FALLING BIRTH RATE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19916, 9 April 1928, Page 12

FALLING BIRTH RATE.

HIGH RATE UNDESIRABLE. THE ECONOMIC ASPECT. Owing to New Zealand's happy position in possessing the lowest infant mortality rate in the world, a study of the birth rate figures of this country is always of special interest. The problems of birth rate and death rate are peculiarly interwoven, and an informative paper by TJr. E. P. Neale, secretary of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, on New Zealand infantile mortality published by tho American Statistical Association, contains many interesting references to the birth rate.

D;.\ Nealc points out, that a given effective birth rate may bo consistent wilh either (;i) a high actual birth rale and a high rate ui' infant mortality; or a low actual birth rate and a low rate of infant mortality. Ho submits tlint, a high birth rate, with ils normal accompaniment of high infantile mortality, is undesirable on various grounds. Among these he places first (lie great physical discomfort, mental anxiety ami expense for both parents involved in frequent births. Then there, is the fact that mothers, prospective and actual, are rendered temporarily unable to do full justice to their household and other duties. Most parents with large fa in; lies are unable, owing to the enormous demands on their time and inclines, to provide sufficient food, clothing, attention, etc., for their little ones, or indeed for themselves. The consequent greater liability to sickness and want lead to frequent funerals, with their attendant expense, and to the filling of the cemeteries with tiny mounds. "Keep the cradles full," and the undertakers will never be out of a job. Much economic waste is involved ;u the rearing to an early death of infants, who, succumbing to the conditions of their environment, are destined never to become effective members of society,

For all these reasons Th*. Neale lakes up the position (hat a high birth rale with the usual accompanying high infant mortality is not a, desirable object to be aimed at in tho national life. 111 this it will be seen he is in substantial agreement with several representative citizens whose views were published in the Herau) last week.