THE DOMINION’S PEOPLE

Taranaki Daily News, 15 November 1926, Page 3

THE DOMINION’S PEOPLE

SLOW RATE O'F INCREASE. REVIEW BY STATISTICIAN. Wellington, Nov, 11. Commenting on the increase in population disclosed by the last census, a report from the Census Office remarks that State-assisted Immigration had increased greatly since the war. The average during the period 1920 to 1925 was 7670 a year, compared with an annual average of 3479 persons during 1909-13. In spite of this revival of State efforts, the ratio of increase of population had fallen. t An estimate based on the experience of the past four decades gives a prediction of a European population of 2,000,000 in 1943. A comparison of the rate of growth of New Zealand with that of the principal countries of the Empire is not wholly favourable to the former. A tabulated statement is given of the relative increase in population, exclusive of natives, shown by the latest available censuses, which for countries other than New Zealand and South Africa are those of 1911 and 1921. The increases for the period of ten years are as follow: Per Cent. New Zealand 20.87 Australia 22.04 Canada 21,95 South Africa 19.06 Wales 9.00 England 4.80 Scotland 2.50 For the last five years, 1921-26, New Zealand’s population shows an increase of 10.68 per cent. From 1875 commences the second great stage of population development, in which the principal source of recriiitment has been the natural increase of the population, by the excess of births over deaths. In the period from 1875 to date, natural increase has amounted to almost three-fourths of the total increase. Formerly the rate of natural increase in New Zealand was remarkably high, exceeding, indeed, that of all other countries. Now, however, by the almost .continual decline of the birthrate. which could not be counter-bal-anced by an equivalent fall in the already low' death-rate, the rate of natural increase is little more than half that, of former days. Nevertheless, by virtue of the Dominion experiencing the lowest.death-rate in the world, the rate of natural increase is exceeded by that of but few’ countries. The rate of natural increase in 1924, 12.88 per cent., was the lowest yet recorded, which emphasises the fact that in latter years, a steady decline in the rate of natural increase is becoming evident. As an immigrant country, New Zealand has almost invariably experienced a continual gain in population from migration. To this there have been only three exceptions, in 1888, 1899. and in 1891, which marked a period of depression. One feature of importance cannot be passed over and that is the important change in the sex distribution of immigrants. Formerly the experience in this respect was the normal one of a pronounced male numerical superiority, but during the last decade females •have, on the whole, outnumbered the males. In 1925, however, the migration surplus contained 2193 more males than females, which was more than enough to counteract the female excess of 425 resulting from the natural increase of the population. The Dominion has passed through the normal stage of a pronounced masculine dominance in numbers, and has now reached a stage where the males in the population, inclusive of Maoris, predominate in the proportion of 1090 to 955. It seems probable that a feminine preponderance will be asserted w'ithin a comparatively short period of years unless changes take place in the sex composition of new immigrants. Females outnumber males in all the larger towns and in the older and more settled districts generally. »