CORRESPONDENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1017, 13 July 1911, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

(To the Editor.)

Sik,—ln reference to the decline ot the birth-rate, which fact is constantly being referred to in our daily papers, I have taken the liberty of explaining the cause to the wise men who control the destiny of this dominion. The nation springs from the working classes, and not the wastrels or the aristocrats, and as my past experience, and those whom I have associated with, has taught me what I am talking about, I venture to tell those wise men the cause of the decline in the birthrate and its cure. About twenty years ago 1 got married, and up till then I could always get work and money. About twelve months after I married, my first and only child was born —a fine, healthy baby, and the pride of her parents. After that I found great difficulty iu obtaining employment, and I noticed that single men seemed to have the preference over the married men. If all the factories and workshops were inspected it would be tound that a great percentage of workers were single men, while a great many married men were out of work. When I found this the cause, and my place often taken by single men, of course I began to trouble about the probability of getting a family to exist in a state of poverty, so my wile and I decided not to increase our family circle, and here I am to-day with one which comprises a family, and I am also a ratepayer. Now, sir, if I had had no difficulty in keeping my cupboards full during my married life, I would have been the father of five or six children, and I would never have dreamt of staunching the birthrate at all. Now, sir, i have honestly told you the cause of the decline, and I have voiced the cause ot millions of struggling, honest married working men. I will now tell you the cure. Compel every employer ol labour to employ married men, then the single men will find employment on the farms, or in the army and navy of the empire, and a number ot other ways, and a great number of single men will marry, so as to settle along with their brethren, and the birth-rate will increase two-fold then within the next ten or fifteen years, and when the Japanese hordes come to take New Zealand we will be able to defend ourselves, but if things are allowed to continue as they are, well, then, we will have no hope. Now, Mr Editor, I have made a statement, and I am willing to prove the strength of it, not that I expect anything, but just to convince the Government that I know what I am talking about. For the sake of humanity I will make an offer to the Government that if they will grant me ,£IOOO I will present them at the end of, say, fifteen months, or within that period, with a child which otherwise would never have existed.—l am, etc., Ratepayer.