Newman.—Is New Zealand a Healthy Country ? 507 
Under a system of free immigration the people are specially chosen ; 
and under a system of assisted emigration a like selection obtains, for 
colonists as a rule send home money for the purpose of bringing out those 
of their friends who are strong enough and healthy enough ‘to rough it,” 
whilst they anxiously dissuade those of their friends who, being in ill 
health, might be unable to provide for themselves and be a burden to 
colonists. Asa rule, too, the people who migrate are those who are strong 
and healthy, who feel that they are able and willing to rough it. Early 
colonists are a specially pieked lot, for only the strongest and healthiest, 
only those with the toughest constitutions and the most venturesome dispo- 
sitions would leave Home comforts for colonial hardships. Delicate men 
and sickly women generally would eschew all risk of discomfort and remain 
in their comfortable homes. 
As against this selection there must be recognized the fact that year by 
year this colony is growing in favour as a health resort and that hence 
there is a selection ayainst the colony, in the shape of consumptive, rheu- 
matie and other invalids flocking hither in search of health. This un- 
favourable selection is undoubtedly an important factor directly as it affects 
the parents themselves and more remotely as they transmit some or all of 
their maladies to their children. 
(8.) Large Proportion of adult Males. 
The large proportion of adult males in the colony will favourably affect 
the death-rate, as does also the small proportion of aged persons. 
(4.) Abundance of good Clothing. 
The general prosperity allows even the poorest to be warmly clad, and 
hence all are protected from the effects of cold and heat and damp. The 
ragged tattered coats and trousers, the much-torn threadbare garments 
which cover the poor people in Europe, are here not seen. The children 
of our poorest have clothes which are at least warm and continuous, not 
merely loosely connected rags with large interspaces. Our poorest can all 
obtain stout boots and warm socks and woollen garments for their children 
—a striking contrast to the almost-naked plight of thousands of poor little 
frozen children in Great Britain. This widespread distribution of warm 
clothing saves the lives of numbers of children. 
(5.) Abundance of wholesome Food. 
The cheapness of breadstuffs and potatoes and the low price of meat, 
combined with general prosperity, give to all abundance of good wholesome 
food. The low cost of the production of the raw material offers scant 
inducement for adulteration. Good milk is cheaply bought in the largest 
towns. This constant supply of sound wholesome food maintains a healthy 
condition of body, which wards off most of the diseases arising from defec- 
tive or mal-nutrition. 
