LEADING FEATURES OF THE WHEAT INDUSTRY 199 



Further, it may indicate that "labour and directive 

 ability are being set free by the progress of agricultural 

 art and science for application to other spheres." If 

 such were the results of the population movement in 

 New Zealand its beneficial effect would not be questioned. 

 But when we come to study the movements in the rural 

 population itself, such results are not in evidence, and 

 it is unquestionable that the continuation of such move- 

 ments would be detrimental to the interests of agriculture. 



(6) Movements in Rural Population. 



TABLE XXXI. 



The following table shows a comparison of the total numbers 

 occupied in the three leading rural industries in the census years 1901, 

 1906, 1911.* 



Industry 



Total Numbers Occupied 



1901 



1906 



1911 



Agriculture 



Pastoral 



Dairying 



63,046 



12,069 



9,081 



64,965 

 15,026 

 11,405 



48,894 

 27,332 

 26,348 



An analysis of the numbers occupied in these industries 

 in the same period is interesting. 



The following table gives such an analysis : 

 TABLE XXXII. 



*A census ia now overdue. One was taken late in 1916, but 

 the returns are not yet available. 



