SPARE NO MIGRANTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 54, 5 March 1937, Page 7

SPARE NO MIGRANTS.

— New Position is Developing in Britain. " NATION OF PENSIONERS." LONDON", February 27. The Dominions cannot, count on Britons to increase their populations at the rate required for safety. Will they have to admit foreign migrants? I The question will confront the Imperial Conference, where striking statistics will show up the difficulties of population within the Empire. It is calculated that the Commonwealth to maintain the population increase of 2 per cent per annum prevailing until li>3o would need 87,000 migrants a year. If immigration to the Dominions is to lie mainly or entirely confined to British stock, the problem becomes bewildering. On a general basis similar to that given for the Commonwealth, the Dominions together would need a total outflow of 200.000 Britons a year. 'i he "Round Table" comment®: — "Unless steps were taken to deal with the ftritish birth-rate, such an outflow would be eugenically anil economically disastrous. Xot only would it mean transferring the centre of British civilisation to another hemisphere; in a few generations it would transform the people of Britain into a race of pensioners." The same review quotes Dr. T.ev bourne as not unreasonably foreseeing a decline of 12.000.000 in the population of Britain during the next 40 years. The number of persons under 4.1 years of age would fall from 31.000.000 to iu.nnn.ooo in 1070, while the number over 4.1 would rise from 13,.">00.000 to If'. .100.000.