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Otago Witness, Issue 3854, 24 January 1928, Page 34

The question why Wanganui exceeds Invercargill in population has again been raised (says the Southland Daily News). The explanation is simple. Practically all the business from the back country of Wanganui is centred in that town. It has no inland centres to compare in regard to- business blocks and residential quarters with Winton, Otautau, Wyndham, and Gore, and the seaside towns of Bluff and Riverton, not to mention Orepuki, Tuatapere, Lumsden, and other smaller townships. Southland’s trade is distributed over all these towns. If it centred in Invercargill, then the population of Southland’s capital would materially exceed that of its northern rival, and it would easily. become the “ fifth city in the Dominion.” Since the commencement of the shearing and the freezing season, there has been an appreciable decrease in the number of “ swaggers ’’ on Hawke’s Bay roads (says an exchange). This state of affairs, however, apparently does not obtain in all parts of the Dominion, for a Taranaki mottirist who has been on a 1000 miles* tour of the North Island, says he met an unusual number of “ ” on the road. Some were of the ‘‘ down and out ” order, but a number were young, ablebodied men who appeared to be genuine triers. Some of the latter say there is not the harvesting work being done this summer as in previous years, and that farmers are managing with less labour in other directions.