GAIN IN POPULATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20605, 2 July 1930, Page 13

GAIN IN POPULATION.

SMALL INCREASE LAST YEAR,, FEWER ASSISTED IMMIGRANTS. CHINESE IN SMALLER NUMBERS. A net gain of 3250 in t,hc permanent population of New Zealand resulted from migration during the calendar year 1929, according to the annual statistics just issued by tho Census and Statistics Office. In 1928 the gain was only 2385, indicat-" ing the effect of the restricted immigration policy inaugurated by the .Government in the autumn of 1927. Although an upward turn was taken in tho figures last year, the gain is still negligible in comparison with 11,860 in 1926,, when tho system of assisting migrants was in full operation. The increased gain in permanent population last year was due almost wholly to a decrease in the number of persons who left the Dominion without the intention of returning. The permanent arrivals showed littlo variation in number in the two years. However, there was a further decline in the number of assisted migrants, with an increase in the number of those who came independently. Statistics for Recent Years. Following is a summary of the statistics for recent years showing the numbers of permanent migrants to and from tho Dominion:— Arrivals. Depar- Excess. Inde- turcs. pendent. Assisted. 1922 . . 6,072 7,773 2,150 11,695 1923 .. 5,581 6,131 2.474 9,25S 1924 .. 6,223 8.031 2,250 12,053 1925 . . 7,427 8,277 1,948 13,756 1926 . . 7,102 10,766 2,581. 15,287 1927 .. 5.428 5,899 4.145 7,182 1928 . . 4,119 2,220 3.954 2,385 1929 . . 4,465 1,878 3,093 3,250 Excluding the war years, 1915-18, the number of assisted immigrants in 1929 was less than in any year since the revival of the scheme in 1904. A substantial increase in the proportion of females during the last three years is due to the fact that approved domestic servants are still eligible to receive assisted passages, although otherwise the scheme has been practically confined since 1927 to bringing out the remaining members of families who had migrated in previous years. The following summary shows the number and sex of assisted immigrants during the past five years:— Males. Femaleij. Totals. 1925 . . 4.462 3,815 8,277 1926 . . 5.951 4,815 30,706 1927 . . 2,954 2,945 5,899 1923 . . 998 1,222 2,220 1929 . . 902 970 1,378 i Arrivals and Departures. Including persons who came to New Zealand on visits of a temporary nature, but excluding crews of ships, it is shown that a total of 34,439 persons (13,752 males and 15,687 females) arrived from overseas during 1929. This shows a decrease of 1039, compared with that for 1928, and is no less than 11,246 below the total for 1926. However, the 1026 figure has been exceeded only on on? occasion, that being in 1863, when the number of arrivals was 45,730. The departures during 1929, excluding tho crews of vessels, showed a decrease of 3392, the respective figures being 31,643 in 1929 and 35,035" in the previous year. The following table compares arrivals and departures, excluding crews of vessels, during recent years:— 1926. , 1927. 1928. 1929. Arrivals . . 45.655 38,676 35,478 34,439 Departures . 33,825 36,248 35,035 31,643 Excess .. 11,860 2,429 443 2,796 The arrivals on visits of a temporary nature during 1929 numbered 12,988, consisting of 7215 males and 5773 females, representing a decrease of 654 in comparison with the previous year. This deficit is accounted for in the groups covering persons visiting the country in connection with sport, entertainment and other such purposes. The remaining classes, including tourists and persons engaged in business, show figures remarkably close to those for 1928, in which year was recorded the highest number of visiting tourists since information concerning tho various classes of migrants became available Pleasure and Business. Although the total number of tourists from overseas, 9593, was only four less than in 1928, the figures for individual countries are of interest. Those from which the bulk of New Zealand's tourist traffic is drawn exhibited decreases,* the most important of which vrere:—United States, 63; Australia, 52; Canada, 42; and the British Isles, 17. Increases over 1928 were recorded for:—China, 69; Tonga, 21; France, 20; Fiji, 17; and Cook Islands, 15.

Since 1925 the number of persons visiting New Zealand on business has steadily declined, the number in tluit year being 2241, while in 1928 it was 1871. The 1929 figure was 1872, ho that the declining tendency has been arrested temporarily, at least.

Pleasure or business took 14,614 persons away from New Zealand during 1929, compared with 16,075 in 1928, a decrease of 1461. Of these, 8344 went to Australia, 3536 to the British Isles, 1001 to British Pacific Islands, 563 1o China, 330 to the United States of America, and 219 to Canada.

Four per cent., or 258, of the immigrants during 1929 wero "of foreign nationality. While the number of British subjects arriving to take up permanent, residence showed an increase of 62, or 1 per cent., on the figure for 1928, there were 58 fewer foreign arrivals, a decrease of 18 per cent. Tho numbers of alien immigrants from different countries last year, with the ftguj-es for 1923 in parentheses, are:—Yugoslavia, 71 (68); Italy, 43 ( 48); United States, 38 ( 30); Denmark, 16 (32); Greece, 14 (28); Poland, 14 (8); Switzerland, 13 (12); other countries, 49 (90). Chinese and Indians. A decrease of 23 in tho Chinese population of the Dominion is the principal feature of tho statistics relating to tho arrivals and departures of "race aliens" during 1929. In 1928 and 1927 there had been decreases of 17 and 24 respectively, and before that thero had teen increases of 23 in 1926 and 34 in 1925. Although no permits for Chinese immigrants were issued by the Government during tho years 1926 and 1927, 50 Chinese arrived during tho former year and 11 in tho latter to tako up residence in New Zealand.

The majority of thoso who arrived in 1926 had permits issued in previous years, but only three of the 1927 arrivals wero so admitted. The remainder were New Zealiyid residents who had been absent from tho country for more than five years. During 1928 the number of Chineso immigrants was further reduced to six and in 1929 to five, the last number including three who were returning after lengthy absence, one being a woman accompanied by her child who was born in China. • Chinese residents departing permanently in 1929 numbered 28, as against 23 in 1928.

Fifty Indians were added to the popnlation during tho year, that number arriving and none departing. The arrivals in tho four preceding years wero 73; 1926, 56; 1927, 41; 1928, 44. Taking into account other nationalities, the'net addition of "race aliens" to the popula- , tion of the Dominion during 1929 was 40-