland on the night of the 7th A p r i l , 1861,
was i n number 30,059—consisting of 18,121 males and 11,938 females;
and that as the population i n 1856 numbered only 16,907, i t has increased
in five years by the addition of 13,152 souls, or at the rate of 77'79 per
cent. A t this rate of increase i t would double itself every seven years.
This, however, cannot be expected to continue; i t may and probably will
do so for a short time, but as population increases, the percentage of
increase w i l l diminish, unless some unforeseen circumstance, such as the
discovery of a paying gold-field, should occur. A t present the arrival of a
single emigrant-ship causes an appreciable rise i n the percentage.
To
compare this rapid progress, arising; principally from immigration, w i t h
the slow increase of old and already densely populated countries, who, far
from receiving any accession to their numbers by immigration, are counteracting the natural increase of their population by annually sending out
thousands of emigrants, could answer no good purpose.
XIV.
I f we analyse the sources of this increase to our population,
we find, by the Registration Returns, that 3133 persons have been, during
the last five years, added to i t by the natural excess of births over deaths,
thus accounting for an increase of 18"53 per cent.; the remaining increase
of 10,019, or 59 26 per cent., is therefore the result of immigration, intercolonial, as well as European.
A n approximate statement of the
results of the present Census i n E n g l a n d and Wales gives the
population at 20,205,504; being an increase i n ten years of 2,134,116, or
11 "81 per cent.
-
R E P O R T — C E N S U S , 1861.
vii.
XV.
The average annual proportion of deaths to births for four
years, ending 31st December, 1860, " t h e Queensland records go back no
" f u r t h e r , " is 36*80 deaths to 100 b i r t h s ; the average i n E n g l a n d and
Wales for ten years, ending 31st December, 1850, " and I have access to
" no more recent records," was 68*63 deaths to 100 b i r t h s .
According
therefore to this calculation, the excess of births over deaths is nearly
twice as great i n Queensland as i n Great B r i t a i n , and as the centesimal
proportion of births to the whole population is also greater i n the former
than i n the latter, being as 4*26 per cent, to about 3*37, i t follows that
the population of Queensland is from this one cause alone increasing
centesimally more than twice as fast as i n E n g l a n d and Wales. T h i s is
probably accounted for by the larger proportion of the population, who are
adults. The number of children born, compared w i t h the amount of the
female population between the ages of fifteen and forty-five years, is as
follows :—5788 was the number of the latter on the 7 t h A p r i l , 1861,
deducting from this 250 as the approximate number of adult females who
arrived between that day and the preceding 1st J a n u a r y , i t leaves 5538
as their approximate number on 31st December, 1860 ; the " R e g i s t r y "
for that year gives the number of births at 1236—therefore, 22*32 children
were given birth to, i n the year 1860, by every 100 females between the
ages of fifteen and forty-five. I n the south-eastern division of E n g l a n d ,
comprising Surrey, K e n t , Sussex, H a n t s , and B e r k s , 17*25 children were
born, i n 1851, to every 100 women between the ages of 20 and 45 ; i f we
compare the same ages here, we find the proportion to be 25*85 births to
every 100 women of the above ages. T h i s is only what m i g h t be expected
from the far larger centesimal proportion of married women i n this colony,
and from the abundant supply of a l l the necessaries, a n d even of the
l u x u r i e s , of life.
XVI.
I have already pointed out that the excess of Immigration
over E m i g r a t i o n increased our population d u r i n g the five years preceding
this Census by the addition to i t of 1 0 , 0 1 9 ; of these, 4902 arrived as
immigrants from Europe, and the remainder, 5117, have been received
from the other A u s t r a l i a n colonies—principally from N e w South Wales.
XVII.
The first great division that has been made of the
population, and which is continued throughout a l l the Tables, is into
Town and Country Inhabitants, the number and the increase of each class,
numerical and centesimal, since the last Census, is as follows : —
Town population
Country ditto
I n 1856.
