THE CITIES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 13 April 1907, Page 4

THE CITIES.

Sydney, 487,000; Melbourne, 404,000; Brisbane, 110,000; Adelaide, 102,000. Roughly, by the last census iigures, two cities hold one fourth of the population of Australia. Four cities hold one-third. That is bad.

Auckland, 07,000; Cliristchurcli, 57.000; Dmudin, 52,000; Wellington, JII.OOO. That is better. The biggest city, Auckland, holds only 8.(17 per cent of the total population of New Zealand. Sydney has 35.00 per cent of the population of New South Wales. Melbourne has 41.13 per cent of the population of Victoria.

Brisbane has 23.73 per cent of the population of (Jueensland.

Adelaide has 44.75 per cent of the population of South Australna. The ligures arc the exact figures of 1001, but the proportion has altered a little. "The abnormal aggregation of the population in to the capital cities,''

says the census-recorder, ''is a most unfortunate element in the progress of these Stales, and as regards some of them, is becoming more niar.kcd eii.'li year.''

New Zealand prosper-: Australia prosper-: but it will always l.e an additional factor in the prosperity of New Zealand that she has so many little towns. so many thriving hamlets. ,hat comparatively so few of her people are penned together in her cities. Because country life tend- to cve.ite a nation, city life tends to destroy a n.ition.

The ease of Ibc cities has been growing worse for a generation; perhaps the evil is not yet checked. In 1871 Sydney held only 27 per cent of (lie Xew South Wales population; in 1001, 35 per cent. In 1871 Melbourne held 2S per cen of the Victorian population; in 1001. 41 per cent. In 1871 Brisbane, held only 12 per cent of the Queensland population; in 1001, 23 per cent. Tn 1871 Adelaide held only 23 per cent of the South Australian population; in 1001, 44 per cent.

Be it admitted that iu every civilised territory population tends to gravitate to some one city; and that ours is an evil shared in greater or lesser degree with every civilised territory. Admitted also that the chief port of a territory gives necessary service in return for the people it holds back from wealthproducing labor. Admit 'the city's function of a national digestive apparatus; admit the moral of the fable'of the belly and the members.

And stili it remains that 'Australian cities are too large for national safety; and that for national purposes many of the people who inhabit them are merely encumbering Iho ground. ■ Why? liccause there ig profound truth in the, old legend of Antaeus. Antaeus was a hero it was impossible to overcome, because, as soon as he was discomfited and thrown, his mother earth gave him fresh strength to rise and renew the combat. It is so with us all. The one healthy life for men and women is the life of labor on the earth and in the earth. Often, it is true, men live longer in cities, living sheltered; often there are many avocations which seem preferable! to a to : l that is frequently execssive; but the principle is not vitiated—in the cities the heart flags, the muscles slacken, the nerves grow weak; and the fever of the over-driven brain saps gradually the strength of the body.

For the individual, here and there, it matters little; but we are talking of the nation. It is important to Australia that as many of her people as possible should have the virtue of lusty manhood or staunch womanhood—and this for the simplest reason of all, for the reason of existence. A nation of citydwollcrs will never hold this country ugaiust the foes that the present and future are preparing. Already 'the proportion of degenerates may have passed the limit of safety. Besides the reason of necessity, there is the economic reason. In the last resort, the man who actually wins the wealth of the soil is the sole true wealthproducer. The typical man in the city at the best adds value. It, is human nature to take the line of least effort; ami a hundred devices make the cities pleasant to live in r while a hundred trials, small or great, beset dwellers in the bush. The deeper vision may see in the bush an ample compensation for its troubles; but most of us are shallow-sighted, and prefer the facile life of the pavements and the crowd. And if it is right to believe, as we believe, that every man or woman engaged in the ball I" of the bush counts double for Australia, it follows that the city population must be attracted forth or driven out.

With nm; prop or another we have kept the pyramid inverted; the land and the loan* bare stood to us bravely; but the situation is permanently a situation of danger, and if ever a statesman arises in Australia he will give a cardinal proof of his slatesmansliin Inhuming the tide which floods the citiei. In the meantime, it is little to ask that the cities be compelled to support themselves, and that whenever there is money to spend it shall be expended in making the hush more habitable,.—The Book-fel-low.