LETTERS TO THE

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1587, 2 November 1912, Page 3

LETTERS TO THE

"EUGENICS AND MATERNITY BONUS."

' e£« TliC c "!'" cl i''nes" of the Eugenics guarded by the fo lowing rule--"No Sf shall be;publishedf nor shall a L foi ' e the P»Wic, in the v H ° f p thl , s S ? e '"'til endorsed «f ,m. . Cen,ral Co ' u '<:'l-" Only because of H l * fidelity to tho spirit ot that tenet was my offer to act.as, W- : oiary organiser and secretary for tho New „.„■ t d T ,Jta " c| ' accepted. I speak that which, I am ' authorised, by loading fingeiiists to speak, ■ To have given expression then, to that which was reported oi my. reply to. tho question of last Fn> days meeting in re, Hon. Mr. .Fisher's maternity bonus scheme, would have been to betray my trust. For no such expression tetechcil mo either from the divisions oi the New Zealand branch or from tho parent jLondon) society. Permit, then, tho following correction:— ir a a l sF°, uut of some similarity between Mr. lishers bonus and benefit (1) of our own National Provident Fund Act;namely, a -payment not exceeding .£6 for medical attendance on the birth'of-a contributor's child or children -after contributing for twelve months," I quoted, the proposal rolntivo to that benefit ■'- which had-been tenvarded by tho New. Zealand branch of the 'Eugenics Education 1 Society to the ex-Prime Minister, -This proposal was: 'That while this society appreciates the effort of .the New. Zealand Government in its endeavour to aid maternity, it hopes that the benefit may be: so, reconstructed as to make it more directly eugenic'in its bearing, To that' end it would recommend that w-hatever be the amount awarded to tho ordinary eligiblo applicant for tho 'benefit,'.' to ' those couples w-ho have taken the precaution to secure before mar- 1 riage," from "a Government medical "officer, certificates of health there shall be award--ed a sum larger than that awarded to the former." . - " ... This proposal" has 'been endorsed not only by eacn of the. four divisions of the New Zealand. Branch, but, by the. .parent (London) Eugenics Education Society,' also-*ee "Eugenics Eeviow," vol. 111, No. *.■'■". The reasons for this proposal ore well expressed, by the following:—"So long as : ■the natural nian increases and multiplies . without restraint, so long will peace and industry not.only permit, but they .will necessitate, a, struggle for existence- as sharp as any that evei 1 went on under the ■regime of. war," Our. New Zealand lunatic population of over 3000; our ' mental-defective population of 'over 700;.' many of our 'industrial' school, and reformatory .population of.: over 2000; jnanj' of our'gaob, population of over 500, alone illustrate the force of that.. Not of sucji classes do we desire increase of numbers,' edther for. their own..poor suffering sakes, or as burdens upon the worthy Who know already too. much ..of 'that ""■struggle for :existence." .In this connection, let me quote the words' of a "devoted mother in relation to her all but helpless mentally-defective daughter whom I visited last month: "She is more of a; burden and a tie 1 than aIL ber six sisters and brothers togetllev." - ■■'.Not,- however, until move people recog-nise-that .there is no',safety. in marriage without previously-acquired heftlth certificates pan steady human progress for the nation bo assured. So clearly is the necessity for such test recognised by all supervisors of tlie lower - forms 'of life.. How much more need it be recognised in relation to mankind, where infinitely gfeater'issnes are at stake.' . And,. as bearing • on that, the • gist of another proposal, carrying the signatures of all the divisions (to: date) w*as quoted.:' "That', in pursuance of the policy embodied in the following - resolutions brought forward' at the fourth annual meeting of the parent (London).'society on Juno 20, "1912-.; "This; society should devote 'more attention to the influence.- of economic:' conditions oni'the birth-rate." "That it-should adVo'catei'i'elieving taxation, which weighs .as .ar'special; burden. on parents, and should con.sider the best means.of giving financial encouragement, to .those -.whom prudence, and the. desire, to imai'ntain, a' decent standard-of Hving, discourago-froiii.par-enthood"., and that the custom '0f.. pr0.curing health certificates befbro matriago be encouraged;<tliat the. attention,of the Minister for Public Health be drawn ; to the. desirability of admittance , to ' ;,St. Helen's ■Hospitals being "free" to thoso, applicants (of not over a. given. income) who have, together 'with their husbands, procured before marriage from a Government medical officer. certificates of health." . '-;. ••■■•-. .Thanking yon for-tho space accorded ' .to this vitally .important subject,— I am, etc., • .--■.' L. MACGEOSGE, • Hon. Secretary niid- Organiser- E.E.S.N.Z,' October 21, 1912. ( _ '