DOMINION’S NEED OF POPULATION

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24093, 1 November 1943, Page 3

DOMINION’S NEED OF POPULATION

IMMIGRATION ministry WANTED MANUFACTURERS call for ACTION Along with other sections of the community the manufacturers of New TMland have been deeply concerned nver the country’s trend of population, Lid Mr la n Matheson, president of the Spw Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation in pointing to the growing serinSsness of the position as represented at the federation’s recent annual conference in Napier.

l lt was very gratifying to find, he mjd that his predecessor’s advocacy of increased population and immigration Im correct this adverse trend had been iWjven prominence by the newspapers 'throughout New Zealand. The conference itself had also made pointed comment upon the disturbing situation The application of a corrective was, indeed, deemed to be a matter to be treated by the Government with the utmost urgency. The conference, said Mr Matheson, had before it the aims and objects of the Dominion Settlement Association, with a proposal representing the‘general feelings of manufacturers on the population question. The Dominion Settlement Association’s work’ in the interests of the country’s urgent population needs received commendation and was regarded as being worthy of all possible encouragement. It was of particular interest to learn, through Mr J. Abel (Wellington), of the details of New Zealand’s population

trend over the last 60 years, and the illustrations which he gave, through the medium of graphs, of the falling away in the younger age groups offered striking evidence of the danger with which the country was faced in its future advancement. It was contended by Mr Abel that New Zealand could never reach a population of more than 1,800,000 on the present trend of birth rate, which, he said, would be inadequate for the proper development and defence of the country. Not only was it necessary that many things should be done in New Zealand to bring about an improvement in the birth rate, but

there was a real and urgent seed for apian of immigration. Only in this way could New Zealand hope even reason--1 ably to people the country. It was the unanimous opinion of the conference, said Mr Matheson, that the Manufacturers’ Federation should move in urging the establishment without delay of an active Ministry of Immigration. A resolution on the subject was adopted as follows:—“ That the Government be urged to declare dearly its policy in regard to immigration and by the immediate formation of an active Ministry of Immigration lake steps to meet the grave population Issue now confronting this Dominion.”