DECLINING BRITISH BIRTHRATE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 57, 30 November 1937, Page 5

DECLINING BRITISH BIRTHRATE

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» mm > Bill Aims at Investigation by Statistics POLICY TO COMBAT FALL

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(Received 30, 2 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 29. In the House of Commons, Sir Kingsley Wood, Minister of Health, in movincr the second reading of the Population Statistics Bill, paid tribute to the efliciency of the New Zealand and Australian mformatioii and drew attention to the alarihing fall in the hirthrate in Britain. If it continued, at the present rate, the population would fall to '35,000,000 by 1970 and to 5,000,000 in a century. It was essential to obtain the fullest facts and iuformation to enable the preparation of a "constructive policy. New Zealanders and Australians, like' the English, would be the first to resent unnecessary investigation;' yet they had for years fully and freely answered questions enabling the compilation of accurate fertility statistics. Mr. A. P. Herbert challenged Sir Kingsley Wood to name ahy part of New Zealand or Australia where people were asked for the records of a former marriage or the particulars of former issue where the child was illegitimate, or other quesEiohs tending to incriminate the parents or likely to result in legal proceedings. Sir Kingsley asked for time to consider the question, Colonel Pethwick Lawrence, in movmg the rejection of the Bill, declared that Labour did not object fo attempts 'to secure better vital statistics but that he Bill gave he Minister ambiguous p.owers for intimate inquiry. Mr Herbert declared tliat a greatcleal of nonsense was talked about the precedents in New Zealand and Australia. He had taken- the trouble ot ring up every agent-geueral in London. There was no justification whatever for saying that the , questions the Minister contemplated were accepted either by New Zealanders or by Australians. "I do not suggest that the Miinister is conseiously misleading the House, but I categorieally suggest that his advisers have misled him," Mr Herbert declared. "I take a serious view of tlie situation."