RETURN OF REFUGEES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 85, 11 April 1931, Page 12

RETURN OF REFUGEES.

REFLECTION ON SCHOOLS. INCREASE IN ROLL NUMBERS. .. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") NAPIER, this day. A rise of over 300, in the total number of primary school pupils, which has been recorded in the past ten days, illustrates the effect of the announcement tliatj citizens who had been living" as refugees since the earthquake would not be entitled to any privileges, including free transport, if they failed to return to Napier within a week. There are now some 1300 children attending the three primary schools in the city, against 970 during the middle of last week. The roll of primary school pupils in Napier, before the earthquake, was about 2130.

> POPULATION INCREASES.

NEGLECT TO REGISTER. (From Our Own Correspondent.) NAPIER, Friday. Residents of Napier who have registered on their return to the town increased the total number registered from 7765, as at March 30 last, to 7922 up to April 2, when the registration office closed down for the Easter vacation. Of the increase of 157, 149 are previous residents of Napier, whilo eight ar6 newcomers. A registration official states that the present population of Napier is probably in the vicinity of 10,000. There were, he said, a very large number of people in Napier who had not registered, and, indeed, who apparently did not intend to do so, so that thfe total number registered (792£) could not be taken as a fair indication of the population.