Statistics of Van Diemens Land. 107 



the " always free," the probability is that theirs were mostly 

 trips of business or pleasure, being so evenly balanced by 

 the arrivals of the same class, and therefore occasioning no 

 actual diminution in the number of " the free." The influx 

 of Convicts, more than one- third of whom were females, 

 was only 2 per cent, upon the whole population. 



Table 9 is a comprehensive return of the Convict popula- 

 tion. The number in the Colony on 31st December, 1848, 

 was 25,459 ; of whom 40 per cent, held tickets-of-leave, 

 48 per cent, v/ere pass-holders, and 12 per cent, were under 

 probation or sentence. Of the whole number, again, 84 

 per cent, were males, and 16 per cent, females; and the 

 proportion of deaths reported during the year was less than 

 1 per cent. Of the ticket-of-leave holders, the females 

 comprise 11|- per cent. ; of the pass-holders, 18 per cent. ; 

 and of those under probation or sentence, also 18 per cent. 

 The number of both sexes who emerged into freedom 

 during the year by the expiration of their sentences was 

 12 per cent. ; of those who received pardons 5 per cent.; 

 and of those to whom tickets-of-leave were granted, 14 per 

 cent. The proportion of Convicts in the population, as 

 before stated, is 345- per cent. 



Table 10 is a return of the Marriages registered in the 

 several districts in 1848 ; the total number being 799. 

 Of these 72 per cent, were by the Church of England, 

 8 per cent, by the Church of Scotland, 1 1 per cent, by the 

 Church of Kome, 2 per cent, each by the Wesley ans and 

 Independents, and 4 per cent, by the Baptists. One 

 Marriage only was performed by the Deputy Kegistrar. Of 

 these marriages, \ per cent, of the males and 1 9 per cent, of 

 the females were under age ; 6 per cent, of the males and 

 10 per cent, of the females had been previously married ; 

 and the large proportion of 24f per cent, of males and 

 88 per cent, females were unable to write their names. 



