AUCKLAND REGION

The Auckland region is a predominantly urban area centred on the isthmus between the Waitemata and Manukau Harbours but extending over a considerable area both to the north and to the south. It is contained within the boundaries of Waitemata, Eden, Manukau and Franklin counties, which, together with their interior cities and boroughs, constitute the principal basis for the collection of statistics. Auckland city, with a population of 143,583, is the largest single administrative body in the region. In 1961 the total population of the region was 502,483 (representing 20·80 per cent of the total New Zealand population), 4·87 per cent of which were Maoris.

The need to treat the Auckland region separately arises because the economic and social reality of this extensive conurbation–and with a population of half a million it warrants the term–is obscured, especially for readers overseas, by the multiplicity of place names and the large number of local government bodies which undertake the civic administration of the area.

The core of the region is Auckland city itself, with its wharves at the foot of Queen Street, the principal shopping thoroughfare. In the immediate vicinity are a group of financial houses and banks, Government offices for national and local purposes, the civic and cultural buildings, the university, and Albert Park, which is one of the pleasures of the city. In addition a range of small factories populate the back streets and upper stories. The huddle of multi-storey blocks, when seen from the air, clearly marks the centre of the conurbation which contains a third of the conurbation's total population. The larger proportion of the remainder, however, is to be found concentrated around Auckland city on the narrow strip of land between the Waitemata and Manukau Harbours; the rest, urban, rural, and semi-rural, is scattered as far north as Orewa and as far south as Bombay and Pukekohe.

Scenic Features

The scenic attractions of the Auckland region derive from two main features, the ria-like but extensive Waitemata Harbour, which is superb for yachting, and the volcanic activities of the Tertiary period which has been responsible for the large number of volcanic cones that stand above the general level of the terrain. Rangitoto, the most symmetrical and famous, stands off the North Shore just outside the harbour and as a reserve is preferred by picnickers. The other cones, closer to the city, have been chosen as domains and parks or, worse, as sources of road metal. In general the region in its eastern portion is underlain with rocks of Tertiary age or greywackes. These latter rocks give rise to the Hunua Ranges on the western side of the Firth of Thames from where the city draws its water supplies. In the Pukekohe area is an extensive area of volcanic rock. An important area for market gardening is associated with the fertile soils which are derived from these rocks. On the eastern side of the region, between the mouth of the Waikato River and the entrance to the Manukau Harbour, is a low-lying area of Quaternary deposits given over to rich dairying country. But across Manukau Harbour rise the Waitakeres to 1,580 ft. This ridge is bush covered and offers a pleasant scenic drive, though recently encroachment by housing has been very marked. As this brief sketch of the geology indicates, the land forms and the scenery of the region are quite diverse. In close juxtaposition are rich dairying or market gardening lands, bush reserve and domain, and, in addition, city and suburb, beach and harbour, industry and commerce.

Pattern of Settlement

The built-up area which lies within the boundaries of Auckland city extends along the southern shore of Waitemata Harbour from Port Chevalier in the west, through the suburbs of Freemans Bay, Parnell, Remuera, Mission Bay, St. Heliers, to Glendowie in the east. Contiguous and quite indistinguishable from the rest of the urban mass are the adjacent boroughs of Mount Albert, Mount Eden, and Newmarket which occupy the central portion of the land between the two harbours. The total population of this whole group approximates to 190,000 inhabitants. On the northern side of the Manukau Harbour, and again contiguous, are the county towns of Titirangi and Green Bay, the boroughs of Glen Eden and New Lynn in the west; and proceeding eastwards one passes through the boroughs of Mount Roskill, Onehunga, One Tree Hill, Ellerslie, and Mount Wellington: in all another 99,000 people. Many of the region's industrial plants are located in these latter three boroughs. The narrow piece of land between the Tamaki River and the Manukau Harbour is occupied by the borough of Otahuhu, with the boroughs of Papatoetoe, Manurewa, and Papakura extending southwards along the main highway. These four boroughs, together with the county towns of Mangere East and Mangere Bridge, account for approximately 54,000 inhabitants. At Papakura the southernmost limit of the closely built-up part is reached. To the east of the Tamaki River marked urban development has taken place in the post-war period so that the boroughs of Howick and the county towns of Bucklands and Eastern Beaches and Pakuranga now include some 10,000 residents.

