THE DECLINING BIRTH RATE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 3673, 24 February 1899, Page 7

THE DECLINING BIRTH RATE.

A DENIAL AND A REVELATION. - “ F.H.C.” writes:—Your Eketahumj. correspondent “A Parent recognising his Responsibility ” wears spectacles:, pessimistic spectacles of such a greenish yellow fine, that he sees everything in d state of decay and death; where others of a more healthy mind and body, and consequently of clearer sight, see. herd a brightness and fulness of life which not many districts can surpass. '“He sajs-, “It simply disgusts me when of Parliament, .of speak of the bright and merry faces of the children in these districts,” and adds, “there is. no such thing, sir.” Now, lam well acquainted with the district, having lived in it many \years, and am contmu. Ily going about it; and 1 say this—The whole district is swarming .with such bright and merry ana well-dressed children; and sir, there is not one too many. They will all be wanted, and there is ample room for all, and as many more as can be produced. Yoii mav gc about for a month and riot find one such cadaverous child as he has pictured; and If .you do come across the one “.with a rag for clothing, and a tent witimut even a fly as. their, covering for years,” you may be sure the father ought to oe in the 1 lunatic asylum ■ for there is material enough anywhere to put up a decent house within a week’s time, •. a man will only lay himself out to do is. It is" deplorable to, find a man writing such falsehoods of his district and neighbours, and the spirit in which he writes is quite easily perceived by the unnecessary way in which ? he drags in the Church of England; for what has the church to do with the matter? Regarding the question of the declining birth rate in general, it is a most pitiable delusion which has taken possession, of many women. T say not one - Word against regulation by*discipline and con-, sent: but child murder—-and it is, noth ing less—is horrible. My own wife did her utmost with the help of an uriconscionable chemist to kill Our last one, but it managed to" 1 pull through; It'is now grown up—and is the light of oiir eyes, the joy of the home, and the coinfort of our old age. i

A CHEERFUL OPTIMIST. ' You have (writes “ Helveticus ”) sue ceeded in creating a scare with your controversy about the declining-birth rate. But I agree with your correspondent who stated that the matter is .cif more concern to the statistician than tp the average paterfamilias.- Even from the. former’s point of view I; see .really nothing to feel’alarmed about. For-tho past sixteen years,the number of births in New Zealand has been about 13,000 yearly, while the deaths were about 6000 per annum, which means that every year 12,000 hungry mouths more have to be filled. over ' deaths has been no less than 121,670. It is quite true the birth rate is low 1 , but so is the death rate. In addition, we have gained 23,000 people by inlmigration since 1888 (304,394 since 1860); and then you are afraid that, the race is dying out 1 Considering that., ws cannot profitably and constantly employ the few people who are here, it seems rather absurd to cry out for more to swell the ranks of the destitute, the unemployed and the insane. The births in' New Zealand have not decreased numerically, just the reverse. Since 1892 they have slowly but gradually increased. The rate has slightly dc-

creased, but it has done so in nearly a 1 civilised countries. Taking the years 1880 and 1890, in the United States it decreased from 36 to 30; England, 34 to 30; Scotland, 33 to 30; Ireland, 24 to 22; France, 24 to 22; Belgium, 31 to 28; Germany, 37 to 35; Holland, 35 to 33, etc. -Even in Switzerland, where wealth is more equally divided than anywhere else, the rate, has declined from 29 to 26. Can you give one good reason why the rate should always increase; The price of commodities, the rate of profits, interest, wage's, even the contents of the ‘collection plate, fluctuate ; everything' does except-house rent in Wellington. Instead of being alarm; d, I-welcome the check in the birth rate. The women are guided-simply by the instinct of self-preservation. . It is a silent protest b.v Nature against producing more paupers and lunatics. The schoolmaster has been about. Do away witl. the present hellish system of competition, commercialism and monopoly. Give every man and woman work wno ask for it. Provide constant work, to enable us to secure a roof, food and clothing, and’ the marriage and birth rates will' go up by leaps and bounds. The refusal‘of .many-women to increase and multiply, (in' spite of the warnings of editors, parsons and landlords) may. entail a little hardship and self-denial on some of the manr-vl/.Wlfe desertion,separation orders and illegitimacy will probably increase-f6r-a-while.- The establishment of . duly licensed houses is purely a question of time.. The “houses” exist already,.But..,for some inscrufable reason’, -jthqyare ’ called “ disorderly.” Would" It" not bq_ more sane to make them “orderly” by licensing and supervising /them-? r Ttps .done in alh,civilised couliMek'UAllivfco have toAdujii’itd display a little courage and to divest our-, selves ' sickening 1 ! As&fit l. Fand hypocrisy with-Which we are infested.