DRIFT TO THE TOWNS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 124, 27 May 1919, Page 3

DRIFT TO THE TOWNS

DOMINION POPULATION.

GREAT CHANGE IN 35 YEARS

The movement of population om the country to the'towns in New Zealand was discussed by the Minister for internal Affairs in his address to the Town-planning Conference. Mr Russell said that in 1881 the' country or rural population numbered 291,238, and the borough population 194,931 At that time rather less than 40 pe r cent of the people of New Zealand lived in the cities and towns. But at t'ic census of 1916 it was found that 585,30b people were living in the towns and cities, as against 501,259 in the country, the percentages at that date being in borough 53.24, in counties 46, St* “The figures show that our town population now largely exceeds _ the country population,” said the Minister, a position I exceedingly regret. Further, my deliberate opinion is, that n the subu'-ban population in counties adjoining our towns and cities were im eluded it would be found that instead of our cty and borough population being 63.24 as shown by the census oj 1916 it would really be more like 61* per cent, of the total. “In order to ascertain the position still more closely, I have obtained from the Government Statistician , particulars of the area, population, capital value, and unimproved value of the four cities of the Dominion, and of some of the most progressive secondary towns in each island. The figures show that teie population of Auckland, including suburban boroughs, has risen from 45,628 in 1896 to 116,337 in 1916, while its capital value has risen from £7,080,050 to £34,747,126 in 1918. Wellingtons population has risen from 45,963 to 92.261, and its capital value from £9,284,527 to £27,751,489 The population of Christchurch has risen from 45,715 in 1896 to 75,392 in 1916, and its capital value from £6,435,350 to £17.964,683 in 1918. The population of Dunedin has risen from 49.181 to 66.926, and Us capital value from £6.838,641 t/< £b 017,759. Invercargill’s population rose from 9996 in 1896 to 15.866 in 1910. and its capital value from £1,230.755 to £4,099.460 in 1918. The of Palmerston. North) was in 1896 5910, and in 1916 12.829. while its capital value rose from £631,796 in 1898 to £3,151,202 in 1918.