Across the Waitemata Harbour are the older suburbs of Devonport, Northcote, Birkenhead (all boroughs), and Takapuna (now a city), whilst further north the more recent settlements along the coast have combined to form the East Coast Bays Borough. About 53,000 people reside in these five boroughs. Indicative of the rapid growth in this area in the post-war period are the figures for Glenfield, a county town which in 1951 had about 482 residents as counted by the census; in 1961 the population had increased to 5,683. The North Shore is immensely attractive as a residential area and the opening of the Auckland Harbour Bridge in 1959 has considerably stimulated settlement, since it has removed the necessity of a long and time-consuming trip around the Waitemata Harbour and put an end to the more frequented trip across the harbour by car ferry. In addition to the more nucleated suburbs and settlements, a considerable amount of ribbon development is taking place as city dwellers choose more northerly sites for their new homes. Some of the older villages have become suburban in character, and settlements such as Orewa are gaining popularity as weekend resorts. But in fact the Aucklanders can find their weekend relaxation as far north as Leigh.

Population Increase

It is clear from the mere recounting of population figures that the region has experienced a remarkable growth in the past few decades and there is every reason to believe that the growth will continue. In figures the region's population in 1926 totalled 229,976; by 1951 it had reached 372,827, and in 1961, 502,483. It is estimated that the population will have reached by 1981 a figure of 890,000. Much of the growth will probably take place on the periphery, in the north around the East Coast Bays and Henderson, in the east around Howick, and in the south around Papakura and Manurewa. Some of the more central boroughs, such as Mount Wellington and Mount Roskill, are expected to reveal substantial increases as redevelopment occurs. The trend of population in the older and more central borough areas will depend upon the success obtained in promoting higher residential densities.

One obvious result of this urban expansion is the continuing loss of agricultural land. In the south of the region, particularly in Franklin County, dairy farming is important, as are the 1,700 acres of market gardening land in the Pukekohe-Bombay area, and the potential livestock carrying capacity of the area is reckoned to be considerable. Close by the built-up areas lie significant acreages of market garden land. From around Henderson comes as much as 12 per cent by value of the nation's fruit production, in addition to the products of the vineyards. The conservation of agricultural land is not the only problem faced by the regional planners. The question of the circulation and the congestion of traffic, the competition between central and peripheral shopping areas, the separation of work place and residence, the archaic pattern of local government, make up the familiar planning problems of a large urban centre. In addition there are a group of problems associated with the establishment of non-European residents in the region.

One of the most portentous developments of the last decade, and one that is arousing a lot of discussion, is the rapid increase in Maoris and, though numerically less important, of other Polynesian immigrants, Samoans, Cook Islanders, Niueans, and Tongans. In 1951, 7,621 Maoris were resident in the Auckland Urban Area; at the 1961 Census 19,847 were recorded, a 160·42 per cent increase which is overwhelmingly the product of immigration. Inevitably this population contrasts in a variety of respects with the European population; it is on average a much younger population with a particular concentration in the 15–30 age group; and as with most immigrant populations there is an excess of males per hundred females, 101·44; the European ratio is 95·51 males per 100 females. The Maori disproportion is not excessive and is to be considered as an indication of a satisfactory state of affairs, especially when the ratio of Niueans is known to be 155, the Samoans 119, and the Chinese, who are a small and long-settled group receiving very few additional migrants, is 161. A further indication of the permanent nature which Maori settlement is assuming arises out of their distribution within the region. Whereas, for instance, 90 per cent of the Cook Islanders are concentrated in the very central parts of Auckland, whose conditions are clearly indicated by their designation as redevelopment areas, the Maoris are more dispersed. A decline of numbers resident in the central parts is matched by a marked increase in the outer suburbs, a trend assisted by State provided finance for houses, stimulated by the location of industrial factories away from the central area, and not inhibited by such strong and inflexible kin and neighbourhood associations which keep the Cook Islanders within a more restricted area. Unfortunately the occupational structure of the Auckland Maoris is not readily obtainable. In 1956 Cook Island residents in Auckland numbered 1,088; Niueans, 1,703; Samoans, 2,288, admittedly rather small populations, but ones that have increased from a few hundred in 1945 and which present their own complex and individual problems associated with integration.

