NEED FOR MORE PEOPLE

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 112, 7 November 1935, Page 8

NEED FOR MORE PEOPLE

Amid the clamour of an election campaign some aspects of the real position of New Zealand are likely to pass unnoticed. One of these is the growth of population, as revealed in an article in "The Post" on Tuesday, emphasising the conclusions set out in the Statistical Report on Population for the year 1934-35. The report says: The note of unbroken growth, so long maintained, has been accepted as a matter of course, and the possibility of a stationary population—even a declining one—within the immediate future will undoubtedly present a serious shock to those who have not kept in touch with trends- of population. The facts, as stated in the report, are that the birlh-rate has declined from 41.21 per thousand in 1876-80 to 16.47 in 1934; that the natural increase rate has fallen from 29.41 per 1000 in 1876-80 to 7.99 per 1000 in 1934; that based on expectation of life figures for 1931, an "equilibrium" birth-rate of over 15 per 1000 is required to maintain even a stationary population, and that during the

last four years of "depression there has been an actual exodus of population from New Zealand. It is also a fact that children under 10 years, numbering 267.227, formed 19.92 per cent, of the population at the last Census in April, 1926, and that in April, 1935, the number of children under 10, it was estimated, had declined by 15,521, despite a total increase in population in the same period of 140,577. The conclusion in the report is that "the margin of natural increase is precariously low and will vanish in a few years, if the present trend continues." The figures speak for themselves. What are the consequences? Certain countries are crying out that they are over-populated and must have room somewhere in the world for their surplus people. What is going on in Abyssinia is an example of where this plea may lead. There is a fresh movement in Britain to resume emigration and the question is asked whether the Dominions cannot take more settlers. While the depression continued, it was possible to make a "satisfactory answer, but it will be difficult to announce that the depression has departed and at the same time decline to open the doors to Empire immigrants. The position j was strongly put by Mr. W. J. Mason, the' Nationalist candidate for Wellington Central, in a speech reported in Tuesday's "Post." A greater population, he said, would make New Zealand as a nation "less dependent on overseas prices and a much more self-contained unit"; would enable the "tremendous overhead management cost and public debt for a million and a half people" to be spread over a larger number and would be a protection to NW Zealand "in face of the present national land hunger." • At the present rate of natural increase it would take, many years-—a century, Mr. I Mason said—to double New Zealand's j population.' Some ordered system of Empire settlement, in view of t all these circumstances, should be one of the first matters for consideration by the new Government. *