UNFORESEEN FACTOR

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 80, 2 October 1933, Page 14

UNFORESEEN FACTOR

UPSETTING PLANNING

"Much local body expenditure has been undertaken with a light heart because it was expected a future generation would foot the bill as a reduced per capita burden on account of increased population,l> said-Dr.-.. 13. P. Neale, secretary of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, in a . luncheon address on local body, reform to momben of the council, re-ports the "Now Zealand Herald."

"New Zealand local bodies, in planning on a lavish scale for the future, have overlooked one- thing, which is eloquently pointed to by tho fact that since about 1930 the United Kingdom has, contrary to what is usual, been actually gaining population on migration balance, while Australia and New Zealand have been losing," said Dr. Neale. "In other words, just as the sun of prosperity seems to shine with special favour.on new lands, so when tho wind'changes to the south-west do tho clouds of depression gather over new lands to a greater extent than over old lands. ■ • .

"New lands that in times of prosperity seem to afford almost unlimited scope for additional population, in times of depression have great difficulty in absorbing even tke natural increase-, or excess of births over deaths; and, indeed, if the depression is severe or prolonged, an outward flow of population is set in. train, back to the homeland •whence, tho'. population has been recruited."

After quoting examples from other countries in the last fifty years, Dr. Nealo said that permanent departures of New Zcalandcrs to countries other ', •than Australia had actually been i greater from 1930 on than in more pros- ' perous times,, totalling some 2000 in both 1931 and 1932, compared with an average of 800 for the years 1922 to 192 C. This confirmed the principle that [ in times'of depression the "push" from ' the new lands was likely to bo more ! powerful than the resistance from the | older lands, which were themselves experiencing depression.