DRIFT FROM SOUTH MUST BE ARRESTED

Chronicle (Levin), 12 September 1946, Page 6

DRIFT FROM SOUTH MUST BE ARRESTED

-Press Association

By Telegraph—

WELLINGTON, Sept. ti. ; Discussiug iiiformation received from all sources 011 which tlie ten-year [ilam-, for physical developinent were bused, the annual report of the Alinistry oi Works, presented in tlie llouse oi Bepresentutives yesterday, stated thal as far as housing was coneenied matters vvliich caused some concern were: — Tlie validity of the appliculions 011 which the demand for Stale housing was based. Tlie extemsive building of houses couliguous to the two largest metropolitan areas of Auckland aud Wellington. The number of houses being lniilt in

the North lsland in relation to the number in the South lsland. The report contiiiued that a sejiarate report would .be niade -to tliy Governnieiit wlien an indejieudent sufvey had beeti dcMiipleted, but 011 tlte •avaiiable iiiformation it app'eared that a stage in-d'evelyjimeiit hnft been reached w'hen very [lositive steps* should be taken to arrest the drift from tlie South lsland to tlie North lsland, and to prevent the larger cities from becoming larger still at tlie expense of tlie secondary towns and at Ihe sacrilice also of bctter living and working conditions which eould Ite obtained- more easily iu tlie provincial centres. The alniost uncoutrolled drift ot population from the South lsland to the North lsland and the equally uneontrollcd drift towards the -'larger centres in the NorGi lsland were liaving 11 profound effect 011 tlie geographicul dist ribution of the demand for works and buildings, it was stated.