PROTECTIONS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 23, 22 October 1907, Page 7

PROTECTIONS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

■,:■■■ ~... .r4— ---.

'■• ', ANNUAL MEETING OF:: SOCIETY..'

;,' ,- j hasty i . T: 'The' annual -mcetiilg'of tho-Society" for the 'Protection'of AYbmeh and Children'was held 'rust- night, -Lord Pluiikct- presiding- oyer -a 'large'attchdalico. -."•'-■'-- v ■■/. •"''••"'' : "'His -Excellency-wiis accompanied by Lady 'Pllinkot, 'the Hb'ns''-Kathice]v' : 'Plunket;-arid; 'Captain* Gathornc'-Hardy,.A.D.C.:■■•■'• :■•' ■■<■' ."•'-Amongst tlio apologies Jor unavoidable ab-"Sone:d"-roii"d by'' thc'"chairman 'were ~-letters from'Sif-Joseph-and'Lady'Ward; Hon. G;' Izard, -M;:H:R.> ; ' and.-.Dr. Vali'ntinci J '■■'■'■• ~ :: "''' ; - '■■'■-■' '■'>'•' ''■''■y' : ' v ':'' ■' ']"■'■',

-'•'' His Excellency "said:-.that..as; thoyvhatl:'.* 'long-"programme to 'get" through, l and only a ' little time- 1 at ' their ■' disposal,- ho ■ would hot - make .'-h ' speech :• bn ; "> this»'occasibn."- ■ His 'presence in'the chair,'^however, , '-'ivns 'an assiir'anco ' of';'liis' ; symnpthy,' •admiration; and ■respect; for the Society; which'was'carrying bri such a>'splondid | -work-.>v ;< ■ •■■:> y> ' r,.. ■■■;■■■ '•f : -":.:THB: ; YEAR?S WORE;'■%'-'■ ; " :^:. »l Mrs; .A'. R.:,'Atkiiwon : moved,tbo ; adoption I'of:the annual report- ; anfl balance-sheet.; The report: stated- 'that l-.tho-number,.pf; ;C.ases ■ dealt with i.was'i now 589j'of which. 58, wero -.how-, during- thoiyear '.ended.-., They .-.were clas'-, .sifiecl-as'follows.'iH-.. :.!.'. ,-..-.:;':. .■.!,'"!■-. :. ,- ■■:'-.„ ': k Drink;:: neglects • and ill T usage, ■ 10,; illegitimate children.riO;-maintonaiice ; :pf jnptTier,' 4; maintenance of wifp,. 5;;; separation ;ana maintenance, 3; failure v t'b~ma'int'am'Tamily,;. 2-J neglect'of ''ndopedi children'," 2.; '-ill-usage! of-'familv,' 2-; ':desertioi--.of;'j\yifp.; 2-; adoption sought',-~-»l;' : clilldi : el[ i-advice 'and;help on-various'niat'tersi'-12.-' -!;.! ;-. "'''Sixteen'cases previously on>-the books/had. "alsb beeri.'further 1 dealt" withj'iaiul advice 'on general ■'.--matter's "'had"-been, given "hv>- many eascsnot'needing action by-'tlie-society; and, therefore; h'ot 'eriumDrated''iir the; above ilist, •■Tlte'r'e hati'beon-'Six^Court'"cases; during the year,"tlie society- succeeding iivalkbut one, ■\vh'iclv''failed-'for. want of'-sufficieht bvideucbi' ■•"•"■Tho' 1 'report" committee 'IB' gl'aU~tO"lea'rn'''tliatJ the Ffcsh.- Pood ,aiid'' Ice; 'Company "is- now- '■supnlying'diuinanised ■milk'at "a very reasonable price. 'Your- coriimitteo has Vead- with'pleasure the . debate 'on Dr.,Golliiis's'motion m the Upper. House', 'arid 'also"the""reply' ''of tho'. Attornoy-Geiieral tb'-the deputation from-Duncdiii'and Christ'cliu'rch"'oif'the questions -laid before him, and 'ti-'usts'tllat , .""es'pdcial:;y , 'tho''matter' of inspectiph '.of- registered' aoin ; ps' ! .'for'' iiifants'i.by "a 'proporly qualified' woman, which'this- society lias urged : for/'so' many'years, may' soori.ro'tfeiveYpf'actical attention'; 'from "the'. Govern'hiont'. 'Your comrriitteo is glad to know'that; 'tho"Government -is preparing■_to- make suitabld"provision 'for the education 'and' development "of'moiitally "defective boys by making tub' Otekaikc" e'st.ate'--a school ,f;or such children, -'"arid urge's -that' similar- provision be speedily mado for'defective girls.. The coin-' mittoe gladly acknowledges the continued sympathy and support of'the subscribers and: •the -general' public,vwh6, -by their financial help, e'nablo tlio, committee' to carry -on the work', and: feels'.-snr«:that-,tho generous stipport' given • in the -past-. will, be continued; during the:coiuing>e"aiv.-The balance-sheet' shows- receipts' for the ;ycar from sub's'orip--tibns and donations amount t0,£89 18s. 6:1.,' and- tho expenditure'to- £%, ss. 10d<; there being still a-baldnco in--harid-lbf £57/-,155. 2di \-\; >^AD^nN'isTßAiribNi .6p'REL'iiip

