TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11756, 21 July 1916, Page 4

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

A LESSON FROM NEW ZEALAND.

Mr A. A. Billson, in officially opening the new State school at Freeburg (says the Melbourne "Herald") touched upon a theme of supreme importance—the drift of the country population to the cities. This is a matter that calls for specific consideration if r Australia is to organise herself effectively. It is a wide subject, and no panacea can be invented on the spur of the moment; but that a solution must sooner or later be arrived at concerns tho country's future in tho most direct sense. There must bo inducements to decentralisation. That those inducements are practicable has been shown by the example of New Zealand, which is not, and by geographical construction can never be, as naturally rich as Australia. Whether by selected policy or by the inclination of the people, there aro in the Dominion none of Australia's hugely disproportionate cities, but a number of small ones distributed throuhgout the area of the islands and a fairy consistent realisation of those resources which the country districts afford. Tho New Zealand land system is better than ours, and our closer settlement ideals could be nearer accomplishment if that system were adopted, changed in such details as may bo necessary. It is evident enough to the most superficial observer that country life and occupations in Australia aro not sufficiently attractive. Mr Billson pointed out the disquieting fact that the condition of things is not growing better but distinctly worso. Seven years ago the proportion of the metropolitan population to the whole was approximately 41 per cent, now it is 47 per cent. A few years hence it will be still greater, until tho problem may become insoluble, or soluble only at the cost of some disrupting reorganisation which could bo obviated by the adoption of timely measures. A scheme which will aim at decentralisation and at making country life attractive and profitable should he one of the most diligently cultivated features of Australian internal policy. What has proved itseli easily practicable in New Zealand is equally practicable here.