Representations Heard

Chronicle (Levin), 2 May 1946, Page 7

Representations Heard

-Press Associaiion

By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON May 1. New Zealand could iook at its present birth rate with a certain amount of reserved satisfaetion though she should xiot get eomplacent about it, said Mr. G. N. CalVcrt, when presenting to the Purliamentary Committec cin , Population Loday, a statistieul analysis of liio future population whicli had bccn bo gun under tlie aegis of tlie Organi nation for National Development. New Zealand had a very liigh birlhrate and could hope it would be maiiitained at a satisfactoriiy high level on aecount of the family benelits and other influences. It was possible, liowe\er, for it i fall to an unsatisi'actorily low levoi. He did not think that was very iikely but the eountry was not yet able to be emyg about it. Ntr. Calvert said tlxat thougli there was likely to be somc sponlaiieous iminigration and that, combined witli the aatisfactory birth rate, would give a satisfactory increase in population, rerv strenuous efl'orts would liave to be made to obtain sufiicient iiniuigrauls to give a substanlial en'cet. lle did not think thev wero likely to be obtained in the required mxmbers. The aini in population growth should be to keep il steadv. Then the economy of Ihe countrv eould adjust itself to the rate of growth. Mr. J. Acland, a meniber of the Coinmittee, asked witncss if cnough children

were coniiug into the population to pay for the Social Seeurity Schome. Mr. Calvert replied that lie had not studied that question as mucli as he would like to see it studied. The answer depended on the unempioyment schenu and other faetors. Soxne years ago there was every ground for making the suggestion but he. had tlie.. ipipression the situntion was. diff erent now. Mr. Acland: How xnany people would you like to see ixx New Zealand? Mr. Calvert: It is bettcr to ai/n for a rate of growth than at a partieular goal, but 1 think tliis eountry inight in time well becoxne a nation of several tinies its present population, xiroviding the whole economy is gradually developed to that end. The war had stimulated the birth rate, Mr. Calvert said. Even in A meri ea Dunkirk had been reflected in the birth rate as was the period of balloting and threat of couscription. The threat of invasion to New Zealand was reflected, even though many nieu were overseas. When women were being manpowered and there was no nlternutive to being directed to work except xnotherhood there was a response in the birth rate. It had silxee gone back but it had been lield at a high level. Demobilisnt ion was having an clFect. Xow married itien were returning to thcir wives and single men wero marrving. TTe expected later that the rate would fiink back to a stalde level. The eeonomic faetor was the main influence on the birtiirate. Smnmarisjng the lG2-page stafistical report which he presented, M r. Calvert