In 1861.
Numerical
Increase.
Increase
per C e n t .
8427
8480
15,348
14,711
6921
6231
82*13
73-48
Excess of B i r t h s
over Deaths, compared with that of
Great B r i t a i n .
Number of Births
compared with
A d u l t Female
Population.
Increase by
Immigration.
D i v i s i o n of P o p u lation into T o w n
and Country
Residents.
Increase of T o w n
and C o u n t r y
Population
Compared.
There is nothing requiring; comment i n this Table, the town population has
increased faster than the country.
XVIII.
The increase of the two largest towns—Brisbane and
I p s w i c h — i s as follows : —
Brisbane
Ipswich
1856.
1861.
Numerical
Increase.
4395
2459
6051
3601
1656
1142
Increase of Rrisbane
and Ipswich
Compared.
Centesimal
Increase.
37-68
46-44
XIX.
The centesimal increase that has taken place i n some of the
towns of the interior is far greater. Thus the town of D r a y t o n , which i n
Increase of C o u n t r y
Towns.
viii.
REPORT—CENSUS,
1861.
1856 contained 263 inhabitants, now contains 320, and a separate town,
" Toowoomba," unrecognized i n the year 1856, has arisen w i t h i n four
miles of i t , containing 1183 i n h a b i t a n t s ; the town of W a r w i c k , which
contained 472 inhabitants, now contains 1180 ; and R o c k h a m p t o n , an
entirely new town, has sprung up w i t h a population of 698, as the principal
town of a new district, almost without white inhabitants i n 1856.
Police Districts of
Brisbane and
Ipswich Compared.
XX.
F o r reasons I have already given, satisfactory comparisons
can be i n s t i t u t e d but i n very few instances between the population of the
Country D i s t r i c t s i n 1856 and 1861. I n the two Police D i s t r i c t s of
Brisbane and Ipswich, where this comparison can be made, i t stands as
follows : —
R u r a l P o r t i o n of P o l i c e D i s t r i c t s "
of B r i s b a n e
R u r a l P o r t i o n of P o l i c e D i s t r i c t s
Year 1856.
Year 1861.
Numerical
Increase.
1449
2754
1305
2099
2888
789
Centesimal
Increase.
90 06
37'59
F r o m these two last Tables i t appears that, while the town of Ipswich has
increased centesimally more rapidly than Brisbane, the Country D i s t r i c t
of the latter has far outstripped the former.
D i v i s i o n of the
Population into
Sexes.
Disproportion of the
Sexes.
XXI.
The second great division which has been made of the
population, and which is also carried through a l l the Census Tables, is the
separation of i t into sexes.
I t would require far greater space than the
usual l i m i t of a Report of this nature affords, to enable me to enter fully
into a l l the numerous interesting calculations that suggest themselves
under this head.
XXII.
A s a general rule, i t may be safely laid down that a great
disproportion of the sexes is a great evil, particularly where the population
is dense and collected i n large masses; i t however admits of some question
whether this assertion is not weakened, and the evils considerably modified,
by the peculiarly isolated condition of most of the inhabitants of the
country portion of this Colony. I t i s , however, an e x i s t i n g e v i l , and one
which I hope and believe every succeeding year w i l l tend to cure.
XXIII.
Males.
I n the Census of 1 8 5 6 the N u m b e r of each S e x i n t h e )
w h o l e C o l o n y was
j
I n t h i s Census the N u m b e r is
(Vide
Proportion of the
Sexes i n the whole
Colony.
P r o p o r t i o n of the
Sexes in the R u r a l
portions of the
Colony.
Proportion of the
Sexes in the U r b a n
portions of the
Colony.
Females.
10,379
6528
18,121
11,938
A p p e n d i x B . and D . )
The proportion of females has, therefore, increased 3 per cent.
