The Dominion MONDAY, JUNE 21, 1926. OUR INCREASING POPULATION

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 237, 21 June 1926, Page 6

The Dominion MONDAY, JUNE 21, 1926. OUR INCREASING POPULATION

Anticipations based on the incomplete census retains are in great part borne out now that the preliminary count has been completed. In particular, it is shown that the gain in population has been much greater, absolutely and relatively, in the North Island than in the-South. The total gain of population for the whole Dominion during the past five years is substantial. An increase of 135,501 for the period brings the total population up to 1,40/,165. New Zealand may thus expect to.be well beyond the million and a half mark before another census is taken. , L , Good as it is, the rate of increase disclosed (10.66 per cent, for the five years) falls considerably short of setting a new standard in this country. The rate compares fairly well with those ruling in other parts of .the world, but has been exceeded at times not only, in this country, but in Australia. The figures, are not available which would permit a direct comparison of the gains of population in this and other countries during the period covered by our latest census, but a fair idea of the relative position may be obtained by. comparing the figures of the latest decade for which complete particulars are in hand. This is done, as regards a number of Empire countries and the United States, in the following table Population Gains in Ten Years Ended 1920 or 1921. Per cent. New Zealand 20.87 Australia 22.01 Canada 21.95 United States 14.94 The rate of increase in New Zealand during the latest census period exceeds only slightly the average rate of increase in this country during the ten years covered by the table. In that period, it will be observed, we were outpaced by both Australia and Canada in growth of population, though our own rate was considerably higher than that of the United States. In the separate Australian States, the rate of increase for the ten years ranged from 11.80 in Tasmania to 27.55 in New South Wales. ■ . . During the last year or two, Australia and Canada have both been making great efforts to attract immigrants, and it will not be surprising if their census returns for the past five years show that both have again added to their population at a greater rate than this country. Certainly there is nothing, in the figures to suggest that this country has been overdoing immigration. Some concern has been awakened in the South Island by the fact that it will lose another seat in Parliament on account of the greater increase in population in the North Island. The essential features of the position are overlooked, however, in suggestions that an irreducible minimum of Parliamentary representation should be established in the South Island. No good case can be made out either for increasing the present numerical strength of Parliament (which would amount simply to spending money needlessly), or. for giving people in one geographical division of the Dominion specially favourable treatment where representation is concerned. Cook Strait, after all, is not a national frontier,' and there, is no reason'why New Zealanders should be given extra representation in the House of Representatives simply because they live south of Cook Strait. Apart from the Maori members, representation in Parliament is fairly and equitably apportioned to the people of the Dominion wherever they may be, and it would be impossible to justify any departure from this state of affairs. One of the Representation Commissioners for the South Island (Mr Harman Reeves) was reported the other day to have stated that if readjusting went on, the South Island would be turned into huge electorates that no man could spare time to work properly. Some of them, he added, were almost unworkable even now. There is not much in these contentions if account is taken of the great, progressive improvement that is being made in facilities for transport and communications of all kinds. The idea that political aspirants must endeavour to get into personal contact with every potential supporter is onq that can only be entertained in a country at an early stage of development. Such ideas inevitably are discarded in countries of large and increasing population.