The Dominion FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1916. POPULATION AND CHILD WELFARE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2937, 24 November 1916, Page 4

The Dominion FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1916. POPULATION AND CHILD WELFARE

Though the census returns lor the Dominion show a substantial augmentation of population, the rate of increase indicated is not as high as might reasonably be expected in a young, prosperous, and Wealthy country like New Zealand. Some cities and districts show very considerable gains, but in others there has been no increase in population, while in several places actual decreases have to be recorded, Wellington City and suburbs havemade good progress. Auckland has also mado a substantial advance. Indeed, the whole North Island has moved ahead at a fairly rapid rate, but the South Island has lagged'behind. The following table covering a period of 35 years indicates that the population of the Dominion has been growing at an even and steady pace, though we cannot claim that it has increased' by leaps and bounds:— Centeaim.il Population, increase.

In view of tho ravages of. the war, the Governments of all the belligerent nations are endeavouring to devise measures for increasing the birth-rate and giving the children a good start in life. These matters are just now receiving much attention in Great Britain, and the German Government is taking stepsto enable the' nation to make a quick recovery from tho enormous losses which its manhood has sustained. For many years past tho falling birth-rate has been a causo of anxiety to French statesmen, and when the war is over the need for finding a solution of the population problem will become more urgent than ever. Eussia's high birth-rate should enable her to mako up for tier losses more rapidly than Britain, France, or Germany. Population is one. of the greatest needs of 4ho British Empire at the present moment. It is satisfactory to know that the New Z'ealand Government realises tho importance of keeping the cradles full and of watching over the physical welfare of tho young people of this Dominion. Tho Hon. G. W. Russell has recently assured us that tho State will do all in its power "to look after the mothers of tho children of the raco, the flower of which has been depleted by the war." The Malthusian theory had been disproved by the incontrovertible logic of events long before August, 1914, and the war has given it its death blow. The ide that population might increase more rapidly than food, and that the number of births should be in order to avoid worldstarvation has gone largely out of fashion. The empty cradle is now becoming one of the perils of our civilisation.

The war has not only impressed upon us the desirability of a high birth-rate; it has also shown us the necessity of doing everything possible to ensure that every child that is born shall have the opportunity of growing up under the most favourable conditions attainable. No waste is so deplorable as the waste of infant lives. Of recent years much has been done to check this wastage, but much more remains to be done. It is stated that of the 6,000,000 children attending the elementary schools of England and Wales over one million are physically unfit. Sir George Newman, Chief Medical Officer of the English Board of Education in his annual report declares that eight years' work has brought to light a large mass of physical defects and disease, varied in character, and widespread— most of it preventable. Defective children cannot derive reasonable benefit from the education which the State provides. The State is therefore not getting an adequate return for a substantial part of its expenditure on its schools. Most people will agree with Sir George Newman's contention that it is not easy to escape the deduction that if the child on entering school is ailing it is part of the business of those responsible for its ultimate equipment to seek to redeem its physique, both before it comes to school and during its school life; and if the leaving child is unfit for employment and uitizonship the system of its education. 6tands, in greater or less measure, condemned. The leaving

child is, after all, the product and fruit of the system. Such fruit is early and immature, no doubt, but it should be sound, growing, and capable of ripening. In order to improve the health and virility of the race the child must be watched over before it goes to school. Healthy parentage and proper nurture in infancy are essential. A certain amount of supervision and practical guidance after the boy or girl has left school is also necessary. Sir George Newman tells us that "in the interests of economy the State cannot afford to neglect a complete scheme." In England a complete scheme is already in process of building. Education committees, directors, doctors, nurses, teachers, school attendance officers, and thousands of voluntary workers have built up a cooperative system of machinery on behalf of child welfare, extending from schools for mothers and infant welfare centres on the one hand to juvenile employment committees and continuation classes in physical education on the other. The State education system must make adequate provision-for the needs of tho frail and backward child as well as for the normal healthy pupil. It is a great mistake to ignore the difference between these two classes and to treat all alike. The measure of success already achieved, shows that with more complete machinery a very substantialimprovcmcnt in the physical condition of the nation might reasonably be expected. Tho New Zealand educational authorities might well study the measures which have been adopted in England to ensure . the healthy upbringing of tho children. We in New Zealand have already made a start in the way of physical culture and medical inspection, but it is well to recognise that we arc only at tho beginning of things.

1S8I 489,933 — 1888 578,482 18.07 1891 626,658 8.33 1896 703,360 12.2-4 1901 772,719 9.86 1906 888,578 H.99 1911 1,008,468 13.49 1916- 1,150,000 13,9