EMPIRE'S PROBLEM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23302, 22 March 1939, Page 19

EMPIRE'S PROBLEM

RAISING BIRTH-RATE TOTALITARIAN METHODS [BY TELEGUArH —OWN" CORRESPONDENT! NEW PLYMOUTH, Tuesday The view that there was a great need for paying attention to the birthrate and population question if the British Empire was to compete with totalitarian countries was expressed in an address to the New Ply mouth Rotary Club by Mr. H. L ; Moore, technical director of the New Plymouth High Schools, who has just returned after spending a year abroad. He stayed for several months in Germany and Italy, and said that in both these countries great attention was paid to increasing the birth-rate.

" In Germany young men are given loans free of interest on marriage, and 25 per cent of this is cancelled for each child born," said Mr. Moore. "The Italians have a different method, giving family allowances." » Mr. Moore said contributions for all social services in Italy were levied on employers and employees. While he was in Italy there was a great drive for more marriages and nil edict went forth that no civil servant could retain his job unless he was married. Consequently there was a rush lor brides by, in some cases, quite elderly men. '"in both Italy and Germany the population is increasing tremendously," continued Mr. Moore. " r l his is striking compared with the democratic countries. It seems a fact that when the standard of living in a country is increasing the birth-rate decreases. Where there is a striking increase in population in any country there is generally a fairly meagre standard of living."