The Waikato Independent MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1945. POPULATION PROBLEM.

Waikato Independent, Volume XLIV, Issue 1187, 1 October 1945, Page 2

The Waikato Independent MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1945. POPULATION PROBLEM.

UNDOUBTEDLY one of the moat important problems facing this Dominion of ours is that of how to increase our population. Of course there are only two ways—immigration or by increasing the country’s birthrate. We have always advocated and we do so again, that, firstly, every possible encouragement should be given in the direction of increasing the natural birth-rate. After having done that then consideration could be given to immigration. We do not favour the importation of the adult immigrant, but it might be desirable to have children from some of the devastated countries of Europe. The possibilities in this direction are, in our opinion, not so great as some might imagine, for in some of those countries they face the same population trend as we do in New Zealand. Then in addition these countries have suffered much population loss through the ravages of war during the past five years. It is therefore not likely they would want to allow their children to. immigrate to another country. Then let us look at the natural birth-rate prospect. It is a fact that we have in this Domiinon a very low infant-mortality rate, thanks to the late Sir Truby King and his Plunket system. From this direction there is no opposition, but on the other hand great encouragement to natural increased population. But why does our birth-rate decline rather than increase? Much of the answer to this question was provided recently by a thoughtful speech in 'the House of Representatives by the member for Temuka, when he examined the small family pattern and the effect it was having in this country. Mr Jack Acland, M.P., is in a position to speak with authority, for in ' addition to being a Member of Parliament, he is a farmer with a family of four young children.

He says: “There is only one reason for the decline in the birth-rate and that is that the majority of married people do not want to have large families. To-day in this country the small-family pattern has been established, and, once established, it is hard to break away from it. To-day the mother of a large family, instead of being respected and admired, is pitied and looked down on. Not so many years ago the big-family pattern was the recognised thing; and mothers were respected and honoured in those days. The family was a community of its own—that is the father worked for his children, and as they grew up they worked and helped the parents. Admittedly there was a great deal to be desired then, but the principle and atmosphere of the family life were good.”

The Member for Temuka went on to refer to the changed conditions of life to-day as compared with half a century ago; of the higher standard of living; the recognition of things being necessities to-day which were luxuries less than 50 years ago. Under such conditions to-day the parents of the large family cannot compete with the family of the spiall-pattern. But the children, at least, are entitled to the same chance in life. Mr Acland points out, and rightly too, that there is more need for the mother of a large family to have the latest household conveniences; to have a fortnight’s holiday every year; to have a home with the necessary bedrooms in it; when more often than not, the large family live under poorer accommodation conditions. The Member for Temuka says this b is generally the situation for the parents with the large family, for the reason that under the present economic conditions, ajid with taxation at a maximum peak the parents of the large families.cannot afford to have the things that they deesrve. Mr Acland draws the Government’s 1 attention to the fact that it does not encourage family life as it should do and he mentions, for one thing, that since the Department of Housing Construction began operations, it had built up, until recently—just on 15,000 homes and only about 2,200 of those houses are capable of accommodating a man and his wife and four children. Mr Acland considers, and rightly too, tha| the State should give a very definite lead in this direction and that it should do all in its power to help those that are helping the country. The Member for Temuka went on to urge more consideration for the mothers of the country, and he spoke with intimate knowledge of the gruelling life that is the lot of many mothers on the farms. He admits that the solution is difficult indeed, for the reasons that the father of the large family in the country probably cannot afford to pay the wages that are available to young women in the towns; and for that reason, too, the young women prefer the uniform or the office job, to being domestics. Mr Acland does not overlook the educational aspect either and he emphasises that the man with the large family, who might desire to go to the country, hesitates to take his children into the backbloeks. It costs much money to board children at the colleges. “I know there are the correspondence schools,” states Mr Acland, “but what time has a farmer’s wife to supervise her children’s education and do all her household duties—and perhaps milk-

ing-shed. work too”? He claimed that to-day taxation and costs were out of all proportion to the income of the family man and he is right for, undoubtedly, the man with the large family is suffering from the burden of direct taxation; but more particularly from indirect taxation. Mr Acland urged that the Government, must either reduce taxation or remove the means test and he considered that the Government should look into the question' of adopting a universal family allowance. As we have stated before the best newcomer is the native-born one. Children are very definitely the nation’s best investment and if we are to have more children in this Dominion then we have got to remove the opposing psychological and economic causes. The Member for Temuka, in his very impressive address, gave the House, and all welfare workers for that matter, a very practical lead and one that deserves to be followed up,