The Times. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1945. Better Than Sixth City

Manawatu Times, Volume 70, Issue 280, 27 November 1945, Page 4

The Times. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1945. Better Than Sixth City

According to the recent census returns Palmerston North remains the sixth city of the Dominion. That, however, is upon a technicality, and in truth it deserves the title of Fifth City. Here in New Zealand the four major centres of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin have been always in a class by themselves, possessing from four to eight times the population of those in the provincial group. P°r most of the past 50 years Wanganui was leader in this section to be later challenged by Invercargill, and still more recently by Palmerston North. Our city has run an unlucky race, as just when it appeared to have headed off those two rivals, Lower Hutt slipped into the lead with a perfectly phenomenal run since the 1936 census. So Hutt lays claim to being the fifth city of the Dominion with a population of 31,190 compared with Palmerston North’s 25,260. But what is Hutt anyway? Is it a distinct city? Bather it is a suburb of Wellington and should be, therefore, included in “Greater Wellington.” That applies likewise to Mount Albert with a population of 24,393, greater than that of Wanganui, which is part of the city of Auckland on any fair reckoning. Palmerston North can fairly enough claim to be the fifth independent city of the Dominion, and a just pride can be taken in the plaee so won as leader of all the provincial centres. Now appearing as a most likely rival to challenge this position is Hamilton which lias shown the fastest growth of any of the provincial centres since 1936, from 16,150 to 21,335; an increase of 5185, or 32%. It is possible, however, that Hamilton has benefited more from purely wartime population changes than has Palmerston North, so that the record of growth under normal conditions might have been more nearly the same. Our city has attained its present position as provincial leader despite the absence of a port and with as yet a but comparatively modest development of manufacturing which has been rather a surprise having regard to all circumstances. Palmerston North’s position is due mainly to being the centre for a rich countryside and then again as a population centre of gravity for the whole of New Zealand.

Manufacturing is likely to develop here much more rapidly in the future than it has in the past, and air development promises to make good the laek of a port for shipping. Altogether there is a rich promise for the future of Palmerston North. Just how this will work out will depend upon the enterprise and initiative of our own citizens more than upon any other influence. Our city will be in the main what we make of it.