CONGESTION IN TOWNS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16870, 7 June 1918, Page 6

CONGESTION IN TOWNS.

NECESSITY FOR COMBATING IT.

The increasing congestion of population in New Zealand was referred to by tha Ho;;. G. W. Russell, in his addiess at the Town Hall concert chamber last night. " Down to 1906,'' said the Minister. " the balance of population -was in the rural districtsAt the census of 1911 the balance had turned in favour of the cities rind towns/ and at the census of 1916 over 53 percent, of the population was in them. If wo are to prevent the evils of Austra'isji life, where unduly large cities monopolism the population, we must go in for a campaign of land settlement, and throw open the unoccupied land of the Dominion, net only to returning soldiers, but also to the thousands of g?en and women in our cities who have the earth hunger, but have no opportunity of satisfying it. Such a policy as this means roads and railways I venture to say that after the war a bo policy of railway construction will he absolutely necessary ?f the Dominion is to carry the burdens arising out of the war. On a properly organised system of lan! settlement, with reasonable assistance from the State and scientific treatment of the soil, the whole of our returning men co'i'd be placed in either the Bay of Plentv district. the North Auckland district, oi i" the 5,000,000 acres of pumice country surrounding Taupo and Roto ma. The "value of this latter portion of Nrw Zealand :s now coming to he recognised, and settle:? have already shown what can be done with this country, which formerly despised.