115 



To malce the returns as complete as possible, I have con- 

 structed a table (L) showing the percentage of the population 

 at certain ages in Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, 

 South Australia, Queensland, England and Wales, and 

 Scotland. This table should be read in connection with some 

 of the other comparative tables. From it we find that at the 

 age 0-1, the proportion was smallest in Tasmania (2'91), — 

 largest in Queensland (3-86). It was larger in Scotland than 

 in England, and in the four mainland colonies than in 

 Scotland. At 1-2, Scotland had the smallest proportion 

 (2-60), Tasmania next (2-64), then England (271), then the 

 continental colonies. At 2-3, 3-4, and 4-5, Scotland had more 

 than England, the Colonies more than the former. In 

 the Tasmanian census those ages were not given separately. 

 At 0-5 England had the fewest children ; Scotland came next ; 

 then Tasmania ; then the other members of the group. At 

 5-10, England had the fewest ; then came Scotland, Queens- 

 land, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia. 

 Children of all ages up to 10 wei'c least numerous in England, 

 then in ascending order came Scotland, Tasmania, Queensland, 

 New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia. At all other 

 ages, the order was — South Australia, Victoria, New South 

 Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, Scotland, England. In these 

 persons of GO and upwards are shown separately ; the propor- 

 tionsbeing as follows: — Queensland, l'6o; Victoria,2'75; South 

 Australia, 3*48; New South Wales, 3'97 ; Tasmania, 6'64 ; 

 England and Wales, 7-44; Scotland, Sll. In the Colonies 

 the preponderance of old people is therefore in Tasmania ; but 

 still the proportion is less than in England or Scotland. The 

 figures relating to England and Wales in this table are taken 

 from the census of 1861, that for 1871 in its complete state 

 not having reached me. There may have been some variations 

 in the proportions during the ten years, but probably not to 

 any considerable extent. 



A large number of visitors resort to this colony every 

 summer to recruit their health, allured partly by the coolness 

 of its temperature, partly by the beauty of the scenery, and 

 partly, also, by the reputation for salubrity which Tasmania 

 has justly acquired. To preserve the latter is, therefore, a 

 matter not raei'ely of sentiment, in order to gratify our national 

 pride, but of material importance, affecting our pockets ; and 

 I shall be glad if the facts which are here presented shall 

 contribute in any degree to the adoption of efficient means of 

 removing all those causes of disease which are under our 

 control. 



I am sorry that I have not been able to include New 

 Zealand in these tables. Having the smallest general deatii 



