DRIFT OF POPULATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17635, 27 May 1919, Page 6

DRIFT OF POPULATION

A PROBLEM TO BE FACED. KEW ZEALAND'S GROWING TOWNS. Tho movement of population from tho country to tho towns in New Zealand was discusid by tho Minister of Internal Ail'tiirs (tho lion. G. W. Russell) at tho Town Planning Conferuuco at Wellington on Tuesday. Mr Russell said that in 1881 tho country or rural population numbered 291,238, and tho borough population 194-,281. At that timo rather less than 40 per cent, of tho pcoplo of Now Zealand had lived in tho cities and towns. But at tho census of 1916 it was found that 585,306 peoplo were living in tho towns and cities, as against 501,259 in the country, the perentagos at that date being in boroughs 53.24, in. counties 45.59. "Tho iigures show," said Mr Russell, " that our town population now largely exceeds tlxo country population, a position I exceedingly regret Further, my deliberate opinion is, that n tho suburban population in counties adjoining our towns and oities were included it would be found that instead of our city and borough population boing 53.24 as shown by the census of 1916 it would really be niore like 60 per cent, of the total. "In order to still more closely grip the position, I have obtained from the Government Statistician particulars of the area, population, capital value, and unimproved Tcalue of the four cities of the dominion, in addition to some of the most progressive secondary towns in each island. The figures show that the population of Auckland, including- suburban boroughs, has risen from 43,628 in 1896 to 116,337 in 1916, while its capital value has risen from £7,080,030 to £34,747,126 in 1918. Wellington's pooulation has risen from 45,963 to 92,261, and its capital value from £9,284,527 to £27,761489. The population of Christ, church has risen from 46,715 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 65,926. and its capital value from £6,836,641 to £14,017,759. InveroargilTs population, rose from 9996 in 1896 to 15,866 in 1916, and ite capital value from £1,230,753 to £4,099/60 in 1918. The population of Palmexston North was in 1896 5910 and in 1916 12,829, whilst its capital value rose from £631,796 in 1898 to £3,151,202 in 1918. "In several of these instances the increases have come about by amalgamation, a policy which, is warmly to bo commended as tending to bring suburban districts under a higher form of municipal government. It will, however, be understood how the problems of town-planning are accentuated by the extension of our cities. The wily land speculator, in selling farms and suburban areas for residential purposes, has taken little or no account of whether his sales and resultant profits fitted in with either tho lay-out of "tho city or the adaptability of the section he sold to drainage or water supply. Such questions did not trouble him; his primary object has been to securo the enormous increase in value that has been obtainable through the necessity of workmen residing as closely as possible to their employment. " It is time that a (stop -was put to this by legislation being- passed, which will make it impossible for any person to sell residential areas unless provision is macks for the propertias fitting in to a dearly defined scheme of reading, draipago, water supply, lighting for tho future, even though their necessity at the pressnt may not be so apparent. Coupled with the necessities I have mentioned is one other—namely, that from every block of land which is sold for residential purposes there should be set aside by the owner necessary reserves for public utilities, such as schools, post offices, parks, recreation grounds, and open spaces. The property-owner who is going to draw large profits from the community, must, in my opinion, be made responsible for the needs of that community in the matters to which I have referred. This is a most important phase of the whole subject, for the reason that th' 3 village of to-day in 10 years hence is the township, in 20 years after it has possibly become a town district or borough, and 50 years later may be the prosperous city. On us, of this generation, rests the obligation of seeing that thesa who come after us aire provided by oroper town-plan-ning, scheme, provision, and limitations, with those things which provide for healthy environment and tho absence of slums. " In 1891 there were 87 boroughs in New Zealand. In 1919 there iwere 118; but as a large number pf mornings and amalgamations had taken place in the meantime, the number of new boroughs is much greater than is shown by the figures. As New Zealand progresses, new towns will spring up in various parts of the dominion, and I sincerely hope that our legislation shall be on such lines that in every case before a new borough is proclaimed the principles of town planning , shall be strictly applied for the benefit of the then and future population."