I n the
former year there were 62*89 females to 100 m a l e s — i n the latter year
there are 65*88 females to 100 m a l e s ; and i f we deduct 537 Chinese men
and 1 Chinese woman, the proportion is s t i l l better, being 67*89 females
to 100 males. The R u r a l Population naturally shows the greatest disproportion, v i z . , 4882 females to 9829 males, or only 49*67 females to 100
m a l e s ; i n the U r b a n Population i t is more even, being 7056 females to
8292 males, or at the rate of 85*09 females to 100 males. I f we further
analyse these Tables, we find that i n harmony w i t h a recognized law of
nature, more males than females are born ; and that, as a consequence,
there are more males than females below the age of one year i n the whole
R E P O R T — C E N S U S ,
1861.
ix.
Colony, i n the proportion of 652 to 637, or 97*69 females to 100 males,
but we also find that, from one year old up to 15, the females are i n the
preponderance, and that even up to 20 years old there is only a small
decimal difference. ( Vide A p p e n d i x E . ) I n populous countries the number
of females continues to be i n excess of the males through a l l the remaining
years of l i f e ; but i n this country, from this point, every succeeding
quinquennial period shows a larger proportion of males to females.
With
this fact then before our eyes, i t seems certain that i f an equal number of
the sexes be henceforth introduced by immigration, the disproportion w h i c h
now exists w i l l , from the greater number of females who survive the first
year of infancy, soon disappear. The following Table w i l l help to illustrate
the above statements : —
T A B L E OF P R O P O R T I O N OF F E M A L E S TO M A L E S I N T H E W H O L E P O P U L A T I O N .
Under
„
•
1 y e a r of age there are 9 7 - 6 9 females to 1 0 0 r
5 years „
101*14
„
y
yy
10
102-50
yy
y
15
100-97
99-59
20
yy
25
89-76
y)
>>
I!
it
81-53
30
yy
^
75-70
35
yy
yy
»
})
40
72-79
yy
70-08
45
68-39
50
yy
yy
67 07
55
it
I}
>!
»
60
6 6 50
yy
6611
65
yy
66-03
70
66-02
75
„
yy
65-99
80
yy
65.97
80
1}
53
P r o p o r t i o n of the
Sexes below 1 year
of age.
Proportion of the
Sexes for remaining
Periods of L i f e .
Table of Proportion
of Sexes at Quin •
quennial Periods.
t )
>>
>)
) )
i)
)t
n
Over
„
„
A n d the addition of 4 8 males and 1 4 females, of unspecified ages, brings
the proportion of the whole population, as already stated, to 6 5 * 8 8 females
to each 1 0 0 males.
XXIV.
I n the following Table the relative proportion of the
sexes i n town and country are compared, and i t w i l l be seen that the
years of infancy being passed, up to the age of 3 0 , the females i n the
towns are i n the preponderance, but that i n the country this ceases to be
the case, before the age of fifteen : —
Table of the relative
Proportion of the
Sexes i n T o w n and
Country.
T A B L E OF C O M P A R A T I V E N U M B E R S OF M A L E S A N D F E M A L E S I N T O W N
AND COUNTRY.
Towns.
Under
1 year of age there are
5 years
!>
yy
10
15
yy
yy
ft
20
yy
yy
,,
yy
25
yy
yy
,y
30
y
35
40
y>
jj
)>
45
>>
yy
yy
50
55
yy
yy
yy
60
yy
yy
yy
65
yy
yy
}>
70
<>
!!
75
yy
>>
>?
yy
80
Above 80
>>
>>
y
97-14
y8-80
100-99
101-87
107 24
106-29
100-49
95-08
92 00
89-15
87-64
86.38
85-92
85-58
85-40
85-32
85-27
85-21
Country.
98-50
104-39
104-64
99-74
90-37
73-34
64 08
58-45
55-94
53-53
51-96
50 7 2
50-14
49-86
49-72
49-75
49-73
49-74
females to each 1 0 0 males.
