80.8 p.c. Of N.Z. Homes Have Refrigerators

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30215, 21 August 1963, Page 10

80.8 p.c. Of N.Z. Homes Have Refrigerators

Figures compiled by the Department of Statistics show that 80.8 per cent of New Zealand homes had refrigerators, and 78.2 per cent of homes had washing machines, at the time of the 1961 census. At the last census, in 1956, more households owned washing machines (57.4 per cent) than refrigerators (54.3 per cent). It is noticeable, however, that in all southern statistical areas, except Marlborough, there are more washing machines than refrigerators; this trend applies also to the urban areas of Christchurch, Timaru, Dunedin, and Invercargill. The urban areas of Taurainga, Napier. Auckland, Whangarei, Hastings, and Hamilton contest the lead as the areas with the highest

percentage of houses having refrigerators. The leading contenders in ownership of washing machines are Whangarei, Hamilton, Tauranga, Hutt, New Plymouth, Invercargill, and Napier. Of the 18 urban areas im New Zealand, Christchurch ranks fifteenth in the number of homes with refrigerators, and thirteenth for washing machines. Central Auckland, at 88.8 per cent, has the highest percentage of refrigerators. Otago is lowest with 63.4 per cent. Taranaki, with 83.1 per cent of households (67.5 per cent in 1956) and Southland with 82.6 (63.5 per cent in 1956) maintained their positions as the statistical areas with the highest percentage of households possessing washing machines.