POPULATION STATISTICS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 77, 28 February 1938, Page 8

POPULATION STATISTICS.

Ix the Monthly Abstract of Statistics for January some figures respecting- the population of the Dominion are given which are extremely interesting at the present time because of the urgent requests that have been made to the Government to formulate and pursue a policy of “planned” migration.” The population of New Zealand is growing, but at such a slow pace that prospects for the future progress of the country in this respect are in jeopardy. The official figures are the estimated mean total population at the close of the year, and the totals for each of the past five years compare as under:

The increase in our population in four years has been 50,454, or about 9 per cent., which is distressingly small. The average increase in the four years works out at 12,613, and in the four years ,this average was exceeded in 1936 and 1937. Last year the average was exceeded by about 2200, and the increase of 14,813 in 1937 is the biggest gain we have had in* years. It should be noted that 1936 and 1937 were prosperous years in our history, and it is significant that the increase in each of those two years should be_so marked. Obviously the economic conditions of the country have a direct bearing on the problem. It seems that in periods of prosperity more births are recorded, while ' the death rate shows no upward trend of note. The increase in population, small though it is, is not wholly due to the increasing birth rate, the tourist traffic and other temporary residents making up the total increase. As all know, taxation and costs have risen and the burden is being felt. New Zealand needs _ a greater expansion of population to help to carry the load and the problem that confronts the. Dominion is where this additional population is to be obtained, and how. Relying on the birth-rate may be quite right up to a point, but that will not bring the Dominion much relief. We may have gone too fast in providing social services and social facilities and amenities. We have not kept in step with population, but gone ahead of it, at much too rapid a pace, and now the burden is being felt to be almost unbearable. Now these heavy costs, and the social burden, are preventing migration to the country. Whatever plan, scheme or programme may be devised to encourage migrants will prove costly, for we would have to pay dearly, and even if we secured migrants we could _ never make 'sure that the majority would stay here. It is useless expecting voluntary migration on any scale whatever.

Year. Total. Increase. 1933 .... .. 1,539,590 — 1934 .... .. 1,551,532 11,942 1935 .... .. 1,562,233 10,701 1936 .... .. 1,575,231 12,998 1937 .... .. 1,590,044 14,813