THE SOCIAL EVIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 278, 21 May 1912, Page 6

THE SOCIAL EVIL.

To the Editor. Sir, —In your leading article this morn- ! ing you refer again to that social ulcer ■ which is making such terrible inroads I on our national life, and whilst giving ' you credit for your laudable efforts to force this matter on public attention, '< may I be allowed to differ with you in your general indictment against "the 1 "churches," whatever that term may mean, as though organised religion was lax in its condemnaiton or protest. I think you will admit that those who transgress against sexual purity, are, for the most part, not to ba found in our places of worship so as to come under better influences, or included in religious bodies so as to be made strong to resist temptation to wrong-doing. If instead o! making vagua charges you would come from the general to the particular by suggesting what the churches might do you would ba conferring a. benefit which would be appreciated' . I agree with you that "It is (or rather ought to be) the business of the whole of respectable society to -rigorously attack the sore," but unfortunately society i<< not prepared, I fear, to do that, otherwis# we should not hare so many moral lepers welcomed into respectable homes as is the case to-day. Until we call out "pleasant vices" by their own ugly names instead of toning them down as is so common we shall not progress much. Let every mother and father (especially the mother) say "From now on I will never again allow any man or youth of a ehady reputation to darken the doors of my house" and' as certain as the day follows the night the trouble would be severely checked. Let our young women turn the cold shoulder to all such, and demand that deference that virtuous womanhood can always obtain, and a rapid change would come about. One thing might be done by legal enactment, which I have long advocated, and that is make it compulsory for every child to be registered in, and bear the father's name. If "respectable society" Sir, honestly desired to check this evil it could be done, but "respectable society," I fear, is not yet prepared to pay the price of ostracizing all offenders against morals and public decency. Let our magistracy abandon the present namby pamby method of handling offences against women, and apply the whip, and just as that cured the "garotte maniac" in my younger days, so as practically' to eliminate that vermin, it will prove equally efficacious with the "sex maniac" of to-day.—l am, etc., N.T.M.