AWAY FROM THE LAND.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1876, 12 September 1918, Page 2

AWAY FROM THE LAND.

OUIi Palmerston morning’ contemporary is publishing a series oi' interesting articles ..on land aggregation in this district. Interesting statistics are ((noted re the drift of population to the towns. Here are a few of the figures quoted: —“It is true that for the last 25 years or so land settlement has gone on steadily, by Government agency and also through private enterprise. The report of the Lands Department for 1914 shows that during the preceding 10 years from 1905 to 1914, 15,672 settlers were placed upon the land, and -LI million acres were taken up. Assuming an average of only four persons to each settlement, in the period mentioned there would be an addition to (he population directly living on the land of 02,088. If the land had got its share of the natural increase in population in the same period, there would he a further addition of 98,000, making a total increase of the rural population of 160,000. The population statistic-', however, show that we are failing even to maintain our natural increase in rural population, while the population of our cities and boroughs increase at a rale out of all proportion to the increase in rural districts. From 1906 to 1916, the population increase is distributed as follows: — To the Cities 25 per cent. To the Boroughs .... 44 per cent. To the Kural List's . . 5 per cent. To bring the matter nearer home, Jet us look at the population figures in the district with which we are most familiar. Here are the populations for the adjoining counties for 1906 and 1916

Totals 25,788 25,008 In our own district, 1 hern fore, our population on Hu; laud inis not increased by even ] 290, ihe 5 per coni, which is the average increase in rural population for New Zealand, let alone (he IS per cent, which is ihe general increase, hut has an ac'ual decrease of 720 or 2J per eeni. The boroughs in the same area have increased :n the same period as follows : 1900 1916 Marion .... 1,268 1,650 Tedding .... 2,971 3,438 Palmerston 10,239 12,829 Totals ... 14,478 17,917 An increase of 3,439, or 23.7 per cent., in town population side by side with a decrease of 720, or 21 per cent., in Ihe rural districts. Those facts cry out their testimony, personal observation bears out the evidence of the figures, and they tell of a drift, a tendency to national “ilth” which must be stopped if our fair nation is to rise to its opportunities and fulfil its destiny.”

1906 1916 Kaiigit ileal .... 9571 8953 Kiwiiea ...... 30 31 9585 Oroua 3698 3301 Kairanga .... 3681 •1121 PuJian,L’'iua .... 1797 1581 ManawaUi .... 1007 ■1591