7,000,000 IN 1933.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 161, 9 July 1926, Page 5

7,000,000 IN 1933.

AUSTRALIA'S POPULATION.

INCREASING AT GREAT RATE

Commenting on the fact that Australia had passed the six million mark in population, the Commonwealthh Statistician (Mr C. H. Wickens) said that he expected the population of Australia, if the present rate of increase was maintained, to grow as follows: — mooo.ono lf); >l 20,000,000 IN R 6 40.00n.000 "021 80,000,000 -056 Mr. Wickens said that the present rate of increase was 2 per cent a year. If this rate was maintained the population would roach 7,000.000 towards the end of 1933. At the present rate of increase, about eight years is required for the population to° increase by 1,000,000, but since the increase is based on the principle of compound interest, this interval is shortened in proportion as the population grows. Quick-growing Countries. Mr. Wickens said that the prevalent opinion that Australia's population was growing slowly was not borne out by the facts. On the contrary, the rate of increase was, in company with Canada and New Zealand, the greatest in the world. During the ten years 1911-1921 the rates of increase were as follow:— Australia 20 per 1000 Canada 20 per 1000 New Zealand -0 per 1000 U.S.A 14 per 1000 Japan f> per 1000 Sweden 7 per 1000 England and Wales 4 per 1000 Scotland 3 per 1000 Ireland 2 per 1000 Similar results were obtained over a more extended period. During the 40 years, 1881-1921, the rate of increase was: — New Zealand 23 per 1000 Australia 22 per 1000 America 19 per 1000 Canada 18 per 1000 Japan 11 per 1000