‘Organised Dispersal Of U.K. Population’

Northern Advocate, 10 January 1948, Page 4

‘Organised Dispersal Of U.K. Population’

HASTINGS. Sat. (P.A.)—"I think the only hope for the future lies in the organised dispersal of the population of Britain.'' stated Dr Hugh Small, a Harley Street surgeon, in an interview in Hastings. He sttid that emigration should be so arranged that emigrants were from a cross-section of the community and not merely young and active persons, on whom the authorities at present laid emphasis. Thus the problems in England would not be intensified by the depletion of its young population. The biggest chance for the wellbeing of the nation seemed to be in organised emigration, said Dr Small, who considered the development of South Africa of great importance in' tnis respect. Emigrating only the young population would further increase one of the most difficult medical problems confronting civilised countries at present —that of geriatrics, the "medical servicing of old people.”

"Two points enter into this,” said Dr Small.

"The first is the development of a state of affairs in which people too old to work full lime can still contribute, something to the economic life of the country, and the second is the provision of adequate living conditions for them in circumstances that enable the saving of many hospital beds they are at present occupying.”