said that- by far the mast important deterxuinant of New Zealand 's future population growth would be its own birth rate. L ABORTIONISTS CONDEMNED. "The criminal abortionist is worse than. a xnurderer — he ivills the defenceless,"' stated Mrs. llita Minelian, of Timaru," in written submis.sious 'to t}ic Parliaxnentary Select*' Co)ninittee on Doxninion Population. She said tlxe uxxborii cliild was a distiiiet person, witli the saxxxe riglxt to iife as others. Statistics proved- tluit G0t)0 iixuocent children were killcd in New Zealand annuallyj and- tlxat' was a coxxsei'.vative cstinxate. " This meaxit that a iifth of the year's production of young'New Zealandcfs met death bel'oro tlxe.v were borxi, and "a citv the '-size '-of Christ-. churclx was wiped " uiff every 20 years. "We have 110 right to New Zealaud if we do xxot populate it," stated Mrs. Minehan. "Our patriotism should be, not to kill oirtside tlie border, but to increase life witlxin." Criminal abortion, far from elimin ating domestic hardship, tended to ixxcrease it because of the subseqnent i 11liealth of the woxnati, and a hani death wxxs offcen Ihe ponalty. . After urging stringonb application of the law against abortion, and stating tlxat a verdict sliould depend on a majoritv ratlier than xtiianimous opinion of the jury, .\rrs. Minelian said it was obvious that whito raceS wliich alloWed the nnchecked practice of criminal abortion fo continue could not relain thxiir positiou in tlie world much longer. "We people of New Zealand should figlit the criminal abortion evil witli every fibre of oxxr beings," slxe said. 1 DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION WANTED. Urging Ihe creatioix of an linmigraiion Departmcut, Mi. A. Leigh Hunt, prosideut of the Domiiiion Setftlcnicnt and Population Association proposed,he appoiutmexit of a'Director df iniutigration and the esiablishment of a mis; ,-iioii abrotid. Tlxis measurc should be. takou* quickly, lie said, wliile migrants were 'available. Because New Zealand had 110 policy | of tlie kind, he said, the receptiou of t intending xnigrants at New Zealand House, London, had been distressing. Australia was, however, alert to the 1 necessity of immigratiou, and he j though t tlie keeu policy had been ii* I spircd by eneiny attacks 011 Australian ! territory. Migrants were consuiuers ! beforc thev becaxne producers, and I thev would stixnulate every industry in j New Zealand. Tf anything happpned to cause the I collapse of social . sccurity, pensions, j and superannuation . benefits, said Mr. : Hunt,. it was obvious that a national ' •atastrophe would occur. Two years J ago figures showed ^ that 2-G(),000 per-*j soxis, a sixtlx of the population, wero j drawing benehTs, wixicli wero being in- j creased from time to time. To prevent'a' collapse a constant and; sufticient strcam of youth was required i because of the ageing population. 3f j tlie burden on youth becamc?inforelable. ! yout h xnighl seek ' to "Tc'avc "New Zealand, and that would be a dis'aster. 1 There jnight.- be.reason ty,. a.^k wliethcr | il-'we're hdnesl to 'pro'nuse Mii'iiefits in j the abseuce of an actuarial investiga-, tiou to sliow that ihcy.were practicable) 111 the future. - • j GOVERNMENT PROMISES. Miss iM. 13. Howard, M.P., said tlicfe was 110 ue.ed to worry about the pro- j mises of tiie Governpient or pruper in- | vesligatioii to.sliow that tlie prbmises j were possible. " W e are 110L exactly u[ Go\ erniiicnt bf cliuinps, " she stated. i jMr. Hunt proceeded lo slress Ihe im- ; portance of ihe Jocal xuarket for jiriiu- ■ arv products, and tlie need to have an ad'equate population for the purpose, j especially because of tlie present reii- ; ancc 011 overseas markets and the possibiiity oi' a shrinkage of the British market diie to increased primary pro- 1 duction in Britain. BimUauly, lie said, an adequate ]>o}iu- ; lation was essential to tlie secondary ; imlustries of New Zealand and tlnjir | expHiision. Mauy industries were not t econoniie because of the sliortage of ; man-ptpver and insufticient turnover, ! wliich nieant higli costs. It. was desir- 1 able to -liave tlie secondary industries | able to compete witli overseas products. Througlimit its history, New Zealand j had luiilt 011 the faet of an expanding J population. If a decline came, Ihe consequeitces j would be appalling, witli a reversal of j iill eeonomic and social . slruclures. | sioiiK- of. tlie coiisequences .would be a! fall in lirixig stfnularxls,- an intolerable I burden of taxation, 110 prospects for j vouth, 'ahd the dissrpalion of business j turnov ers and ]>roperty values. "DAMNING INDICTMENT" Lack of population was discussod by , Mr. Hunt as a vitul factor in iueeting j | the problenis of erosion, the Sju'ead of j noxious wecnls 011 fertile lantls, and ihe increase of browsing animals in prolcctive forests. Cioser settleiiieut was an obvious remedy. Thc present situation was "a damning iiidictnieiit", said klr. Hunt. Ile claimed that tlie general sliortage of lalxour was liolding up the progress of New Zealand, and, apart from the iniportation of labonr,. there uas 110 aptiarent solution. As it was, New Zealand was living in a state of artiJicial pro.sperity wliich would collapsa urilcss more people arrivcd. The cliairman, Mr. -T. Thorn, agreed witli tlie need to have more lalxour, but pointed out that, in Britain also, the problem arose, and workcx-s tlicic weie similarly offcred high wages and attractivc conditions. It'was a question of wherc to get the people. •' • Mr.' Hunt: It-is a pity _we eannot liil up our countrv witli Britisli peoplg. JAge, health,* and character should, 'lie said be tlve onlv qualifications for immigrants, except Asiatics. Migration liiust be organised. 1-Ie proposcd 50,000 imnugrants yearlv, x'ising in a few years to 100,000 aniiually.