A GRAVE STATE OF AFFAIRS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1269, 26 October 1911, Page 6

A GRAVE STATE OF AFFAIRS.

' « MORALITY OP YOUNG PEOPLE. (By McEraph.— Soccinl Correspondent.) Auckland, October 25. Soma comments on one aspect of tho morality of tho young pcoplo in Auckland were contained in a report on St. Mary's Homes presented at the Anglican Synod yesterday afternoon. Tho committec admitted that homes were, after all, "only an ambulance at llio bottom of the precipice" (to use Ellicc Hopkins's words) and that very little in proportion lo tho need was being done in Auckland "to make a fence at the top of the precipice." They were told (lint all tho insiitutions of a similar nature had been full this year and applications were being refused for want of room. From a social point of view this was a crave state of affairs and gavo cnuso for thought. Thoso who kne\i' tho history of ihew girls knowhow large a part t'lio many public reserves in Auckland open at night, unlighted and unpoliced, play in ruining tho girls of Auckland. If Iho number of girls who entered the reserves at night was known tho public conscience would lx> shocked, if the truth about this was known it would -startlo many fathers and mothers out of their careless apathy about their children. In tho year Ihero we.ro thirteen girls between M and 17 years of ago admitted to St. Mary's to become mothers whilst yet mere children, and in only ono case was a prosecution obtained because either the culprits had disappeared or too long a time had elapsed before a complaint was laid. It was much to bo desired that' the law upon this point should bo altered and that the parents of these poor children sliould bo less apathetic in the matter. Ellorts had been made in 30 cases to obtain payment from the men concerned. Sevxitecn orders for maintenance had been made and tlvclvo voluntary agreements wore secured. Tho rest failed.