THE POPULATION PROBLEM

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 23012, 2 October 1944, Page 4

THE POPULATION PROBLEM

First Step Toward A Solution

Salvation Army To Bring Out Boys (N.Z.P.A.) WELLINGTON, Oct.. 1. As the first small but practical step toward the solution of New Zealand’s population problem, the Salvation Army has prepared plans to bring out from Britain to the Dominion 50 boys between the ages of 10 and 17, said Commissioner J. Evan Smith. The present situation is a plain challenge, he said. Either New Zealand must fill up its empty spaces with sufficient European people properly to exploit its rich resources, or within a few years the demands of the Eastern peoples for breathing space would become so insistent that they would have to be admitted. Practically on our doorstep were Japan’s 100,000,000, China’s 500,000,000 and India’s 400,000,000, while Australia and New Zealand together had a population of only 9.000,000. Apart from the danger of invasion, peaceful or otherwise, by coloured nations, the present trend toward a declining population, if unchecked, could lead only to disaster for New Zealand. A country was prosperous only insofar as it produced, and production depended on population. If the Dominion failed to maintain its prosperity what hope was there of rehabilitating the returning servicemen? whether a sufficient increase in the birthrate to reverse the present trend toward a population decline could be obtained was doubtful, and at best it would be an extremely slow process. On the other hand there were difficulties in the way of obtaining sufficient immigrants. Most of the Euro-

pean countries had had their manpower depleted by the war and would no doubt be reluctant to part with many men, at least during the period of reconstruction. There was evidence that in spite of difficulties immigrants could still be obtained if prompt action were taken. General Carpenter, of London, the international leader of the Salvation Army, had stated in a recent letter: "I can tell you from practical knowledge that there is a growing interest in immigration, an interest of some magnitude among young people here both in and out of the Fighting Services, but the urge will have to come from the overseas dominions rather than from the home country. It is conceivable that the Dominions will require not only farming population; they will also desire to continue the expansion of their secondary industries, and this means that suitable openings will be made for British emigrants. It is inconceivable that a British Dominion will want to remain unpopulated. Careful Selection “There has been a great deal of talk about population in New' Zealand,” continued Commissioner Smith, “and ’it is with the idea of getting something done, to set the ball rolling, something practical on a small scale, that the Salvation Army has prepared its scheme.” The boys would be carefully selected by Army Headquarters in London and dispatched to New Zealand. The Armv would meet all the expenses involved, receive the boys on arrival and place them on its boys’ farm at Putaruru for training while suitable homes were being found for them. He had received word from General Carpenter that the Army authorities in London would be happy to co-operate immediately the way was open. “I have written to the Prime Minister outlining the scheme and asking whether the Government would have any objection to it,” said Commissioner Smith. “So far I have received only an acknowledgment of my letter, and I am eagerly awaiting an answer.” The scheme was not without a satisfactory precedent. After the last war the Salvation Army brought out 800 boys, the expense beins- shared by the parents, the Army and the Government. The boys had developed into good New Zealanders, fewer than one per cent being failures. The latest project, he added, had the backing of directors of the Wellington Rotary Club and the approval of Hie Dominion Settlement and Population Association. Though it provided for only a small number of boys, it was at least a step in the right direction. If it proved acceptable to the Government and the country generally and was carried through successfully, further and larger groups of boys would be brought out. There was almost unlimited scope for such work in view of the fact that New Zealand, with a population of only 1,600,000. could well support 10,000,000.