POST-WAR MORALS

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18423, 2 July 1925, Page 8

POST-WAR MORALS

HON. G. M. THOMSON ON OBLIGATIONS. WOMEN'S DUTY TO THE COMMUNITY. (STECIAL TO "the muss.") WELLINGTON, July ]. The eit'ect of tho Avar upon the morals of tho community was referred to by tho Hon. G. M. Thomson in the course of tho Addrcss-in-Reply speech in tho Legislative Council this afternoon. > 'Many of the lessons of the Great War seem to have been lost- on the rising generation/' observed -Mr 1 hornson. "1 can t see that tho iessons of tho war receive any consideration; they are forgotten. * There can bo no question but that the great lessening of moral obligations which bind the community together is the result of tho war. Dishonesty, for example, is rite to-day. I don't mean in putty thieving, but that dishonesty which means that man does not give fair value for tho money lie received for work." (Hear, hear.) This, said the speaker, was one of the crying troubles of tho day. Tho motto of tho employee should be '•Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do with all thy might," but it was not tho thought o.f to-day. Mr Thomson was also of opinion'that. tho modern young girl had too much freedom—an amount of freedom, in fact, which would have shocked her grandmother. Tho employed girl was getting more money than was good for her. The majority of girls were spending their money idly and foolishly. "This is a question which we, mere men, can't tackle," ho said, '■but we .have an enormous number of excellent women in tho community, and many nre claiming rights equal with men." 1 say, let these women consider what, kind of scrvico they can render that will teach our .growing girls that they arc getting their education free, and that there is a moral responsibility resting on them to do something in return. We want to "bring home to them a sense of their own importance and responsibility to the country." Mr Thomson &a.id that he thought some, form of legislation should be brought forward to deal with the matter. Commenting on juvenile crime, he advocated more birching as a corrective, measure, and less moral suasion and reformative treatment.