'.'■* J'n seconding .thobiotibh, the.'Rev. : .'W. A. 'Evans' congratulated them. oh ■ 'the excellent work that had been dono during the year. Dealing with y the question-of Government control, of"charitabTe institutions,, he'/said the true end: of: all bhar'itahlo aid should bo tho annulling' of. all ,ije,ces;sity for charitable aid.' The first,"essential/.was;that: no relief should bo given ; u;jijl' - investigation had been "riia'dci." > After* that the relief should be. adapted ."tp.';tl.io'.n'ced> He spoko against.,the.' tendency- to 'treat, recipients of relief.,as..'.'cases'.','instead- of 33 : men and women, arid deprecated,.a mechanical system of relief. ~Thov jd ircct. control .of tho State should bo exercised in providiiig-for destitute pcoplo to build, themselves up physically and morally. Thero,waE too"much''-emotionalism ,at. present in'< the-system:'of relief, and. it did-not.,terid tb, raise'the'submerged. . The heart ought'to: bo guided, by"''tho bead..... Referring, 'to ..the question of Government control, ho said tho Education Department held ;tho, highest percentage in the world—something liko:9s'per cent;--of success.in dealing with 'the 'children:-'Bent'-toy its; institutions. There wight; to bo''continuity of -action; a knowledge 'ap-' plied;'arid, the influence of th'eVmilk'-of human, kindness : in-tho'charitable aid system. l .' ■ Thb.motion".was carried.- .-' ' ; " : PREVENTION BETTER -THAN CURE. 'Dr/Truby'Kirig.prcip&'ea that Mrs.'A.'A.'At-. Idnsbirbo/'electcd'TVesiderit of-'the''Society,' ,R.nd,'pa'id. tribute to-tho' heartfelt' sympathy, she had. with the movement; : Dealing ,with aspects -of'-tho qucstibn ,ivli icjli had lippnaled' to liliri, lie'agreed that' tho necessity for charity should bo.abolished as far as' possible..' The best method was to train the rising generation so ns to bring .them np_ decent .citizens'); for whom'gaols and such-likb'iristitutions wero not hbeded;' prevorititin was ccrtjiiiily'better than cure,.';'He•: was;.; confident' that ■ there would' riot bo nearly ; s:o'many' people—probably 'fibi half- libr'afqiiarte'r—sent to asylums had ' thoy-licbn properly hrbught'up,' A young and. wealthy country, like'this had lib'right to ■'allow'.such a'sta't'b of.affairs"to' grow"up hero as 'existed' in "England; wh'bro they wero lighting 'a'.forlorri''l / ibi)e::;:Tl)'e' speaker'niado reference, to'-the cniifofor.cbat St.' Paricras, Lon'•(loiii'iii July, "and showed"what could 'ho dbiie bv'iiri, organised aiid- intelligent campaign". Tlirco years'.ago the' infant'mortality in tho. UorpUgh'bf'St. Paiicras'had bceii much higher than the'rcStVof London',- out ''riowMfr had 'bc'eii : brought 'db\vri iiiuch" hclbiv the.average, "Arid tlic'' : dcatli"rn.tb: for 'thb ; 'wliblc. of 'London "hfjd been broughtjto, a; lbwci"percentage;than' 'that of'Eiiglandliii'd Wales.''\ln 'conclusion, -lie 'said .'th'ereivas lib'onomo'ro' fitted for 'the p'osition'of'pfbsitloiit thafi Mrs. Atkiiisoiu ;"- !, - v 'Mfs'!f 'Izard''', secdritlcd tho _' iiibtidh';" and iii' 'doing so'eulogiscd'theservices rendered' by

