POPULATION NEEDS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 June 1941, Page 4

POPULATION NEEDS

PROSPECTS OF THE PACIFIC DOMINIONS. SIR E. WRENCH SOUNDS NOTE OF WARNING. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The view that the empty cradle was one of the greatest menaces confronting the English-speaking peoples because the leaving of large tracts of land idle and sparsely populated was putting temptation in the way of landhungry nations was expressed by Sir Evelyn Wrench, founder of the Overseas League and the English-Speaking Union, at a civic reception to himself and Lady Wrench in Wellington yesterday. “The British Commonwealth and the United States can prevent the recurrence of another world war if they act in unison," he said, “but any section of the English-speaking world which leaves large tracts of land idle is putting temptation into the way of the land-hungry. Quite apart from the immediate outcome of the present war, concerning which I have never doubtI ed, I believe that the empty cradle is one of the greatest menaces that confronts our English-speaking civilisation. A New Zealand with 5,000,000 people and an Australia with 25,000,000 people would be great stabilising factors in the South Pacific. “Cur duty is not only to people our empty spaces and to develop our great heritage, but to see to it that our youth is physically fit, and. above all, inspired with the highest ideals. Never were spiritual values more important than at this moment. We live in a time of great peril, but one of tremendous opportunity if we are true to our vision.”