CORRESPONDENTS' VIEWS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 254, 27 October 1942, Page 2

CORRESPONDENTS' VIEWS

POPULATION ANI) SAFETY

(To the Editor.)

While all thinking people will agree with your editorial statement that the safety of New Zealand would be greater if New Zealand was more thickly populated, also that the natural increase by New Zealand stock is most desirable, I cannot agree that a small home with labour-saving devices and one or two children are the sum toud of the average New Zealander s ambitions. Neither can I agree that, even if those views were universally held the nation is of necessity prevented from becoming great. because several nations whose average family indicates the desire and ability, have been ravaged and murdered almost out of existence in the past few years. Even the desire for pleasure is not a fundamental cause of small families or low birth rates. They are in reality the result of the same cause which plunges nations into war — economic insecurity fear. People of the intellectual superior class refuse to endanger the future of their children by having more than their payment can adequately provide for What is needed is a change in the whole economic system. A change which will abolish fear, fear of the landlord, fear of getting the sack, fear of sickness or incapacitv to work, fear of your child having to grind and sweat as vou have for an insecure existence. y C. J. MAHON.