England’s Growth.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2031, 16 February 1887, Page 2

England’s Growth.

A most noteworthy article appears in the Contemporary Review for December, from the pen of Mr M. G. Mulhall, one of the most eminent of living statisticians. His conclusions are certain to cause an animated discussion, as they deal with the present material and moral condition of the United Kingdom, on which such a variety of contending views are held by the authorities considered competent to speak on the subject at all Mr Mulhall works out his figures with great clearness, and his paper on “ Teu Tears of National Growth ” is, at any rate, entirely free from the dryness almost inseparable from the treatment of a statistical subject, and will be found readable by persons who ordinarily turn away from statistics with abhorrence. His conclusions are set down under ten different heads, and from their character it is necessary, to avoid misapprehension, they should be given in his own language Firstly, we find that the reproductive power of our people, as shown by the number of children to each marriage, has declined 1 per cent since 1880, and that this decline has been coincident with a tide of emigration unprecedented in the records of the United Kingdom. It appears, therefore, highly probable that there is a close relationship between those facts, and that, as emigration increases there will be a corresponding diminu* nition in the fertility of marriages. Secondly, that the low ratio of marriages and births in Ireland shows that country to be in a lamentable condition ; in fact, there is no other country in the world with so slow a birth rate, which has further declined 7i per cent since 1880. It would appear as if agricultural depression and the exactions of landlords had so far ruined the people that they could not marry. Thirdly, that the death rate of the three kingdoms has fallen very notably since 1880, which may be ascribed either to sanitary improvements in towns or to the increased consumption of meat and other food.

Fourthly, that the moral condition of the people has improved marvel* lously since 1870, pauperies having decreased 33 per cent, crime 36 pet cent. Moreover, in the last ten years the consumption of liquor haa declined 21 per cent, and the number of school children to population risen from 8 to 12 per cent. Fifthly, that the savings of the working classes have increased steadily at the rate of seven millions per annum, having risen 82 per cent since 1875.

Sixthly, that 70 per cent of the •wheat aud 30 per cent of the meat consumed in the United Kingdom te imported, and that the more we import the cheaper is food, and so much the better fed are the working classes.

Seventhly, that British shipping has increased ton million tons of carrying power in ten years, and that three seamen now perform as much as four did in 1875.

Eighthly, that our imports and exports show an apparent decline of trade equal to 2 per cent since 1874, but that if prices had remained tho same the trade of 1885 would barn represented 772 millions, an increase of 29 per cent.

Ninthly, that the change of price has been profitable to Great Britain, the saving in imports being thirtyfour millions in excess of the loss oa exports.

i'enthly, that the increased production of coal and iron, and greater consumption of fibre in our textile factories, show that our industrial power has not diminished ; and lastly, that the increase of wealth since 1875 has averaged 180 millions yearly.— Home News.

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