POPULATION MOVEMENTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19584, 8 June 1926, Page 6

POPULATION MOVEMENTS

In the latest issue of the “Abstract of Statistics” the Government Statistician very briefly discusses the available returns of the census of New Zealand. These cover about three-fourths of the total population, the returns aggregating 969,500. The increase since 1921 in the areas covered by these returns is 103,000, and the Statistician points out that the tendency towards “urban drift” seems to have been maintained, 91,800 of the increase being credited to cities, boroughs and independent town districts. This leaves only 11,200 for counties and dependent town districts. The surplus population naturally drifts to the towns, for Ihe opportunities of finding work in the country arc limited. But the disparity between the town increase and the country increase is so great as to suggest trouble ahead. Unless the towns can develop secondary industries far more rapidly than they are doing the Dominion will find difficulty in maintaining its population. Effort is needed also to increase both settlement and primary production and thus make room for a proportion of the surplus population on the land. The census figures show, according to the Statistician, that the “northward drift” of population continues. The North Island’s share of the gain already disclosed is 76,700, and the South Island’s share is some 26,300. Of course most of the immigrants from the Old Country are brought to the North Island, but there is also a flow of population across Cook Strait. The North Island still offers attractions. Its more genial climate, is loss developed areas and its greater enterprise give it an advantage over the South, and New Zealanders realise that fact-