DECLINING BIRTH RATE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 3676, 28 February 1899, Page 7

DECLINING BIRTH RATE.

; A KNOWLEDGE OF POLITICAL | ECONOMY PRESCRIBED, i “ A Father‘of ThfeeLoys,” writing from Pahiatua, says :—1 'maintain the main pause- of the evil to be an .economic one, although, doubtless, there . are minor Causes contributing ■to the same deplorable result, many of w hich have been referred to already. Political cco.noiqy teaches that three factors co r qperate in the production of all wealth, land, labour (mental or physical), arid capital, but in the distribution of that" wealth the three faetdrs !do not, asjlhey.qshould do,, share, equally. We find oii .tho contrary the feward.-to- capita Land continually diminishing,, while the 'reward of. the third factor, the landlord, is in cOnsequence'of increase of population. ,in all countries Steadily increasing in power. Hence he becomes richer at the expense of others. Since theabolition ofthc feudal systemwe have in common with other countries made tho one great mistake 6f soiling ithe freehold tenure of land—the common heritage of all—and thus has arisen the apparent necessity to tax those commodities necessary to the sustenance, health and enjoyment of mankind. The result of this has been to punish the producers of large families, and to cause ivant and the fear of ivant. I maintain that this dread of poverty is the primary reason for mankind breaking that high command, incuthated by all religious codes—“be fruitful and l multiply.” There is one way out of tho difficulty. Our boys and girls of the higher standards in our public schools' should be instructed in the principles of political economy. Then and hot till then do I hope for .no intelligent .exercise by all of what Aristotle lias classified as the three constitutional functions of a i member of a State—the deliberate the administrative, and the judicial. Why should a science which teaches the most important of all duties be systematically ignored? One is almost tempted to believe ' that the subject is designedly omitted from tho curriculum lest knowledge should become too general. We find candidates for political honours professing to be at one and the same time-Con-servatives, Freetraders, Liberals and Protectionists. They are of course generally taken at their word ; but they would, 1 if economic causes and effects were 1 as well understood as arithmetic or algebra, be laughed at. One writer, *l’notice, attributes , the decline of the . birth rate in France to the- compulsory ; division ofland upon death. I would point out that those among whom it is portioned are not obliged to keep it, but may convert it : into) personal property forthwith. I en,tirely agree with “ Pater’s ” contribution :on rthis Subject. Tlie time is approaching when the State will have to face this problenrin real earnest. ’ ’ ;