ILLEGITIMACY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1747, 1 November 1917, Page 2

ILLEGITIMACY.

“I DESIRE to clii'ect your attention to a most appalling Matter,” said the Hon, G, W. Russell in an address delivered at the annual meeting of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children at Wellington on Tuesday evening. The Minister

referred to the illegitimacy question. He would have to tell them some terrible truths, but if the truths existed they should know them. During the years 1912, 1913, 1914 and 1915 no fewer than 2,071 illegitimate children were born to mothers of the age of 21 years and under. Five years ago the Statistics Department began compiling figures showing the ages of mothers of illegitimate children, and the Minister quoted the following detailed figures in illustration of his contention that the matter was one of the utmost gravity:—

Continuing, the Minister remarked that when they considered that the age of consent was 16 years, they would realise that a sorrowful state of affairs existed. He called upon the women of the country to assist in putting down the evil. He hoped that very soon one or two suitable women would be appointed to guard the young and unwise who went about the streets and threw themselves into 'the arms of temptation.

Yrs. 1912 1913 1914 1915 TL 13 4 — — — 4 14 5 4 7 4 20 15 12 14 17 14 57 16 31 32 38 30 131 17 71 54 73 62 200 18 94 87 110 88. 379 19 87 114 115 114 430 20 84 91 114 118 407 21 92 100 102 89 383 Totals o 1 03 496 57G 519 2071