The Drift of Rural Population.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5512, 28 June 1889, Page 2

The Drift of Rural Population.

♦ A vaper was recently read before the Royal Statistical Society by DrWm, Ogle, a synopsis of which is reported in the London Times. The theme of the lecturer was the " Depopulation of the Rural Districts. " The most important face brought out was that there had been a considerable decline of population in most of the rural districts of England. The small and large toAvns hcid been growing all the time. In some districts the population had been stationary for many years. The conditions of agriculture in Europe are not like these which exist in this country. There are the tenant farms and the large population not permanently fixed to the soil. In France and other parts of Continental Europe the agricultural population is not distributed on the farmers but usually seeks the nearest town and expends all the money required for consumption there. There has been no new law or growth developed of late. For half a century or more it has been known that both in England and the United States the urban population increased more rapidly than the rural population decreased, from 1851 to 1881, nearly 12 per cent. That is the largest deer*, ise noted in any part of England. The I'.ecline of handicrafts in the rural districts consequent upon the large concentration of manufactures by machinery in towns has had much to do with the falling away of the rural population. But aside from this particular influence towns and cities grow faster than the country. In some parts of the New England States there has been no increase of the rural population for a third of a century. Even the small towns have had no visible growth. The introduction of machinery on the farm has diminished to some extent, the number of farm hands formerly employed. The area of cultivation has not been much increased. Moreover, them is a constant tendency on the part of active young men to seek the city, The restless population of the older States has been drifting to the r<jwer States for many years. There is in this country one drift toward the city and another toward the country. The rural districts of the old States will never be depopulated, because, even in the large cities, which appear to be miking such heavy drafts upon the country, there is always a large element that is .seeking just such advantages as have been abandoned by others in the rural districts. There is one tendency to draw off rural population which is comparatively new. The introduction of steam and electricity is concentrating manufactories in the large towns and cities at a rapid rate. The small motor has been substituted for the water-power. For this reason cities have drawn' from the country a large manufacturing population. But while this tendency is not likely to be reversed, there is a growing taste for rural pursuits. Society becomes more attractive, schools, libraries, churches.and pleasant neighborhoods are established. The farm is converted into an attractive homestead ; comfort, intelligence, and refinement are finally as well illustrated in the rural districts as in the city. Cities and towns may grow faster than the country. While that tendency has been noted for many generations} the country in never deserted.

The Nelson mail has received information to the effect tliat aflrong caul compact effor 6 is being made in Sydney L / secure the election of the liishop of Nelson (DrSuter) to the Primacy of Australia, rendered vacant by the resignation of Bishop Barry. The Synod of Sydney is now sitting.