POPULATION DRIFT TO NORTH ISLAND

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 October 1947, Page 8

POPULATION DRIFT TO NORTH ISLAND

The drift of population in New Zealand today was important, as the drift was not only from rural to urban areas, but also from the South Island to'the North Island, said the .chairman of the publicity committee of the Canterbury ' Immigration Association (Mr D. Cresswell), in Christchurch yesterday. Since the end of the First World War the drift had become more noticeable, until it was now reaching almost alarming proportions. If the South Island in general, and Canterbury in particular, were to receive their, fair . share of; immigrants, then their claims would have to be forcibly represented to the Government. The Canterbury Immigration Committee when it was properly constituted would have to make the matter one of its first concerns, said Mr Cresswell. • The Government formed an immigration' advisory council, but the council did not include a single South Island member, Mr Cresswell said. This would have to be rectified or the South Island would not get its share of immigrants. .The association wanted only to work harmoniously with the Government on immigration, but the Government should realise that _ there were feelings of discontent in the south, not only about immigration, but also on tourist and industrial questions, he said.