NEW ZEALAND CENSUS RESULTS
AS AT 03 APRIL 1881

Unfortunately the New Zealand Census returns were not kept. However there are other resources available for this time period such as Wises Postal Directories, Electoral Rolls, Cemetery records, School rolls, Return of the Freeholders, Sheep Returns and the like. The percentages are my addition. From the AJHR Vol II 1881 Part 2.

Note (from the AJHR) :- The populations of the counties and boroughs if added together will not make up the total population of the colony. The persons on shipboard, and the population of certain islands which do not belong to counties or boroughs, represent the difference.

* BAY OF PLENTY TIMES, VOLUME X, ISSUE 1039, 12 MAY 1881

The Census returns published a few days ago will serve to give the public some idea of the substantial progress that is being made by this part of the East Coast. During the time that has elapsed since the Census was taken in 1878, the population of the Tauranga District has increased by upwards of 1200 persons, (71 per cent.) a rate of increase which, as far as the returns yet published show, exceeds that of any other part of the Colony, being more than double that of the Auckland electorate during the same time. It also exceeds that shown for the City of Auckland itself where the population increased from 13,758 in 1878, to 17,730 in 1881 or a rate of increase only about one-half of that shown by the East Coast.
It augurs well for the future prosperity of Tauranga District that with all the discouragements, Government neglect and various other drawbacks, it has had to contend with, its population should have increased in proportion to the numbers more than double as quickly as that of the City of Auckland, notwithstanding assisted emigration, and the inducements that exist to attract population to that port.
Then again, as compared with the neighbouring county of the Thames, the returns for Tauranga present a marked contrast. While the population of the Thames Borough has decreased by 640 persons, the population of every part of the East Coast shows substantial growth.
While this has been the case with every part of the district, the increase in the town and suburbs of Tauranga is the most remarkable. In 1878 the population of Tauranga amounted to 797 for the town and 309 for the country district, and in 1881 it had mounted up to 1,258 for the town, and 406 for the country, being an increase for the town and surrounding country of 558.
During the same period the population of Katikati increased from 268 in 1878 to 505 in 1881, Te Puna from 66 to 99, Maketu from 48 to 154, including 91 persons in the special settlement of Te Puke; Rotorua, from 104 to 192, including 127 who reside in Ohinemutu; Waioeka, from 243 to 279, town of Opotiki from 391 to 441, and Waikana from 50 to 55.
Turning to another part of the figures we find that the prosperity of the people has fully kept pace with and even exceeded the increase of population. During the three years 112 dwelling houses have been erected in the Tauranga town and country district, of which 92 are in the town and 20 in the country. In Katikati upwards of 60 new dwelling houses have been erected in the same period, and in Waioeka and the town of Opotiki 26. The total number of dwellings in the electorate are Tauranga County, 575 (of which 557 are inhabited, and 11 in course of erection), against 373 in 1878; Whakatane County 233, (including 211 inhabited, and 4 in course of erection), against 191 in 1878. Those figures are highly satisfactory and afford much reason for encouragement.

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