CENSUS RETURNS

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 58, 6 September 1917, Page 8

CENSUS RETURNS

POSITION OF SOMES ISLAND ' "RESIDENTS." , A query addressed by Dr. Thacker to the Minister of Internal Affairs is:— "Whether in the 1 assessment, of the last census return and in. view of the redistribution of Parliamentary seats he reckoned oh the;following.facts : (1) That on the night of the census an expeditionary reinforcement was leaving, Wellington, and some two thousand '. extra people were in Wellington; and (2) that the persons on Somes Island were added to Wellington list of census names?" The j Hon. : Mr. Russell (Minister of Internal, Affairs)- has replied: (1) The census population shown for Wellington City and suburbs, and supplied to the j Representation Commissioners, included any persons who were only temporarily j in Wellington for the purpose of taking leave of relatives and- friends going away i with the reinforcement draft. It is. impossible to makfs any distinction between permanent residents and visitors. (2) The interned, prisoners and their guards on Somes Island \vere, not included in the population of Wolling<ton City, or of Wellington metropolitan area. (3) At the census of 191.1 the population of Christ church iCity was 53,116, and of Wellington City 6£,372; the population of Christchurch and suburbs was 80,193, and of Wellington, and suburbs' 70,729. At the census of 1916' the : .popul-ijltiori of Christchurch City was 54,925, and of Wellington City 73,305; the population of Christchurch metropolitan area was 92,733, and of Wellington metropolitan area 95,235. The Wellington metropolitan area includes the City of Wellington, the Suburban Boroughs of Lower Hutt, Petone, Eastbourne, Miramar, Karori,' and Onslow, and small portions of Hutt and Makara Counties, the whole comprising an area of 32,460 acres. The Christchurch. metropolitan area bas, art area of 79,890 acres (more than double .that of Wellington) and includes the City of Christchurch, the Boroughs of Riccarton,'' Spreydon, Woolston, New Brighton, Suiiiner, and Lytteltor., the whole of Heathcote County, and practically the whole of Waimairi County, and parts of Paparua and Harwell Counties. The former city and suburban areas were smaller than the new m»tropolitan areas, Lower Hutt, and Petone Boroughs having been excluded from Wellington, and Lyttelton Borough from Christchurch, as well as certain county areas in both eases." !