108 Statistics of Va/i Diemens Land. 



Tables 11 to 15 form a series of returns from the General 

 Eegistry of the Births and Deaths in 1848 ; but their vakio 

 is somewhat lessened by the apparent neglect of the District 

 of Great Swauport to contribute its quota of information. 

 Of the Births, the males are 858, and the females 705, 

 making a total of 1653, — being 1 in 42 upon the Census. 

 Of the Deaths amongst the free, there are registered 463 

 males, or 1 in 64, and 310 females, or 1 in 59, — in all 

 773, or 1 in 56 of the whole; affording a favourable 

 average in comparison with older countries. The deaths of 

 Convicts are recorded in the Comptroller- General's Depart- 

 ment ; but it is understood that these amount in number to 

 only 244, or 1 in 99, for the same period. This small rate 

 of mortality amongst prisoners is doubtless ascribable to the 

 fact, that the Convict class is composed almost exclusively 

 of persons in the prime of life. 



Tables 1 6 and 1 7 are returns of the Places of Public 

 Worship existing in Van Diemen"s Land in 1848. By 

 No. 16 it appears that there Avere 53 Churches and Chapels 

 of the Church of England, having 13,200 sittings ; the 

 average attendance rather exceeding one-third of the whole 

 accommodation possessed. The pew-rents for the year are 

 stated at £797 13.9. Id. ; and the offertory fund to amount 

 to d6759 bs. 5d. The cost to the Colony for the same 

 period is s£9301 12.?. 7d., and to the British Treasury 

 £5086, or in the respective proportions of 64.^ per cent, 

 and S6^ per cent, of the total expense, — showing a remark- 

 able coincidence with the relative number of the free and 

 bond constituting the population. 



No. 17 is a similar return for the other Churches and 

 religious bodies, presenting a total of 57 places of public 

 worship, having 12,675 sittings, with an average attendance 

 .of 8670 ; the expense to the Colony being £4806 14.s\ Od. 

 The Church of Eome, in addition, is a charge of £2056 



