"Evolution In Reverse"

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30479, 29 June 1964, Page 2

"Evolution In Reverse"

<XZ. ?re*» Aaiociatsawj WELLINGTON,

June 28. ••Scientific advances could lead to a happier, healthier New Zealand, or they could accentuate the present situation, which is putting evolution into reverse with a gradual decline in the proportion of capable. responsible citizens.*’ The president at the New Zealand Family Hanning Association (Dr. Aliee W Bush? .said this in her annual report to the association's ctmferenee in Lower Hutt yesterday. Science had provided a method cf fertility control which had doze much to fill the gap which was previousiy wide open. Dr. Bush said.

Commenting on the family probtans of the Maori, she said that they too were beginning to feel that their race, would be best served by at-; tention to the quality, as well' as the quantity, of the next generation. “Until the Health Department takes ever, the tian must make a big effort to see that the Maori family does not remain under-privi-, leged, and uneducated on one of the most important aspects of family Irving" Dr. Bush maintained that the increasing use of oral eontraeeptives in this country, azd the willingness of family doctors to prescribe them for. their patients, was almost certainly the reason for the drop in the number of births occurring in New Zealand last year. “This is the first year since the war that the total of births has net shown an increase. The *pill’ has also almost certainly been the cause of the decrease in the numbers of new patients at the older eiizics.

“Tnis Is a most encouraging development for it means that many general practitioners are willing to supply to their patients the means to plan their families with a method which is within their competence.”