N.Z. BIRTH RATE.

Grey River Argus, 21 June 1927, Page 5

N.Z. BIRTH RATE.

ANGLICAN -VIEW. PROPAGATION OE THE UNFIT” AUCKLAND. June 19 The Primate (Archbishop Averill) was responsible at the annual meeting of the Auckland branch of the Plunket Society for a note of warning in reference tn New Ze dand’s declining birth rate. “Th l d •tressing!y low birth rate m New Zealand. is not sufficiently realised,” declr-ed the archbishop, who said he was nnusly alarmed as to the position. “If this kin lof thing goes on,’-’ he declared, ‘ therj can be only one result. The relative positions of the peoples cf the earth will be materially changed and altered.” It was essential, he said, that New Zealand :nd Austra'ia should possess a consi lei ably iner 3.1*04 native papulation. Tuis was esse iti?' for the preservation andwwell-be- n g of both countries.

“This is needed very badly,” the archbishop emphatically declared: What is the use of talking ot a ‘* White Australia ’ ’ or a‘ ‘White New Zealand” when the birth rate is so alarmingly low*?” Attention was again drawn to the fact that New Zealand and Australia were surrounded by countries anxious for an outlet for their teeming populations. “Therefore I regard the work of the Plunket Society in saving child life not only as a great humanitarian effort, but an essentially patriotic one of much importance, ’ ’ said the primate. Although he was quite aware of the difficulties in connection with the propagation of the unfit a said the archbishop, he really thought this subject should be tackled in a .serious manner.

“New Zealand is a young country and excellent for the purpose of experiments in this direction,” he declared. “Small as we are, I think we might do something to overcome this problem. The propagation of the unfit and of the defectives is a serious menace in our community.”