The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News. FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 1875

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1625, 30 April 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News.

FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 1875

For the cause that lacks _i_.3__.fc'.r.m, For the wrong: tiial needs reni_f.ki_i_.co, ?»r tha fttture in tlie distance. And the toed that we ecu do.

We recently directed attention to the gross and palpable unfairness with which tbe Central Government at Wellington has treated this province in respect of the settlement of population uuder the working of the Immigration and Public Works policy. We then based our deductions on the census returns of the night of the first of March, 1874. We have since received a return which has just been issued by the Registrar General, being an estimate made of the population of the colony on the 31st of December, 1874, and it makes the relative position of our province even worse than before. We giye herewith the two returns : — March 1. Dec. 31. Increase Auckland........ 67.451 ... 73,362 .. 5,911 Taranaki 5,465 .. 6,373 .. 908 Wellington 29,790 .. 35,607 .. 6 817 Hawkelßay 9.228 .. 11,122 .. 1,894 Marlborough 6,145 .. 6.533 .. 388 Nelson 22,558 .. 23,971 .. 1,413 Westland :. 14,860 .. 15,377 .. 517 Canterbury 68,775 .. 71,316 .. 12,541 Otaeo 85,113 .. 98,067 .. 12,954 Chatham* 129 .. 132 •• » Total 299,514 341,160 42,343 From this it will be seen that the rapidity with which Auckland is dropping to the rear under the benign influence of Mr Vbgel's policy during the first three years of its operation, is accelerating with time. During the last ten months pf 1874, while the population of Otago has increased over 15 per cent., that of Wellington 19J per cent., and that of Canterbury no less than 21 per cent, the population of Auckland province has increased only 8£ per cent. And this is the administration for which we of Auckland should raise our eyas, to Heaven lin pious gratitude ! It signifies not what may havo been the special causea cbntribu- '

ting to this—there we have the result. It may be Southern lands are more available' for occupation, but the General Government has locked our landsf and thwarted settlement. It may be that —as where the carcase is, thither will the eagles be gathered together —where the money is beau* spent, population will flow. Or it may be that the direct influence used on the destination of intending immigrants, coupled with those other advantages for fixing them [on arrival, may have done it; but there it is, and let Auckland ponder it well. Well, indeed, may the Canterbury Times, in jubilantly referring to th:s relative increase of its province say :—" This is clearly attributable to the success of the Public Works and Immigration policy, and is a sufficient reply to all that dismay croakers have said about inpending ruin." It may well indeed stop the windpipes of Canterbury croakers, if such things there be, but Aucklanders will be pardoned if they dismally croak a little longer at the results of the policy moulded and administered by the hand of the honorable member for Auckland City East. Nor will the spirits of the people of Auckland—not even of the blind worshippers of Mr Vogel and Dr Pollen—be soothed by such words as these, which are the comment of the Canterbury Times on the foregoing return :—"The foregoing figures demonstrate the fact that Canterbury is rapidly overhauling Auckland; and if we mistake not, it will stand second on the list of provinces as regards population at the close of 1575."