N.Z. POPULATION

Grey River Argus, 5 January 1946, Page 5

N.Z. POPULATION

URBAN INCREASE ONLY South Island Falling Behind WELLINGTON, Jan. 4 Referring to the increase in population of the Dominion in a statement relating to the interim results of the recent census, Mr. Nash to-day said that cities and boroughs which had contributed 115,906 of -the total increase (excluding those in the Forces) of 128,413, now contained 63.1 per cent, of the population, compared with 59.3 pel’ cent, in 1936. Independent town districts recorded an increase of 5,225, while on preliminary figures, dependent town districts showed an increase of only 6,280. The increase was accounted' for by the population on board ship and on adjacent islands which were not part of the counties. Most of the urban increase had been irf the larger centres. Foremost was Auckland City, the industrial development of which had resulted in a gain of 20,983, or 20.5 per cent., while contiguous districts had increased substantially. Auckland urban area showed a total increase oi 51,416. Wellington urban area occupied second place for a similar reason The most spectacular had been the growth in population in Lower Hutt City from 17,772, in 1J36 to 31190 in 1945, representing 70.5 pel cent, increase, and' accounting for the major part of the increase of 22,91 y shown for the Wellington urban area. MAORIS’ RAPID INCREASE. Commenting further on the inteum census returns, Hon. W. Nash, ActingPrime Minister, said that between the 1936 and 1945 censuses the total Maori population increased by 14,J2( to 97,263. The percentage rate of increase has been 18.1, and had been the means of raising considerably the percentage rate of increase of the total population. “Biologically it is possible for a population to double itself in one generation of twenty-five years, and history provides rare examples oi communities in which this has been achieved,” he said. “Though far from this rate of reproduction, the increase in the Maori population is, by comparison with that of .the Euiopean population, remarkably. INCREASE ALL IN NORTH ISLAND.

Mr. Nash said: “In recent decades the North Island population has increased more rapidly than that of the South Island. This trend is undoubtedly related to the more rapid industrial development of the North Island centres. The present population of the North Island is 1,146,228. This >is 128,192, or 12.7 per cent, greater than the 1936 figure., The South Island population, 555,9u5, is only 221, or .04 per cent, greater than the 1936 total. The percentage of the distribution of population between the two Islands is: North Island, 67.3 per cent.; South Island, 32.7 per cent., as against 64.7 per cent, and 35.3 pei cent, in 1936. The population trend of the South Island may be regarded as unsatisfactory. It could not be argued that the rate of increase in the North Island is so spectaculai as to cause a noticeable unbalance. The need plainly is for continued increase in the north and a moie commensurate- increase in the South Island. . . , Mr. Nash continued: “The cities and boroughs have contributed 115,906 of the total increase (excluding those in the forces), of 128,413 since the last census. Cities and boroughs now contain 60.1 per cent, of the populations, compared with 59.3 per cent, in 1936. Independent town districts have recorded an increase of 5,225. On the preliminary figures the town districts show a decrease of seven: The counties show only 6,280 of an increase. The small balance of the total recorded increase is accounted for by- the population on board ship and on adjacent islands which aie not parts of counties. “Most of the urban increase has been’ in the larger centres. Foremost is Auckland City, the industrial developments of which have resulted in a gain of 20.983 per cent., while contiguous districts have increased substantially. The Auckland urgan area shows a total increase of 51,416. “Wellington occupies second place, for a similar reason. Most spectacular has been the growth of population of Lower Hutt City, from 17,772 in 1936 to 31,190 in 1945, representing a 75.5 per cent, increase, and accounting for the major part of the increase of 22,916 shown for the Wellington urgan area. “A list of urban areas, with their present populations and inter-censual increases is:— Auckland, 263,575; increase, 51,416. Wellington, 172,887; increase, 22,916 Christchurch,, 149,741; increase 17,182. Dunedin, 83,055; increase 1,094. Lowei’ Hutt, 31,190; increase 13,418 Invercargill, 27,419; Palmerston North, 27,277; increase, 3,210. Wanganui, 26,453; increase 658. Napier, 20,286; increase, 1,597. Timaru, 19,570; increase 756. Gisborne, 16,945; increase 1,060. Nelson, 16,552; increase 2,968.

The trends over the counties, cities and boroughs and town districts are summarised in the following table:-— Increase of under five per cent: Eleven counties, twenty-two cities and boroughs, four town districts. ' Increase of five to ten per cent: Ten counties, twenty-two cities and boroughs, four town districts. Increase of ten per cent or over: Twenty counties, fifty-one cities and boroughs, twenty-three town districts.

Total: Forty-one counties, ninetyfive cities and boroughs, and thirtyone town districts.

Decrease of under five per centEleven counties, eighteen cities and boroughs, six town districts. Decrease of five to ten per centSixteen counties, nine cities and boroughs, seven town districts. Decrease of ten per cent or over: Sixty-one counties, six cities and boroughs, eight town districts. Totals: Eighty-eight counties, thirty-three cities and boroughs, twenty-one town districts. DECLINE IN RURAL POPULATION “The decline in rural population, although it is more apparent in the South Island, is general,” said Mr. Nash. “Only eleven of the counties in the South Island have recorded increases, as against forty-two counties which have recorded decreases. The comparable figures for the North Island are thirty and forty-six. The total gain in North Island counties was 27,330, while in the South Island

counties have declined by 21,050. The rural population is thus barely holding its own, although caution is necessary in drawing conclusions as to the consequences of the census results for the farming industry. It has to be realised that the number of. farms has not decreased, that farm technology has economised (manpower ' and that rural development and constructional work, which formerly occupied a larger proportion of the population, is now tapering relatively to urban activities. “The growth of many counties m the Auckland provincial district is made more marked by the generally static county positions. Every county in a large area exteudmg from Askland City south to the Waikato counties, and east through Piako, Matamata, Tauranga, Rotorua and Bay of Plenty has the distinction of recording a population increase. In other parts of the country growth has been less extensive, and in some instances, has been due .to the location of service establishments. A slight decline ni yet a number of other districts will be offset by the ieturn of service personnel from overseas, while the position of certain counties w-as distorted in 1936 by a relatively large number of relief and other workers there located. None of the figures given include United States servicemen or e nemy prisoners of war.”