The Daily News. TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 1922. THE LOW BIRTH-RATE.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 April 1922, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 1922. THE LOW BIRTH-RATE.

The publication of the vital statistics for the Dominion for the past year, as compared with the previous year’s figures, cannot fail to attract attention. Although the marriages for the previous year were more by 1540 than during the last twelve months, the number of births declined by 1352, which, it is stated, is the second lowest on record. So far as maintaining the aggregate of the population is concerned, the low death rate more than compensated for the low birth rate, but only by 78. That, however, is not the light in which the matter should be regarded, for if the Dominion is to progress the birth rate must be considerably greater than the death rate. At the same time, until the full details of the statisics are available, it is impossible to arrive at any reliable conclusions except as to marriages, though it' may be presumed that the same cause to which the decline in marriages is due has also affected the birth-rate. That the decline is directly the result of the depression and high cost of living last year is most probable, for bad times invariably exercise an adverse influence on marriages and births. Regarded from that point of view the statistics need cause no surprise; they are merely a sign of the times, following wellestablished precedents. There may. however, be other factors Which have a part in the unsatisfactory figures dealing with the health of the people of the Dominion last year. It will be remembered that in October last the Board of Health adopted the report of the Director-General and Assistant-General of Health on the subject of maternal mortality—a report that came somewhat as a shock to the community,by reason of the gravity of its contents. Without doubt the report contained some disturbing figures and facts that may in part account for the falling off in marriages and births during last year. A number of recommendations were made in the report, the final clause of which expressed a strong belief that, if the preventive measures indicated therein were adopted, “the reproach of an excessive maternity mortality, under which New Zealand at present labors, will early be removed.” It is quite possible this report may have prejudicially affected the marriage rate, though it was expressly emphasised that “there 1 must not be undue alarm because of the statistics.” It would, therefore, seem desirable that the Board of Health should, without delay, issue a further report on the subject, showing to what, extent the position hhs improved, or otherwise, also whether the remedies and reforms that were necessary have been carried out. and to what extent as determined by results. The Government and the Board are both well aware of the fact X H, even in good times, maternity expenses are formidable, and though much stress has been laid on the need for providing throughout the country maternity hospitals, either as separate institutions or as- part of the general hospitals, yet very little has actually been accomplished in this direction. Much credit is due to the Plunket Society for the good work it carries out, but nothing less than a complete system of treatment, of maternity cases at a cost which can be met by those of small means will suffice. There is, of course, another phase that cannot be ignored, namely, the growing love of freedom which is a marked feature of many young women in recent years, consequent on finding remunerative employment. Possibly this phase may na.ss as competition for a living becomes greater, but undoubtedly the love of pleasure and excitement, instead of the attractions of home life, are responsible for a share, at. least, of the falling? off in both the marriage and birth rates. Under existing circumstances this should cause no surprise, but the advent of a more sane and rational view of life would certainly be of advantage to the country and assist in its progress.