MOTHERHOOD SHOULD BE MORE HONOURED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 205, 31 August 1943, Page 4

MOTHERHOOD SHOULD BE MORE HONOURED

VIEWS OF DR. D. COOKE WAJSGANUI ROTARY CLUB ADDRESSED. The view that mothers and children should be given first class passages in the community was advocated by Dr. Duncan Cooke, of Palmerston North, in a talk on “Populating New Zealand" at the Wanganui Rotary Club yesterday. Motherhood, he said, should be placed on a -higher scale than it had been in the past, particularly since 1870, since when there had been a steady decline in the birth rate in this country. It was the consensus of competent authorities that the decline in population in European countries was due mainly to modern contraceptive methods, he added. The birth-rate in England was high until round about 1870, but since then a decline had set in which had been followed by other nations as well as the British Commonwealth of Nations. Dr. Cooke said that in 1870 more than three-quarters of the population of New Zealand was under the age of 40 and consequently there was a high birth-rate. Each married woman had more children than at the present period. The Dominion, he added, reached its lowest birthrate in 1936, but since then there had been a recovery. Thanks to modern progress in matters of health there was a greater saving in child life to-day than existed 30 years ago. In 1907 the Dominion was losing 100 babies for every 1000 born each year. To-day that figure had been reduced to 30.

Dr. Cooke, who illustrated his address with graphs, gave a comprehensive review of several countries in Europe and Asia regarding population. In the first three-quarters of last century England had, as a result of more enlightened social legislation, more than trebled its population, its peak being reached about the year 1870. It was essential, he said, that for the future welfare of the nation that young married people should have a due understanding of their responsibilities. Motherhood should have an honoured place In Ihe life of the country, and a mother with a family should be looked upon with pride, and not frowned upon by some thoughtless people whose outlook on life was one of selfishness. The vote of thanks was voiced by Mr. G. Carrad and carried with acclamation.