DRIFT OF POPULATION.

Colonist, Volume LXI, Issue 15087, 2 June 1919, Page 3

DRIFT OF POPULATION.

A PKOBLEM TO BE FACED

NEW ZEALAND'S GROWING

TOWNS

The movement of population from the country to the towns in I\ew Zealand was discussed by the Minister of internal Affairs (the Hon. G. W. Russell) at the lown-Plannmg Conference at Wellington. jSiv Russell said that in 1881 the country or rural population numbered 291,238 and the borough population j 94,981. A.t that time rather less than 40 per cent of the people of New Zealand lived in the cities and towns. Uub at the census of 1916 it was found that people were living in the towns and cities, as against 501,259 in the country, the percentages at that date being..in boroughs 53.24, in counties 45.59.

(( ■ "ihe figures show," said Mr Russell, that our town population now largely exceeds the country population, a position I exceedingly regret". Further, my deliberate, opinion, is,- that if the suburban population in counties adjoining our towns and cities were included it would be found that instead of our city and borough population being 53.24 as shown by tne census of 1916 it would really be more iike 60 per cent, of the total. ''In order to still more closely grip .thf. position, I have obtained from the Government Statistician particulars ofthe area, population, capital value, and Timmprpved value of the four cities of the Dominion, in addition to some of the most progressive secondary towns in nach island. The figures show that the finpulawon of Auckland, including suburban boroughs, has.risen from 43,628 «t> 1896 to 116,337 in 1916, while its capital valuo has risen from £7,080,030 to .-€34,747,126 in 1918. Wellington's population has risen from 45,963 to 92,----261, and its capital valuo from £0,284,----527 to £27,761,489. The population of Chnstchurch has risen from 45,715 in 1896 to 75,392 in 1916, and its capital value froTn £6,435,350 to £17,964,683 in L9lB. The population of Dunedin has risen from 49,181 to 66,926, and its capital value from £6,838,641 to £14,----017,759. Invercargill's population rose from 9996 in 1896 to 15,866 in 1916, and its capital value from £1,230,753 to £4,099,460 in 1918. The population of Palmorston Nortli was in 1896 5910, and in 1916 12,829, whilst its capital value rose from £631,796 in 1898 to £3,151,----202 in 1918. •

"In several of these instances the increases have come about by amalgamation, a policy which is warmly to be commended as tending to bring suburban districts under a higher form of municipal government. It wilL however, be understood how the problems of town planning are accentuated by the extension of our cities. The wily land speculator, in selling farms and suburban areas for residential purposes, has taken little or no account of whether his sales and resultant profits fitted in with either the lay-out of the city or the adaptability of the section he sold to drainage or water supply. Such questions did not trouble him; his primary object has heen to secure the enormous increase in value that has been obtainable through the necessity of "workmen residing as closely as possible to their employment.

': lt is time that a stop was put to i. ._..-. by legislation feeing passed, which will make it impossible for any person to sell residential areas xinless provision is made for the properties fitting In to a clearly defined scheme of roading, drainage, water supply, lighting for the future, even though their necessity at the present may not be so apparent. Coupled with the necessities I have mentioned is one other, namely, that from every block of land which is sold for residential purposes there should be set aside by the owner necessary reserves for public utilities, such as schools, post, offices, parks, recreation grounds, and open spaces. The property owner who is going to draw large profits from the community, must, in my opinion, be made responsible for the needs of that community in the matters to which 1 have referred. This is a most important, phase of the whole subject, for the reason that the village of to-day .in ten years hence is the township, in 20 years after it has possibly become a town district or borough, and 50 years later may be the prosperous city. On us, of this generation rests the obligation of seeing that those who come after us are provided by proper town-planning scheme, provision, and limitations, with those things which provide for healthy environment and the absence of slums.

"In 1891 there were 87 boroughs in New Zealand. In 1919 there were 118, but as a large number of mergings and amalgamations had taken place in the meantime, the number of new boroughs is much greater than is shown by the figures. As New Zealand progresses, new towns will spring up. in various parts of the Dominion, and I sincerely hope that our legislation will be on such lines that in every case before a new borough is proclaimed the principles of : town planning shall be strictly applied for the benefit of the then and future population."