NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15562, 20 March 1914, Page 6

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

THE TWO AUSTRALIAS.

The "two Australias," one congested in a few large cities, and the other distributed in the country districts behind, present a phenomenon which has excited much uneasy comment. The six capital cities of Australia comprise, according to the last census, nearly 40 per cent, of the total population of the country, and the tendency towards urbanisation increases rather than diminishes as the years progress. This factor is seen most strikingly in Adelaide, which had in 1911, no less than 46 per cent, o/ the total population of South Australia. Melbourne came next with 44 per cent., and Sydney third with 38.97 per cent. The evil is, however, at its worst in Victoria. Amongst the interesting facts brought out at the last census was the decline in the number of primary producers in Victoria, the figures being 86,152, and 95,915 for 1911 and 1901 respectively, a difference of nearly 10,000." The latest public man to point out the danger of this position is Mr. A. A. Bill&on, the late Minister for Education, Mines and Railways in the Watt Ministry. He said that notwithstanding the large expenditure of public money on the construction of railways, the purchase of estates for close settlement, irrigation works, the development of outer ports, and the opening up of the country generally, they were faced with this extraordinary position, that while ' Melbourne] was increasing in population, the population of the country was decreasing. Why was that? In the last 10 years Melbourne and its environs had increased by 150,000, and the rest of the country had decreased by 1750. All the time developmental works had been going on in the country, and the result seemed to' show that in order that the country should keep pace with the city something more than the mere construction of works was needed.