MIGRATION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1718, 8 April 1913, Page 8

MIGRATION.

NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA. ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES. A feature of the statistics of population which has attracted sonio notice lately is that Australia is credited with a considerable annual gain- of population from New Zealand. ■ The total arrivals in this Dominion from Australia anil departures from the Dominion to Australia during the past three years are shown in the N'c.v Zealand returns as follow: — Arrivals Departures from to. Australia. Australia. 11l 10 ■ 21,5(12 27,100 T.l] I 2li,!)U!l 30,1)18 I'Jl2 28,522 . "0,111 This, credits Australia willi an annual population gain from New Zealand of from two to four thousand persons. These figures, however, a reporter wlio made .inquiries at Iho Government Statistical Oliico was informed, though correct enough in themselves, do not represent tho actual position. Many people, it has to be borne in mind, take passage for Australia by intercolonial ' steamers though they are really bound much further olield, to the United'! Kingdom or other .European countries. These people are, nevertheless, provided they tranship at Australia, credited' to'tlio Commonwealth, as.'arrivals instead of as what they are —travellers calling at way ports. It is well known that many, peoplo leaving New Zealand for a trip to the Old Country go Home by way of Australia and return via America, or by direct steamer. This is a much more common practice than going llomo. by way of America or direct, and reluming via Australia. In any case, people arriving here from Europe or elsewhere by way of Australia, even if they have transhipped hi ;i Commonwealth' port,; aro set down' as arrivals from tlieir. original point of departure, and iiot as arrivals from Australia. If they have comc from England via Australia they are -set-;'down as art. rivals from. England,, aiid :so >011. the point of tho 'whole that 'New Zealand is a terminus Oil the oversea travel routes, while Australian ports aro in part ports of call in thofec routes. That there is ; a fictitious; gain in .population from New Zealand on the part bf Australia is "furthir" shown by. the fact that tho recorded excess of arrivals from tho United Kingdom over departures for that country usually c-xcce'd tho total' gain in population for the year. Thus the net gain in population by excels of arrivals over departures-in 1912 was 8027. Tn respect of immigration from the United. Kingdom alone, .the official returns for 'the vear credit. Now Zealand with an excess o i' arrivals over departures of 10,307. Comparing this with the figures relating io immigration b-stweon Now Zealand and Australia, which are printed above, it acain appears 'that Australia is credited with a gain in population in'respect of neoblc wlio are really bound for 'the United Kingdom. . . ,i It lias been suggested that, the discrepancy between the Australian and New Zealand figtirss .relating <0 arrivals, .and. departures may be partly explained by the fact that, pome liraple 'go aboard ste.-utiors without having _ booked their passages in advance. ■ This is really, , a very minor factor. ■ On tho coastal' ferry steamers it is a common 'thing for passengers to book their passago after leaving, but 011 the intercolonial beats tho opposite is true. A great majority ,'6f nassengers between New Zealand and Australia book, in advance, and. indeed,, i'c is not uncommon for' intending passengers -lo book and then find it impossible lo make tiio journey. 111 any event, tho Government Statistical Department has its denarturo returns eliecki-l at tlv.> Australian end. The purser of every intercolonial steamer furnishes the Dep.irtinont' with n return ihoirin? the 1111 mbbv of people takon from New Zealand by his vessel. This rHurii'.he.s nothing (0 do with iwokiuiisl in advance, but-shows the number of iifople at'tiially aboard the vessel. It is computed that the corrections obtained /in ~ this v.''oy do not affect the emigration 1 , figures'. to the extent, of more than about 50-persons iir.a year.' The accuracy? of the New Zealand population statistics), is attested by 'the fact tlintVfor a long'timo past the population figures compiled from the official returns of vital statistics and emigration . haw tallied very closcly with tho census figures. At the end of the last four census periods the difference Iwtwsen the eitlme.fed population compuled from ;returns, and 'iho population, as disclosed by the census, has been as under:— Tear. Discrepancy. 18% ; 1977 "1901 -. 2404 1901! 1393 , 1911 1.../. ..... 1707 '. This works out at an error in the estimated population figures of something liko .25 per cent., which is aliout. the lowest recorded error in tho world in respect of similar'compilations.