THE BRITISH CENSUS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 91, 7 June 1911, Page 6

THE BRITISH CENSUS.

The census totals for the United Kingdom arc. complete, nave tor the out hying islands. A* As received by cable, the figures are ns follows, those for 1901 being given to make a comparison:— 1001. 1911. England and Wales ... 32,526,075 36,0, o, 000 Scotland ... 4,4,2,000 4,, 59,445 Ireland ... 4,156,516 4,381,951 Total ... -H ,451,621 45,216,396 The percentage of increase in England and Wales has fallen from 12.17 in the decade of 1891-1901, ; to 10.91 per cent in the last decade; Scotland’s percentage of increase has dropped from 11.09 to 6.42: Ireland ; decrease has fallen from 218,204 to 76,821. It is curious to reflect that of the three parts of the kingdom, Ireland’s figures arc, perhaps, considering all the circumstances, the most satisfactory. From 1851 the ton-yeai periods have shown an unbroken decline, but the decrease for the past dorado is much the smallest of the series. Prosperity is having its cil'ect in Ireland; Ike land legislation, coupled with the e.vtcnr:io nof the co-operative movement in agriculture, is lessening the stream of emigration. The figures for England and Wales cannot bo considered satisfactory, especially when it is remembered that the population of the country’s greatest rival is over 60,0009900, and is increasing at a greater rate (remarks the Christchurch “Press”). The percentage of increase for 1901-1911 is the lowest on record. In Scotland the rate of increase is still less satisfactory, for not only has it dropped by nearly 50 per cent, but there is only one lower in the decennial returns, that of the decade 1851-1861. Wo give elsewhere a I pessimistic view of the decline in the rural population of Scotland, a view that may be exaggerated, but for which there is certainly a good deal of justification. The universal tendency to (lock to the towns, pins the lure of oversea lands, and, according to the “British Weekly,” the aggregation of holdings, is robbing the countryside o( its best men. There has been a great- deal ok-foolish talk about the iniquity of using land for deer forests that should be used for .cultivation, but there does seem to be. need in Scotland for an intelligent policy of ;putting small farmers on the land apd'keeping them there. The Small Holdings Act, which has done some good' in England, does not apply to Scotland. It is to be hoped that the British Parliament will find time to give Scotland some such legislation. The whole of Great Britain, indeed, would benefit by the extension of the present legislation so as to create a large class of peasant iroprietors.