Mrs. Atkinson. , The motion was carried u'n■ariimously.'.-■'.';'■'.• *-i-'- : ' '. - : 'EVILS OF' HEEDLESS MARRIAGES. Rising to propose a vice-president, the Rcv„ T. H. Sprott enlarged on the evils that arose —moral and physical—from careless and hasty marriages; Such marriages were far too common in the present age. Many persons rushed into marriage with no real care and no sense of their responsibilities. It was a widespread ovil. The'rough-and-tumble life which the women of to-day led, he continued, was tending to break down the chivalry, respect, and reserve which should hedge round womanhood.- This, and the spirit of unnatural independence which was generated in young women, led, he believed, to those heedless and hasty marriages which wero so much to be deplored. Thoughtful people should endeavour to circulato a graver view of marriage into the community; the first step towards reverent- and discreet marriages, was that marriage should bo talked about iiu reverent and discreet language. There was no need to wear long faces, but marriage was spoken of as a jest and a subject for raillery. Thoy-would : 'not find neglected or stunted children in homes whero there had beom happy■' marriages of honest love. The secret of the misery of'child life could bo traced to the ignorant, heedless "entrance .upon that state which was the foundation of the whole of human life. He moved ? that Mrs. W. A.' •Evans and Mrs. Walter Fell bo elected vice- '•■•- ,'••-..- . Mrs. M'Kenzie scoonded the motion, which was carried. - ■ '.'■ • ■ " .'■■■'■ t In moving the election of the coinmitteb, Mr. A. It. Atkinson criticised tho. 'position created by the Infant. Lifo Pro/tectum Act, arid-'urged that the supervision of children's; homes should bo brought within the scope of the Health Department, APPOINTMENT "OF OFFICIALS. '■/ Miss Sorley seconded -and the following committee was. appointed:—Lady Stout, Mesdames Kirkcaldio, . T. W. Hislpp, D. Nathan, Hobv, MacKenzio.T. C. Williams, Wallis, C. Izard; S. A. Rhodes, Bracher, Motlier 'Mary Joseph A'ub'ert, Staff Capt. Hubbard, Dr. Piatt-Mills, Nurse Holg'ato, Sister Isabel „ Sinclair, Misses Coates, M. Sorley, and E. B. Brown. "...oVi'tho motion of Mrs. Hislo'p the following hon. i solicitors aind physicians were appointed Messrs. A. R. Atkinson, H. D.: Bell, C. H. Izard, J. L. Stout,- H: Cooper, (Palmerston North).' Field, Hislop, Myers, | .Morison,.' Ostler, Tanner, loung and G. Lloyd (Dannevirkc). Physicians., Drs. E. ...Piatt-Mills, ■ Agnes Bennett, Elizabeth: Gumi, .Chappie and Messrs. ,■ J. G. W. Aitken, H. D. Bell, J. R. Blair, ~E.''.Tr9gear,,and Rev. W T . A; Evans were reappointed" trustees.' '. . ilrs/Fell moved ''That tho incoming com•m'itteo be to organise for the, promotion- of tho' health of women and children' along tho lines indicated by ;Dr. Trilby King." ", . '"'■'...-'■■ ; : . .'Lady .Stout seconded;' ..In 'supporting; the motion His Excellency 'e'xpi'es.'sfed' his' hearty' sympathy with its- object.:,.' •■' : . '"" ". The motion was'carried. "■' : ; In : ' moving '-a' ,hdarty vote of thanks tc Lord Plmiket :"nnd Lady Plunkct, Mrs, Evans appealed to the public for sinews ot war'to carry dii ; the work of ■ the society. The motion was carried by acclamation!