The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1881.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 890, 4 October 1881, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1881.

TuE.French have made a serious discovery, namely, that the population is increasing so slowly as to excite justifiable concern for the future. In 1879 the births were 936,000, and the deaths 830.000, thus giving an increase of only 97,000 to the nation. The number of deaths proportionate to the population decreases, and this is a favorable fact, and a proof of the sober and regular habits of the people. But the number of births diminishes at an alarming rate. It 1864, to a population of 37 millions, were born one and a-half million children; in 1868 the births were only 984,000. The number of marriages has diminished; but the remarkable ciraumstauce is that, whereas at the commencement of the century every family had an average of four children, in 1860 the proportion had become only three. Tim illegitimate births hntl also decreased. The summary of the movements of the French population during the last thirty years is, briefly, fewer marriages, fewer legitimate children, a notable reduction in the number of natural children, and a slight reduction in the number of deaths. This decrease of population has from one point of view been of great advantage to the nation. In spite of the heavy war indemnity paid by France to Germany, its people have.remained as a whole well to do and prosperous. This result has been attributed to the land system which prevails in that country, but probably it is specially' due to the fact that peasant proprietors in France have not had to support large families, thus, the soil has been capable of bearing the burden placed upon it. Ireland on the contrary has always maintained a high birth rate. The increase of its population has always distanced- the capabilities of its soii.' In the old settled countries of Europe it is evident that any one which is over populated cannot be prosperous, and any one which is under populated is a good one to live in. The great difficulty with Ireland is to find within its borders occupation for; its rapidly increasing population; 0o alteration of its land laws will enable* it to carry a greater, population than its soil is able to. maintain;