POPULATION OF NEW ZEALAND.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19039, 8 December 1923, Page 2

POPULATION OF NEW ZEALAND.

SOME STRIKING FIGURES. DRIFT TO THE NORTH CHECKED. (From Otm Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, December 6. '1 he Herald says editorially: “Probably the most arresting statement made by the Government Statistician in his report on the population in 1922-23 Is that the outstanding fact of the population movement in 1922 was n net toss by the North Island of several thousand persons who migrated, temporarily or otherwise, to the South. Island. As he observes, that is the reversal of the steady drift of the population to the North'lsland which has prevailed for many years. “The statement is, of course, based upon estimates calculated from the vital and migration statistics, including records of passenger movements between the two islands. From them Mr Fraser estimates the population at March 31, 1925. exclusive of Maoris, . at 772.291 in the North Island and 459.447 in the South Island., the increases during the two years since the ,last census having been respectively 31,039 and 21,789. Mr Fraser does not explain the method’by which he has arrived at the estimate of a loss of several thousands by the North - Island, unless it is to bo inferred that .(his result has been reached by a direct compilation of the passenger lists. Nevertheless, so far as the conclusions may be based on two years’ figures, it is apparent that the drift to (he north has been checked. The census of 1921 showed that 60.81 per cent, of the population was in the" North Island, while the present estimate shows a decline to 60.73 per cent. The difference represents a loss of less than ICOO. ’File increase of 51.039 in the last two years may bo compared with the figures of 55,504, which is one-fifth of the actual increase in the North Island population during the 10 years from 1911 to 192.1. The controst is emphasised by a comparison between the figures of 21,769 estimated for the South Island and - one-fifth of the increase, 6534, in the preceding 10 years. Had the growth of the population, in the two .islands continued at the respective rate.s cf (hat period the increase in the North Island in two years would have been 46.700, and in the trciutli Island only about 7000. If Mr Fraser’s estimates are accepted, there is therefore a substantial confirmation, of bis statement.’’