BACK TO THE LAND.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2614, 2 August 1923, Page 3

BACK TO THE LAND.

THE DRIFT TO THE CITIES.

Wellington, .July 31.

Speaking at the Farmers’ Union Conference this morning, the Dominion President, Mr W. J. Poison, referred to the drift of population to the towns. He said: “No very accurate figures are available because, as the New Zealand Year Book points out, for population purposes dependent town districts have their figures included in the counties in which they lie, while independent town districts and boroughs are excluded. Under the old method of computing urban and rural population, however, both classes of town district are included in the country total, as in the following table showing the percentage of urban and rural population at each census since 1881:

The deficient fractional percentage is due to those travelling on board ship on census night. Actually, the figures do not therefore represent the true situation, but the steady drift to the cities is sufficiently apparent.

Gentlemen, one of the objects for which this Union was formed was to stem this tide. There is only one weapon which we can employ the weapon of closer settlement. Our slogan should be “Settle the land.” But it is not enonfth to stand and cry out in the market place. "VYe must see that all the machinery for closer settlement exists. Farming must be made a popular calling, its science must be fully imparted to our young men; greater opportunities must be given to those who wish to work the land; the large holding must give place to the small. This is one of those questions upon which we should formulate very definite proposal as our minimum demands upon the legislature.

Census Percentage of Population. year Counties Boroughs. 1881 59.4 38.9 1886 56.6 42.5 1891 56.1 43.1 1896 . 55.7 43.7 1901 54.0 45.3 1906 51.6 47.8 1911 49.4 50.1 1916 45.6 53.2 1921 43.6 56.0