EUGENICS AND THE UNFIT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 62, 4 September 1911, Page 4

EUGENICS AND THE UNFIT.

Mr. 11. W. Bishop. the Stijx-udia ry Tit tc at C'hrisichurch, recently made a valuable contribution to the subject. of eugenics, valuable because as a magistrate lie is in daily toueli in liis. capacity of special umpire with tin: physically and mentally unlit. The magistrate made a strong point of the fact that there was not snliicicnt being done ill the way of preventing the un- ( lit from becoming parents of their kind and gave instances. We all know that there is a good deal of mawkish sentimentality in regard to degenerates and that the public, as a matter of fact, rather encourages than discourages the kind. This is evident at the moment in regard to an escapee who is clearly a degenerate, manv people being found to applaud his action ami to desire his freedom. The branches of the eugenic societies that have been established ill New Zealand can do nothing definite or particularly useful until they convince the public that segregation of the unlit is necessary to save Immunity from the greater part of its troubles. These societies mav collect very valuable data and family histories, but definite dealing with actual individuals will remain in the hands of the State. Till- State at present will not and cannot interfere with the unlit, unless the unlit individual has broken a law and is "found out." At present there exists no means of any kind of applying practical eugenics. And the public; does not yet ftill\- understand the position that most of the; crimes for which individuals Miller, and for which the public suffer too, me the result of physical taint and could have been prevented had science the necessary power to exercise lattcrday knowledge of ("anses and ell'ccts. At present a person is believed to W cither "bad" or "good." The real fact in regard to crime or rightliving is that lie is either "well'' or "ill." Most of the people who are inside our gaols owe the fact to physical and mental reasons absolutely beyond their own control, and no one; will ever preach a sick person well. Eugenic societies try to find out why a sick person is ill. and finding that he is incurably ill owing In causes he can't help, desire to prevent him from handing on his illness. And the truth about the matter from judges, magistrates, medical men and students of the human beingis welcome.