KEEP THE CRADLES FULL.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14899, 12 February 1914, Page 7

KEEP THE CRADLES FULL.

ADVICE TO SWIMMEES

In the course of his speech in acknowledging the presentation niado to him last by the members of the Christchufch Amateur Swimming Club, Mr George Harris referred to an important matter—the necessity for popu» lation in a young and growing country. Mr Harris recalled to tho members j of the ciub ft social evening held some years ago when ho addressed tho boys of tho Cnristcuurch Amateur Swimming Club oa tho samo subject. "Every child in this country," Mr Hams wont on to say, "is worth a lot, and overy child born will become eithor a swimmer or an athlete of some description. Therefore 1 say again, though I remember that on the previous occasion there was some jeering at my remarks, that a large family is a thing that every man that marries Bhouid go in for—l don't care who he is. Ho does the best for his country, arid he assists, though at hia own expense, and at a very largo expense, to keep the country growing and continuing in prosperity. If it had not been for the large families in Canterbury you would not see much of Banks Peninsula. I feel very strongly on this point, and I hope you will bear with mc in what I say. On February 13th, 1889, I was married, and a week later another citizen of. Christehurch was married; he bns had twenty children and I have had eleven —that is 'Al between the two of us."