Population and Prosperity

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 208, 31 May 1935, Page 13

Population and Prosperity

■Sir, —There is no doubt that we want more 'population in' this'country, and' that the best additional population we can get are those bred in the country from our own people. What encouragement are young people getting to marry and bring up families? It seems that we are rapidly getting to the stage where a good proportion of the births will be the result of accidents, and these will not happen among the more intelligent of dur people. If you go into the shops in the towns you will find them' staffed to a great extent by young girls who earn about enough to keep them in face powder, a few scanty clothes and pay for their hair dressing. These potential mothers of our nation are keeping the potential fathers and husbands out of employment, and this is being done to earn, profits. The people who flock in their thousands to these establishments are mostly the mothers and spenders of the families who complain about the meagre amounts earned- by the breadwinners. The remedy is obvious, but the people want a lead. That is only one aspect of the situation. In the country those who are doing their part in rearing families are the small farmers, and look what a rough spin they are having. Every penny they earn is taken in payment of interest. In time of war they are expected to provide the man-power to protect the property of the mortgagees. The people who work the land are entitled to a fair return for their work, and should see that they get it. Land should be cut down in value to one-third of present-day prices, and men occupying large areas should 'be made to support ,at least one family on every hundred acres of first-class land. If close settlement of suitable areas were carried out properly, we would soon have the population and the right class of people. —I am, etc., COLONIAL. Wanganui, (May 28.