LARGE FAMILIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21804, 19 May 1934, Page 2 (Supplement)

LARGE FAMILIES

QUEBEC'S FRENCH-CANADIANS When the British captured Canada in 1760 the French population was some 75.000, of whom 60.000 wore in Quebec and 15.000 in tlio Maritime Provinces. This little colony has grown into four millions. The French-Cana-dian population of Quebec now numbers some 2,300,000. Elsewhere in Canada there .ire 650,000. In the United States are 375,000 French-Canadians born in Canada, and an estimated 800,000 of French-Cana-dian ancestry, but born in the United States. The growth of the French race on this continent since tho capture of Quebec by General Wolfe is one of tho striking facts of modern history. The explanation largely lies in the size of the tvnical French-Canadian family and a birth-rate of 29 per 1000 of population, as compared with 15.8 in England and Wales and 23,2 in Canada as a whole. Some years ago the Government of Quebec provided a cash gratuity or a grant of land to fathers with 12 or more living children, and 5113 such families wore tabulated. A curious student who analysed the first 500 names on tho list discovered that 392 had tho required 12 children living, 63 bad 13, 27 had 14. nine had 15, four had 16, three had 17, one had 18, and one had the even score. Quebec women vote in Dominion elections, but in municipal affairs only widows and spinsters have the franchise. The reason is that there is no strong demand among them for tho ballot. In Quebec the family is the unit, and an intense devotion to church and home the predominant characteristic.