DOMINION’S YOUNG WOMEN

Hokitika Guardian, 18 October 1930, Page 7

DOMINION’S YOUNG WOMEN

WR ITEI?’S A LLKG ATIONS. STRONGLY RESENTED IVY BOARD. NAPIER, October 14. “That the attention of the Minister of Education be drawn to references in the hook ‘Education in New Zealand,’ by A. G. . Butcher, regarding illegitimacy in the Dominion, and that the hoard expresses its great regret that such scandalous statements regaid ing the young women of New Zealand should appear in a hook subsidised by the Education Department and that the Minister be asked to take immediate steps to correct untrue and wholly misleading statements.” The foregoing was a resolution passed at a meeting of the beard of governors of the Napier High School tonight, when a strong protest was made by members that such statements should have been permitted to be published.

" The subject was introduced by the Rev. ■>. A. Asher, who drew attention to a scathjpg review of' the book which appeared in the “Education Gazette.” This, said Mr Asher, drew attention to inaccuracies which occurred in the book, and also referred to grave charges of immorality which had been made by Mr Butcher against the young people of the Dominion, The review mentioned that Mr Butcher had said the extent of immorality in New Zealand constituted a serious blot on the escutcheon of the educational system of the Dominion, and indicated the need for serious, reconsideration of the moral instruction and character training methods employed. It also said that every second girl in the Dominion was immoral, and that the first child of every third girl would he conceived out of wedlock. “I would like to associate myself with the writer of that article in the ‘Education Gazette,’ both as a New Zealander and as one whose calling has made him closely associated with the young life of the Dominion for very many years,” said Mr Asher. “Our young life, as far as the purity of our women is concerned, occupies a very high place. I would ask from the depth of my heart that the board repudiate such statements. 1 think it tragic that he should he allowed to publish such a book and to attack the most important thing in connection with the character of our young women.”

It was pointed out by the secretary of the board, Mr W. L. Dunn, that the book was subsidised by the Department. ' . “The Minister should collar the lot and send them to the destructor,’ said Mr F K. de Castro, when a suggestion was made by Mr J. Vigor Brown that the attention of the Minister of Education should he drawn to the book, so that he cpuld issue a statement m connection with it,