Population rise slight

Press, 6 August 1981, Page 11

Population rise slight

PA Wellington Of the 13 non-administra-tive statistical areas, which together cover the whole of New Zealand, Northland with 6.7 per cent, shows the greatest percentage increase in population since the previous Census in 1976.

South Auckland - Bay of Plenty statistical area and Central Auckland statistical area follow with 3.8 per cent and 3.5 per cent population growth respectively. These three northern areas have increased by 53,400 people since 1976. while the remainder of the country has declined by 15.400, says the Department of Statistics. Within South Auckland -

Bay of Plenty, there are diverse movements and, of the over-all increase of 18,000, the Bay of Plenty subarea has increased by 12.700 or 7.6 per cent, a greater increase than Northland. Smaller increases have

been recorded in the other sub-areas of Waikato -

Northern King Country (2900), Thames Valley - Piako (1500) and Taumarunui - Taupo (900). Central Auckland has become a net migration loss area, as the 28,300 population gain is lower than the 35,000 gain from births less death in the area.

For the first time, the Wellington statistical area

(-1.2 per cent) and Canterbury statistical area (-1.1 per cent) each register a percentage loss of population over the 1976-81 period.

Despite the over-all decrease of 7100 in Wellington, there are some growth regions.

Manawatu sub-area increased by 2900 and Horowhenua - Kapiti by 1000, but these were offset by the substantial loss of 8200 in combined Wellington - Porirua - Hutt Valley and decreases of 1600 -arid 1200 respectively . in , the Wairarapa and Wanganui - Rangitikei sub-areas.

In Canterbury, the northern counties increased (included are 1385 Army personnel on exercise) but Christchurch and district, and Ashburton - South Canterbury, decreased by 4300 and 2700 respectively. While the New Zealand population as a whole shows only a small increase of 1.2 per cent, the North Island population has increased by 2.1 per cent and the South Island, for the first time, has registered an absolute loss of population of -1.0 per cent. Only the statistical areas of Marlborough (2.8 per cent) and Nelson (1.9 per cent) in the South Island, have shown a population increase since the 1976 Census.