Population Trends SOUTH CANTERBURY FIGURES DECLINE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23375, 5 December 1945, Page 4

Population Trends SOUTH CANTERBURY FIGURES DECLINE

Recent Census Reveals Drill To The Centres

THE population of South Canterbury, with the inclusion of Timaru, has decreased by more than 1600 in the last nine years, according to the figures obtained by the recent census. In 1936 the census revealed that the population of South Canterbury was 44,464; this year it had dropped by 1612 to 42,852. While the latest census did not take into account the number of servicemen away from the district, it is obvious, when consideration is given the natural increase by births, that more than servicemen have been leaving South Canterbury.

It is not possible to estimate with any degree of accuracy the natural increase in the population since 1936; that will not be known until the complete census figures for 1945 are available and to them is added the number of servicemen absent front the Dominion on census night. The annual natural increase before 1936 was neyer as low as 1 per cent, but because of the war and other reasons it may even fall below this figure for the years 1936-45. In fact, a provisional total from a proportion of the census districts has revealed an increase of only 6 per cent in nine years. On the basis of the average annual natural increase being 1 per cent, the population of South Canterbury should have increased by more than 4200 since 1936. The greatest increase in any district in South Canterbury has been shown in the borough of Timaru. It? population has risen by 863 to 18,260 and Timaru has become the second largest borough in New Zealand, New Plymouth's population being 18,545 —an increase of 1892. Tire otily county in South Canterbury to increase has been

the Mackenzie, the population of which has risen by three since 1936. The reason for this may be the effect pf new industries which were established In the county during the war and the influx pf workers to the hydro-electric scheme at Lake Tekapo. Withqut these, it is obvious that there would have been a substantial decrease in this county also. Comparative census figures for South Canterbury and its environs are as follows

The total population of all the census districts listed above was 81,489 in 1936 and 77,808 in 1945 —a decrease of 3684. The census figures for 1945 tell two stories: the first is the drift from the country to the towns; the second, and more emphatic, is the drift from the south to the north. Forty-nine counties in the South Island had a total population of 192,595 in 1936 and 176.951 this year—a decrease of 15,644; sixtynine counties in the North Island had a total population of 335.698 in 1936 and 346,656 in 1945—an Increase of 10,958. Forty-four South Island boroughs rose from 108.884 to 115.631 an increase of 6747, while 69 North island boroughs increased by a total of 39,027—fr0m 263,731 to 305,758. There are now 11 centres in New Zealand with a population exceeding 20.000. Heading the list is the city area of Auckland, which has shown an increase of more than 20.000 since 1936. It is closely followed by Wellington city which previously occupied first place for the greatest accumulation of population. Auckland city and its environs have a total population exceeding a quarter of a million. In the nine years, Lower Hutt’s popula-

tion increased by 13,148 —from 17,772 to 31,190. Christchurch city has an increase of 10,557, but part of this increase is accounted for by the inclusion of the former borough of Sumner. Dunedin city has an increase of 777 since 1936—a smaller increase than has taken place in the borough of Timaru. Following are the details of the cities together with the boroughs exceeding 10.000 in population:—

“Towns Being Strangled” “The smaller secondary towns are being strangled. This country is going to come to the sober realisation that it is on the high way to bureaucracy and all its attendant ills,” said the Mayor of Timaru (Mr A. E. S. Hanan) in commenting on the position revealed by the census. He had expressed this opinion two years ago, he added, and he held the same belief to-day. “If the Government is ‘for the people’ it should be for all of them,” Mr Hanan continued. “The citizens of the smaller secondary towns believed the political leaders when they said that there would be a distribution of industry but hopes have been shattered by paternalism. The secondary towns are drained of small industries which are essential to their well-being. A continuation of this position will result in the Dominion being in a badly unbalanced condition with incomes centralised in city areas. This may have a tendency for secondary towns to slip into debt. “To save the small boroughs whose populations have not increased in the last 10. years, there must be a gradual decentralisation of industry,” concluded Mr Hanan. “That is the only remedy. Encouragement should be given the people to live in the smaller towns .and this can only be done by decentralising industries. It would bring about a better distribution of the population and ensure a more contented and healthv lt is the duty of the larger towns to encourage the growth of industries in the smaller' centre, together with a better distribution of the population.”

Settlement On Land New Zealand was principally a primary producing country and the wealth of the Dominion came largely from the land, said Mr R. G. Cleland (chairman of the Levels County Council). Since New Zealand's future depended almost entirely on her ability to export, it must be the policy of any wise Government to effect closer settlement on the land. There was much land in South Canterbury that could be more closely settled. Modern means of transport and bitumen roads placed the centres within easy reach of the smaller districts, with the result that shopping and business was done in the larger centres to the detriment of the smaller ones. This was true of Pleasant Point in its relation to Timaru and. perhaps. of Timaru in its proximity bv modern transport to Christchurch.

Life on the land would have to be made more attractive, continued Mr Cleland. Mid-Canterbury. South Canterbury and North Otago comprised an area which was considered the granary of New Zealand, but the population in these districts was diminishing. There were strong reasons why the young people left the land; there was more sport and amusement in the towns. High costs on the land also prevented more people from choosing farming as their vocation. Many returned servicemen would prefer to take up farming in preference to returning to their former indoor jobs. But the price of land, of stock and of implements was so high that it prevented most returned men from deciding to become farmers. These were the men who should be encouraged tp the utmost.

With the abolition of the country quota and the pending loss of certain electorates in the South Island, more political power would be given the towns and the North Island, concluded Mr Cleland. This would certainly not solve the problem.

Boroughs 1945 1936 Inc. Dec Timaru .. 18.260 17.397 863 — Waimate 2.347 2,315 32 — Tejnuka 2,080 1,911 169 — Geraldine 924 957 — 33 Ashburton 7,543 7,050 493 — Oamaru 7.477 7,487 — 10 Town Districts Pleasant Pt. 483 574 — 91 Tinwald . 669 687 — 18 Counties Waimate 6,092 7.234 — 1.142 Geraldine 5,251 5.937 — 686 Levels .. 4.254 4,981 — 727 Mackenzie 3.161 3,158 3 — Ashburton 10,199 11.654 — 1,455 Waitaki 9,038 10.150 — 1,112

1945 1936 Inc. Auckland .. .. 123.278 102,295 20.983 Wellington 122.681 115,705 6,976 Christchurch . 112,525 101.948 10,577 Dunedin .. .. 65.487 64,710 777 Lower Hutt .. 31,190 17,772 13.148 Palmerston N. 24.654 22,202 2,452 Invercargill 24.621 23.103 1.518 Mt. Albert .. 24,393 19,721 4,672 Wanganui 23,828 23.178 650 Hamilton .. .. 21,335 16.793 4.542 Mt. Eden .. .. 20.165 18.515 1,650 New Plymouth 18,545 16.653 1,892 Timaru .. .. 18,260 17.397 863 Napier 17,258 15,893 1,365 Gisborne .. .. 14,727 13.587 1.140 Hastings .. .. 13,886 12,750 1.901 Onehunga .. .. 12.126 11.082 2,804 Nelson .. .. 13,018 11,241 1.804 Devonport 12,126 9,771 2,355 One Tree Hill . 11.640 8.027 3.613 Petone .. .. 10,960 10.933 27 Takapuna .. .. 10.274 7,270 3.004