WOMAN'S WORLD.

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 22, 21 October 1918, Page 3

WOMAN'S WORLD.

PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND ■ CHILDREN ■ • THE YEAR'S .WORK. The twenty-first animal Ireport of the Society 'for the l'roteoUon of Women and Children, which will be presented at tho meeting to-morrow night, states that 300 have been received at the' society's office, and tho secretary has paid 404 visits. Letters received numbered 195, and those written 340. There have been ".107 now cases this year and a largo number of ckl cases were dealt with, the solicitors being consulted I 3S Mses, while 10 necessitated Court proceedings. . The leport continues as follows:—"The committee regrets to report that there has been a marked increase in the number of cases of desertion and cruelty to wives and children. There lias been a. decrease in tho number of cases of illegitimacy, but it is subject for regret that in the five cases mentioned married men wore responsible for the rum of tho girls." The committee again urges that the age of protection for boys and girls should bo rained, and that "reasonable cause to believe that a girl was oi or over sixteen years of age" shall not tie a defence to a charge of criminal assault. This amendment has

heon accepted by tbe House of Commons, which has also ; greed to the extension of time to twelve months

in which to lay an information for indecent assault. The committee and other organisations have demanded this roform for years; but in this case, as in many others, the British House of Commons has proved more ready than our New Zealand Parliament to make provision for the better protection of young girls. The committee regrets that repeated and urgont requests to the Govern-, uient for the appointment of poliee'women, women jurors, justices of tho peace, and visitmc justices to prisons have not yot received attention from Parliament. Tho appointment of a woman censor of picture films has received the ' endorsement oi the Minister, but no appointment has yet been made. These reforms, which tho work of the committee has proved to be urgently needed, have been secured in other countries, where' they are reported t<) work well in every way and are giving satisfaction to the authorities who were intelligent enough to inaugurate the appointment of women to hitherto untried responsibilities. '" Attention is again drawn in tho report to he need for Jie establishment of labour farms for wasters snd wife-

deserters, where t-lioy could earn wages for the support of their families. For years the Dunediu . Charitable Aid Board and tim committee hare affirmed tho principle of segregating the unfits aud criminals on farms where they wpuld be taught ■ self-supporting /.dustriss. This year we . have had several cases of mentally defective girls and married women vA\o have become mothers, who in tho interest of the State and for their own protection and safety should bu segregated on sueJt farms. Tho committee, for the twentieth .time, again urges the need for an amendment in the law which would give tho mother of legitimate children equal rights -with the father in the guardianship of her children. • Another matter to which the committee wishes to draw attention is the frequent appearance of advertisements from persons wishing to adopt children with a premium. As it is illegal to pay premiums in adoption, and dangerous to the safety of ihe nhildrcn, steps should bo taken to prevent such transactions taking place. A recent case or desertion of a child which had been adopted- with a premium of £15 proves that the law forhulding \\\e payment of premiums is being disregarded, with disastrous results. . The appointment of policewomen to investigate such cases is urgently recommonded.

Deputations to MinKtors'concerning the Soldiers' Medical Club arid closing i of . hotel bars have taken place, and a J resolution protesting against the word > "health" in connection with the women | patrols has been passed. Instances of ! the urgent need for allowances for { mothers on the lines of several proigressive countries are continually being brought heforo the society, and the' I committee asks the Government to J provide the sum of ss. per week for I every child above four in families. > Subscribers and those who have helped substantially are thanked, also the $ general public for interest and sup- \ port. ■ f The balance-sheet shows! that rey reipts amounted to £296 Os. 2d., and r there was a balance from the previous > year of £217 6s. fid. The expenditure r | amounted to. £190 4s. 3d., and there \ was a balance to carry forward of £313 c 10s. Bd..