“LOOSE-LIVING WOMEN”

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 971, 14 May 1930, Page 10

“LOOSE-LIVING WOMEN”

PREACHER’S SWEEPING INDICTMENT COCKTAILS AND DIVORCE Press Association WELLINGTON, Today. A sweeping indictment of loose living by many women of today was made by the Rev. J. R. Blanchard, of St. John’s Presbyterian Church. Adultery, a disinclination to rear families and the cocktail habit were among the charges levelled at them. The second Sunday in May, he said, was observed in many places by the Christian Church as “Mother’s Day.” For some time he had had deep misgivings about it and though he intensely disliked striking such a note, the time had come when it must be struck. About 80 of each year's marriages ended in divorce before five years and 160 before 10 years and about 950 children were affected each year. More men than women had to take action on account of adultery, 110 on the average each year to 67 women. A further matter of grave concern was that there were 1,300 illegitimate births every year and in addition 1,700 children were born in wedlock, but before their time, making together just on one-third of the children born ever>* year. Added to that the birth rate had shrunk tremendously. The cocktail habit, he contended, had a sinister bearing on motherhood. In most cases it was pure swank, but perilous.