AUCKLAND’S ADVANCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 49, 20 May 1927, Page 3

AUCKLAND’S ADVANCE

WHAT CENSUS REVEALS BIG POPULATION INCREASE WELLINGTON 70,000 BEHIND (.From Our Resident Correspondent ) WELLINGTON, Thursday. QALLING attention to the exceptional progress in evidence in the North, the Government Statistician, Mr. Malcolm Fraser, says: “Among the provincial districts the outstanding feature is the rapid growth of the Auckland districts.” His report is based on the 1526 census. It is revealed that, of the total increase of population since the previous census, 44 per cent, is taken by the Auckland provincial district, 2S per cent, by the rest of the North Island, and the other 28 per cent, by the South Island. “ In J* 16 North Island,” says the report, “exceptional progress is in evidence in the vicinity of Auckland and vV ellmgton, also in the counties of Matamata, Taumarunui and Taupo. v ery little increase, or none at all, is apparent in the Thames district, and m certain parts of Bay of Plenty Poverty Bay, Hawke’s Bay and Taranaki. The counties of Kiwitea, Pohangma and Oroua, and, to the east, those of Akitio, Eketahuna and Mauriceville, have all failed to hold their own. LOSING GROUND The South Island shows less variation than in the North. Decreases appear in several counties of North Canterbury and of Otago, also in Waimate bounty. A noteworthy fact is that Buller and Grey counties show fairly substantial Increases, although for the previous inter-censal period, 1916- 9 1 these counties suffered a decrease’ Due to the reaction of mining interests, Nelson and Westland have scarcely held their own, the latter indeed, having fewer inhabitants than in 1911.” IN URBAN AREAS Regarding the increase in urban areas, it is shown that, excepting Gisborne and Napier, the North Island shows a considerably greater advance than the South. “New Plymouth,” says the statistician, again occupies first place in regard to increase, being followed closely by Auckland and Hamilton. In the last-named, the phenomenal growth of recent years shows a steadying-down tendency. “Of the southern centres, Dunedin is easily in the lead, due to the artificial inflation of population occasioned by the exhibition. A curious fact is that, whereas in 1921 Timaru was considerably ahead of Invercargiil and Nelson as regards rate of increase, the position is now reversed, and of the three towns, Timaru now occupies third place, with Invercargill showing the largest rate of increase and Nelson second.” The rate of increase in principal urban areas since the previous census of 1921 is shown thus: Per cent. t , 1 opulation. Increase. Auckland 192,223 21.85 Wellington 121,527 Christchurch .. .. 118,501 12J4 Dunedin 85,095 17 77 Hamilton 16.53 S lglso Gisborne 14,789 2 35 S a P>er 18.060 5.11 Hastings 14,460 11 32 New Plymouth .. 15,931 95 99 Wanganui 26,129 ILOB Palmerston North. 19,709 16 72 £J.el son 11,752 10! 53 Timaru 16.522 S 48 Invercargill .. .. 21,849 13.74 DRIFT FROM COUNTRY Discussing the tendency to drift from the country into the towns, the statistician points out that it is not a condition peculiar to New Zealand, but experienced in practically every country of the world. In a manufacturing country the tendency is perhaps more natural, but for New Zea laud, which is for the greater part a primary producing country, his opinion is that the indications of strong urban drift are viewed by many with alarm. The tendency to form small boroughs somewhat offsets the worst of the figures, as much of their population is rural. However, the tendency to the towns in the last 20 years is shown by this comparison of urban and rural proportions of the total population: Year. Rural. Urban. 1906 57.96 42.04 1926 49.42 50.58 Density of population is another of the many interesting features in the latest report. The averagd over the whole of the Dominion is 13.02 persons per square mile. Wellington Province has the greatest density of population, viz., 25.31 persons per square mile. Taranaki has 18.2 G, Auckland 16.75, Hawke’s Bay 15.47, Canterbury 15,43, Otago 10.71, Southland 5.73, Nelson 4.66, Marlborough 4.34 and Westland 3.10.