ABORTION PROBLEM

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 174, 10 August 1937, Page 7

ABORTION PROBLEM

-Press Asaociation.)

Dunedin to Act With Other '• Committees CATHOLIC CHURCH ATTITUDE

(By Telegraph-

DUNEDIN, This Day. A decision to form a committee to aet with similar committees throughout the Dominion in considering possible measures for alleviating the aborton problem as revealed in the McMillan report was reached last night at a meeting of various bodfes which was addressed by Dr. Dawson, pfofessor of midwifery and gynaecology at Otago University. Dr. Dawson said he considered thaf the annual abortion average might be nearer seven than six thousand. He added that it was by no means a single-girl problem. His investigations showed that of a total of 733 consecutive abortion cases admitted to the Dunedin Hospital only 89 were single women. On the other hand, the group of married women who had between four • and seven children constituted 48.7 per cent. of the total cases. Monsignor Morkane, in stating the attitude of the Catholic Church, said it would oppose any suggestion for widening the legal facilities for abortion, whether criminal or so-called therapeutic, because there was no difference in the Church 's eyes. "I dissociate myself and the Church from any suggestion that there should be legislation to widen the scope of therapeutic abortion. I dissociate myseEf and the Church from any suggestion of establish birth-control clinics where people can be taught this evil," he added. ' ' Similarly do, I dissociate myself and the Church from connivance on the part of the Government and the newspapers in the sale of these goods that bring about abortion so frequently." ■ . •