">',',
yy
it
yy
»
yy
^
if
if
^
"yy
yy
; )
yy
X X V . W h i l s t m a k i n g the above calculations, intended to refer
more particularly to the proportion of the sexes, I have found i t impossible
to avoid introducing the next most important classification of the population,
D i v i s i o n of the
Population into
Ages.
x.
REPORT—CENSUS,
1861.
that i s , into ages, the two naturally combine to form one Table (No. 1) of
sex and age.
Remarks on the
value of obtaining
the Age- of the
People.
XXVI.
I t is only of recent years, and since the study of statistics
has been elevated into the rank of a science, that i t has been sought to
collect the information required to compile a Table of A g e s .
I t was done
in E n g l a n d for the first time i n the Census of 1851 ; and the example was
followed i n N e w South Wales i n the Census of 1856. The door has thus
been thrown open to many interesting and valuable statistical calculations.
F o r instance, few subjects of inquiry can be of greater moment to a comm u n i t y than the proportion that the strong and able-bodied bear to the
infant or aged part of the population ; i t is i n other words, an i n q u i r y into
the present productive power of the country, the source whence i t is to be
recruited, the prospects that exist of that power being maintained,
increased, or diminished, and the numbers who, having exhausted their
productive powers, require i n their turn to be supported by the exertions
of their younger fellow-countrymen.
T h e Productive
Powers of the
Population inquired
into.
XXVII.
The following calculations on this subject are based upon
the assumed fact that a l l under ten years of age, or above seventy, are nonproducers.
I n this I have followed the data used i n E n g l a n d , believing i t
to be as correct a line as can be drawn ; no doubt some are so precocious
and others are so strong as to anticipate or exceed the intermediate years
of labour, but they are not, I t h i n k , so numerous as materially to affect
the calculation, especially as they may be considered as balanced by those
who, from mental imbecility or bodily weakness, are prevented from ever
becoming contributors to the commonwealth.
I n Queensland, i n 1861,
there a r e —
0
Number of N o n Producers i n
Queensland.
U n d e r 10 years of age, 8677 or 28-86 of the whole population.
Over 70
„
72 or
-24 of
Total
8749 or 29-10 of the whole population who
are non-producers.
N u m b e r of N o n Producers in N e w
South Wales.
I n N e w South W a l e s i n 1856 there w e r e —
U n d e r 10
Over 60
74,384 or 27-94 of the whole population
7,088 or 2-66 of
„
„
Total
81,472 or 30-60
of
Number of N o n Producers in Great
Britain.
A n d i n Great B r i t a i n the Census of 1851 showed 57 per cent, to be nonproducers.
Centesimal
Number of
Non-Producers
in
Great
Britain and Queens
land compared.
XXVIII.
I t appears by the above that, compared w i t h Great B r i t a i n
i n 1851, Queensland, i n 1861, contains a far larger centesimal proportion of
inhabitants between the ages of 10 and 70, the proportion being such that
i n Queensland 71 producers have to maintain and educate only 29 nonproducers, but that i n E n g l a n d 43 producers have to maintain 57
non-producers; i n N e w South Wales, i n 1856, and Queensland, i n 1861,
the proportions are about the same.
The burden thus cast on the
producers of Queensland is so much less than is the case i n E n g l a n d , that
from this cause alone they "i.e., the producers," are " w i t h the same
" proportional amount of earnings," actually twice as rich as the corresponding section of the community i n E n g l a n d . T h i s , however, is far from
being an unqualified advantage, and is not l i k e l y to continue long. I n
N e w South Wales i t w i l l most l i k e l y be found to have diminished, and
would probably have ceased to be the case ere this, except for the numerous
adult population which has poured into that colony since the gold discovery.
The natural source from whence our future producers are to spring, " i.e.,
" the c h i l d r e n , " is below its proper relative proportion, and therefore the
numbers who become superannuated cannot have their places fully supplied