The New Zealand Birth Rate.

Manawatu Herald, 2 March 1899, Page 2

The New Zealand Birth Rate.

Above tbe signature of " Pater familas " a correspond nfc writes to the Hawera S'ar as fo lows: -In your issue of 21st; io^t., you draw attention to tbe ugly fact that thp hirthratp of N w Z j »»land is decreas ing rapidly. With your permission [ will give you the reason. I haviMight children, tha eldest of whom i~ fiftppn. Sixtnen year* ogo I was »< voting man with £1.506 in rh<^ bank. [ was unmarried then, and evprv ypar I could make monpy and add t my hank account. I got married tnd for tbe n u xt 15 years w--n readily down bill. My wife is careful and industrious; but there ar 10 mouths to fill at the table and inly myself to do it. The last year has fortunately seen the years of famine pas?, and at present my pro pnchs are good. Tbe eldest children ire able to milk. I am milking 40 •ow* for a fact ry. Bat Sir, th famine years have aged my wife, and knocked tbe life out of her. I bavtbeen told it coetß £200 to rear every child and I quite believe it. I shal' warn my children against getting married, and I have already dis -iuaded many a young man from doing po. All men in New Zealand who have reared big. families wil 1 igree with mo ; only some few through envy and wickedness would draw young people on to follow in heir own porrowful path. This ip 'he reason the birthrate in New Zea■and is decreasing.