CHILD PROTECTION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 31, 31 October 1917, Page 3

CHILD PROTECTION

ANNUAL MEETING OF SOCIETY

INTERESTING ADDRESSES

The twentieth ajinual meeting of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children, was held in the committee-room of the Town Hall last evening. The Hon, J. G. AV. Aitken presided, and there was an excellent attendance of members. The chairman, in opening the meeting, said thut he was preeent at the initial meeting of the society, and he believed ho had presided at it. He had kept a close watch on .the efforts of the 6ociety ever since, and though the members had worl.'.i 6;v quietly and eo unostentatiously, tl'ey had accomplished a great deal that was of direct benefit to this community. Hβ felt sure that the work they had in. front of them in tho coming year would bo as well done as in the pasr. (.'lie report and balance-sheet were read. The latter showed receipts for the year gtii Ss., and the expenditure amounted to .£153 11s. 10d.

Bishop Sprott, in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, said it was a pity that there ehould bo any nee'u for such a eociety, but since that need existed it was something to be grateful for that this eociety had done so much during the year. Hit Lordship went on to say that he was asked to avoid references that irero usually made when dealing with a report and balance-sheet, and deal with the subject of "parental control." He said many people did not understand what was meant when the family was spoken of as being the unit of human society. It was in the family that the great moral principles and the great moralities which bound society together had their birth and were developed. The bonds of human society were three. No society could be bound together or bo strong that did not obey rightful authority; no society could hold together in which there was not developed the spirit of mutual trust, neither could a society hold together in whioh there was not developed tho spirit of brotherliness. Those three I'onds had their birth in the family. He traced how these bonds existed and wero developed in the family. The submission of the child to parent was the iirst recognition of law—the submission to rightful authority. In the family tnere should bo nourished ihese three lionds of society, and there was no substitute for- it.' The child should learn olfcdience. If it did not do that it would go through life h-ying to do as little hard work as possible, and try to get as much ease as possible. It was in the family that the habits of obedience and submission to lawful authority were learned. He stated that during the second half of the nineteenth century there was a great laxity In parental control; the parents appeared to have abdicated it. Free education, he also maintained, had a great deal to <to with the laxity in parental control. When parents had'to find the means to educate their ..children there was a groat deal of parental control. Many of them, no doubt, were nnable to pay, and he was' of opinion that there should bo a reorganisation of our industrial conditions' so that everybody would have the means of doing so. Many mothers, too, had Jo 'go out to work and -vere vutiblo to adequately look after , their enildren, mid he held that mothers should not hove to go out to work, but should 1.0 freo to look after their children. . The Hon. G. W. Russell, JLwster of InternnT Affairs, in ■econdin,? the adoption of the report and wilimed-shect, said he regarded the work of the eef/ety as of great importance. One of the effoots of the great war would be to bring our people nearer to the simple life of our forefathers. In this country the sad news that came to many homes would have the effect of directing (he ir.:nd of many towards religion and to the life that is after this one. He referred to the Social Hygiene Bill, and faid. he looked for the assistance of the semety nnd of the women of New Zealand to make that measure useful to (he community. He dealt with tho illegitimacy statistics, which he regarded r.s deplorable. He hoped before many weeks were over to sen one or two womon patrols appointed in the city, and he hoped tlfeir services would prove bonenci.il. Mr. A. B. Atkinson spoko on mious topics, and Dr. Ada Paterson, Medioal Inspector of Slate Schools, spoke, on the effects' of the kinematograph on school life. The election of ofEccre resulted as follows:-President, Lady Stout; vicepresidents, Mesdames W. A. Bvans, A. k. Atkinson, A. Holey, and C. IT. ly.nrd; lion, treasurer, Mrs. J. Kirkcaldie; committee, Ifeadames SnroH;, J. '.!?. Glnsson, M'Gavin, Corrigan, W. F. Ward, Winder, Griffiths. Ponsonby. Chapman, Glover, Luke, Chatfield, W. Macnrthy Reid, Mother Joseph Aubert, and Dr. PlattsJtfille, Messrs. Coates. Stewart, Parlane, and Inglis: secretary, Mrs. A. Belworthy; l-rustees, Sir Francis Bell. Hon. J. O. W. Aitken. Messrs. AV. Allan, and E. Tregear, and tho Ttev. AV. A. Evans.