THE EMPTY CRADLES.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 14 December 1916, Page 6

THE EMPTY CRADLES.

. —<[>-" ■ HON. G. W. RUSSELL SPEAKS OUT GOVERNMENT ACTION FORESHADOWED. Action by the Government in order to encourage an increase in the birthrate was hinted at by the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. G. W. Russell) in the course of an address to the Auckland brancli of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children, on Monday evening.

The Deputy-Mayor (Mr. A. J. Entrican), who presided, spoke of tne millions that had been spent in encouraging immigration to New Zealand, and declared that the more important work was that of raising our cwn population. (Applause).

The Minister of Internal Affairs pointed out that from 1882 to 188'6 the birth-rate of New Zealand was 35.40 per 1000, since when it had steadily declined, and last year stood af 25.33, the lowest on record, except in 1899, a year of depression. It was deplorable that as the standard of living had been raised there should be a shirking of parenthood—a shirking which he fearel had been to some extent deliberate. He meant to deal openly with the subject, as he had done with another subject supposed to be unnamable last session. It might become necessary for the Government to make legislative provision—provision which might already be possible under the War Regulations Act —to prosecute persons for the sale of certain articles. The remedy of restricted families seemed to be for the State to step forward in cases where the burden was too heavy for the parents and take a snare in the responsibility for the upbringing of children .(Applause). BUT FOR THE SHRINKAGE. The shrinkage in the birth-rate had been met to some extent by the decrease in the death-rate, but he had asked the Government Statistician to prepare a statement showing what che population would have been had che birth-rate of 1882-86 been maintained until 1915. This showed that the population would have been 240, 000 more than at present. Against that however, the New Zealand death rate was the lowest in the world. Quoting infantile mortality figures, Mr Russell pointed out that the New Zealand rate was 16.9 for males and 13.1 for females, against 38.1 and 31.7 respectively in England and Wales. The speaker reviewed the efforts that had been made legislatively to ensure the public health and to save the children in the Dominion, and went on to mention that in five years the infantile mortality rate had fallen from 85.79 per 1000 to 50.5. Last year's rate was the lowest in any portion of the world. THE MENACE OF THE FUTURE. "The menace of the future lies not in the battle casualties, but in the empty cradles of the nation," cried Mr. Russell. "Thank God we. have been able to abolish the baby-farm from New Zealand," he added amid ap plause. Proceeding, Mr. Russell said that midwifery Sad been elevated to a profession, and inexperienced and untrained women had been debarred from acting in this capacity. The St. Helens' Homes, instituted by Mr. Seddon, were now being increased and enlarged, and their functions were being extended by giving facilities for the imparting of advice to expectant mothers.

Passing on to deal with the scheme for the development of w&at would be known as the Royal Pluiiket Nurse Society, Mr. Russell said he wanted to ■see in every town and district a nurse wearing the Plunket uniform. (Hear, hear). He hoped that the present subsidy of £3OOO would be multiplied in order that the Government might take a greater share in the responsibility for the childlife of the country. If the work was to be done properly more money would be wanted. New Zealand had shown what it was capable of by the fact that there was in the hands of the Patriotic societies a sum of £2,000,000. "SAVE THE BABIES." More money was now wanted for the Royal Society for the Help of Women and Children, and he appealed to the country for a strenuous campaign organised down to the last ounce of energy for the week ended January 27. He was going to invite the churches to lead off by advocating the claims of the babies on the purses of those who could afford to give. The women's organisations throughout the country, the warehouses, and business places, and the commercial travellers, oL : the society would be asked to co-operate in raising what would be called the "Save the Babies Fund." If there was not between £IO,OOO and £20,000 raised in the week he would be a disappointed man, for surely the eountry which had given so generously for the men who were fighting the battles of the country w T ould give equally generously to save its children .(Applause).