Factors Influencing Population Growth

The factors which have influenced the growth of population within the region are easily discerned; the port, the development of the surrounding farming districts, especially the Waikato, the general trend towards urbanisation, and secondary and tertiary employment. An examination of the cargoes moving through the port of Auckland illustrates the role played by the urban area in the economy of the surrounding and predominantly agricultural regions and its role as an industrial and manufacturing centre. Both coastal and overseas shipping are important, the latter accounting for twice the amount of cargo: 126,444 tons of butter, 108,650 tons of milk products, 94,159 tons of frozen meat, 46,119 tons of wool, 20,920 tons of tallow, 16,414 tons of hides and skins, and 13,242 tons of cheese–it amounts to a table of overseas trade–are exported through Auckland. In addition there is a notable coastal trade to other New Zealand ports in iron and steel pipes, manures and machinery, motor vehicle parts, consisting of goods first imported and processed or even manufactured in Auckland. Clearly reflecting some of Auckland's industries is the coastal trade in sugar, 50,307 tons, with a further 10,000 tons leaving the port of Onehunga, manures 17,091 tons, and 13,506 tons of beer and other alcoholic products. The overseas imports are divisible into two categories, those required for the victualling of the urban population and those required for the provisioning of the agricultural and manufacturing industries. In the first category are included 117,742 tons of sugar and 44,925 tons of fresh fruit, both stressing Auckland's connection with the Pacific Island territories, and a further 95,320 tons of grain. In the second category one includes 334,690 tons of motor spirit and 238,424 tons of oil and oil products, 291,820 tons of manure, 169,233 tons of steel and iron pipes, etc., 57,132 tons of machinery, and 44,090 tons of timber.

The growth of manufacturing as a factor in Auckland's development needs stressing, for the Auckland Employment District which corresponds closely with the limits of the region as defined here, includes 22·88 per cent of the total civilian labour force in New Zealand, amounting to 204,000 persons in April 1961. In terms of numbers employed, 71,000, the Auckland region is the most important manufacturing centre of New Zealand and accounts for 30·55 per cent of the total labour force in manufacturing. In addition it has the highest proportion of any region, 34·78 per cent, of its labour force engaged in manufacturing. It does not, however, have an especially distinct industrial structure. For distinctiveness one must go to the Wellington region or, in another sense, to the Dunedin region. In Auckland one-third of the total manufacturing labour force is engaged in the engineering and metal industries and one-fifth is engaged in the textile clothing and other industries, whilst 15 per cent is engaged in food, drink, and tobacco manufacturing industries. It would be true to say, however, that the area is noted for the innovations which are occurring in its industries and for the establishment of many industries that are important to the country's industrial future. As is to be expected, the rate of growth of the total labour force in the Auckland region has been very high in the period 1953–61, 31·67 per cent and the rate of growth of the labour force engaged in manufacturing has been even higher, 33·70 per cent, both rates being above their respective national figures.

Everything points to the Auckland region as being the most dynamic in New Zealand. During the decade 1951–61 the total population increased by 35·60 per cent. Growth was particularly rapid in the peripheral areas; thus the population of Manukau County with its interior boroughs increased by 100·42 per cent, and by 73·72 per cent for Waitemata County and its interior boroughs. Containing as it does one-fifth of the total New Zealand population, the Auckland region ranks as the first region of the Dominion. And in the light of the population projections one can only suppose that its influence in national affairs will increase further. At the turn of the century André Siegfried forecast that, under the benefice of the mild climate and easy life of the northern parts, there would come the emergence of a “new colonial race, differing from the Australians as from the English, and which perhaps will one day be the New Zealand race”. Everyone would agree that the focus of this development now lies in the Auckland region where all the forces are concentrated which are breaking with the old traditions and promoting new ones. In the coming decades the region will be the principal setting for the greatest period of urbanisation, industrialisation, and miscegenation as yet experienced in the short history of the Dominion.

by Samuel Harvey Franklin, B.COM.GEOG., M.A.(BIRMINGHAM), Senior Lecturer, Geography Department, Victoria University of Wellington.

• New Zealand's Industrial Potential, Ward, M. W., and Ward, R. G. eds. (1960), “Industrial Development Within The Auckland Metropolitan Region”, Carr, D.
• New Zealand Geographer, Vol. 15, Oct 1959, “Auckland by Gaslight–an Urban Geography of 1896”, Armstrong, R. W.
• Ibid., Vol 18, Apr 1962, “Development of a City Centre - an Auckland Example”, Dudson, G. H.
• Ibid., Vol. 15, Oct 1959, “Market Gardening in Metropolitan Auckland”, Hunt, T. D.
• Ibid., Vol. 17, Oct 1961, “Aspects of Rural Settlement in the Lowlands of Franklin County”, Kennedy, T. F.
• Ibid., Vol. 14, Apr 1958, “Manufacturing in Auckland - its Origins and Growth, 1840-1936”, Linge, G. J. R.
• Ibid., Vol. 6, Oct 1950, “Metropolitan Auckland 1840-1945”, Pownall, L. L.
• Ibid., Vol. 7, Apr 1951, “Metropolitan Auckland - the Contemporary Character”, Pownall, L. L.
• Ibid., Vol. 17, Apr 1961, “The Age of the Auckland Volcanoes”, Searle, E.J.