OUR BABIES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 132, 28 February 1920, Page 5

OUR BABIES

t'B? ni'OKIA.I Published under the auspices of the Eoyal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children. "It Is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulanco at the bottom." LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS. (Continued.) Dealing with the national aspect of tho infant .welfare and population problem, Dr. King pointed out that in 1677 the English birth-rate was 36 per thousand, and it fell to only 18 in the suoseuent 40 years. The lowest birth-rate for national safety win 3D per thousand. In France the Tate was 19 before the war, and it had since dropped to 9 or 10. Last year tho French population diminished by about 450.C00. The races with the highest birth-rates must inherit tho earth. Tho Oriental races numbered a hundred millions compared with the four hundred millions of the Western races, and the Oriental birthrate was from 34 to 40 per" thousand, while tho Western rate had fallen below 25. The birth-rate for U.S.A. wa3 25, but I'iat of tho native-born Americans, was July 16. The one thing that had kept the population of America from, E°'ng ''"wn as rapidly as that of France was t'-.e high birth-rate of the proletariat immigrants from Europe. It was tho population question which made America worry about a small nation like Japan. In the American possession of Hawaii, out of a population of 220,000 there were 85.000 Japanese, but they supplied 53 per cent, ol the whole birth-rate. The Japs were increasing rapidly and accumulating wealth, and tlu».y believed accordingly that the islands were destined ultimately to belong to' them. The white races, at their best, undoubtedly represented, on tho whole, the highest existing type of humanity and of civilisation.

The Australian birth-rate stood at 28 per thousand, and that of New Zealand at 25; but he hoped before ho died to Fee New Zealand up to the safety line of 30 per thousand. He did not believe that the whito race was goine to cease to inherit the earth; but the problem required urgent attention. The building up of the nation should bo regarded as the highest form of patriotism. Maternity should be valued above material .things. Fie dirt not believe that the appeal to patriotism would be in vain. The nation which left the heart and the higher nature out of account would inevitably fail. Germany had gone astray because she had a wrong conception of life's values. Wrong ideaß had ruined Germany, and right ideas and right ideals ■were the only means of mailing our own Tace, or any other race, great and enduring.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS. The Now Zealand Scheme Ecplyinc to a question regarding tho organisation of the Plunket Nursintr Society, Dr. King said that it started from ■ very simple beginnings. In forming branches, it was usual to get together a committee of capable, earnest workers, mostly wives and mothers, as a nucleus. They vera drawn from all .classes, and represented all shades of religious and political oninion. The branches wero affiliated with the parent body, but wero independent, regarding funds. They assisted in the maintenance of a central training institution, from which they wero Bupnlied with nursee, as they became qualified. Only the most, capable women wero suitablo for Plunket nurses, as. in addition to their technical training, thoy had to bo readily able to impart their knowledge to the Tvonicn among whom they worked. He believed that their function in the community was even rrrcator and more far-reaohinj: than that-of tho trained sick nurse, for .it.'was their role to teach the mothers of all classes in the community how to keop healthy themselves and how to rear their children strong and healthy, and thus to guard against sickness,. Taking Babies Out at Night. Replying to a further question, tho lecturer said that it was undoubtedly unfair . to babies to take them .out to places of amusement and elsewhere at n'.ght. At the same time the mothers ehonld hove facilities for outing and recreation. He recognised t.hnt there were at present very ereat difficulties tn overcome in this l connection, but he thought the • difficulties could bo got over, to some oxtent by a little co-operation among neighbours.