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. As a 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 picked 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 against the colony, in the shape of consumptive, rheu- 

 matic 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. 



(3.) 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 health} 7 

 condition of body, which wards off most of the diseases arising from defec- 

 tive or mal-nutrition. 



