POPULATION DECLINE

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 358, 12 February 1937, Page 6

POPULATION DECLINE

ENGLISH PEOPLE FEAR OF WAR? Family Allowances Soon Social Policies. Press Association—Copyright. Louden, Feb. 10. “The population of England will be only 20,000,000 a century hence and 5,000,000 in 200 years,” eaid ‘Sir: William Beveridge, director of the London School Of Economics and Political Science, at Sheffield to-day,i He explained that though population! to-day was increasing slowly it would’ some years hence begin to fall by a quarter in each generation and ultimately become extinct. Sir William prophesied that the question of family allowances would soon be in the forefront of social policy.

The House of Commons discussed the birthrate to-day on the motion of Mr. J. R. H. Cartrand, who expressed the opinion that the decline in population would possibly endanger the maintenance of the Hmpire and urged that the Government hold an inquiry.

Mr. R. A. Pilkington suggested a bachelor tax and said he had learned' With horror that there were 200 bachelor -members of the House pi Commons. (Cries of “Shame!”) It) was a situation that members should; remedy. (Laughter). Mr. R. S. Hudson, Parliamentary Secretary of Health, accepted the motion on' behalf of the Government) The actual birthrate in the past 10, years, he said, showed a slight .rise.