URGENT PROBLEMS.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 November 1917, Page 4

URGENT PROBLEMS.

There are matters in connection with the future of our race that malic a strong ' impression on the mind of all students of national welfare. We are faced with formidable problems that will not work themselves out, but will require to be probed and analysed with a view to' evolving a solution, that will be of practical service. The terrible loss of life ana maiming that is inherent to such fierce struggles as take place in the various theatres of war necessitates special attention being paid to the-imperative need for counter-balancing the ravages, and, above all, for eliminating causes of weakness in the physical and mental powers of the present and future generations. The facts and figures given recently .by the Minister for Internal Affairs when addressing a meeting of the Wellington Society for ilhe Protection of Women and Children, come as a sharp shock to the community, and call for immediate action on the part of the law. The evil of illegitimacy h one that is unfortunately more or less prevalent in every community, but more especially where the standard of living and the conditions of life are less favorable than those in New Zealand. It is low earning power and congested housing that is generally responsible for this evil, so that we should naturally expect that under such exceptionally favorable circumstances as exist in the Dominion there should be "mt little trace of this most undesirable feature of national life. The Minister, therefore, administered a great slioek when he stated that in the four years—l9l2-13—no fewer than 2071 illegitimate children were born to mothers of twenty-one years and under. It may be that a, proportion of these waifs had sufficient vitality to live and become a source of further evil, but probably a number mercifully died in infancy. In very few cases do these children receive the caro and attention that is bestowed op the offspring of married people with happy homes, and a proportion drift downwards in the social scale. But there : is a far more shocking depravity illustrated in the number of cases of child mothers. The following table will show the position:

There are few people in tlie Dominion who realised the extent of this blot on the life of tho country, and it ia some satisfaction to know that the Government has been aroused to the necessity of dealing with the matter, presumably punitively, for, unfortunately, there are no preventive means other than the fear of the law. If the nation is to he built up on sound lines these shocking cases of child mothers must lie reduced to zero. The question of readjusting the ravages of the war as regards human life is one that may well occupy the attention of our foremost statesmen and hygieniats so as to ensure that the race of the future will be physically sound and strong—both as to its men and women. That is the first step', the second consisting of well directed efforts in cultivating the mental faculties so that physically, morally and mentally the children of the future shall he ahead of those of to-da.y. Although so much attention has been of late years directed towards improving educational methods, there has been little to show for the time and talk given to the subject. The aim has been more to secure proficiency certificates for the few than a general fund of useful knowledge for the mass, one great blot on our educational methods has its origin at the very starting point of the educational system. It is at the period when the dawning intelligence of a child should be led forth on the right lines/that the future of the child so greatly depends. Then is the time for the specialists to get to work, but all too frequently the infant classes in the smaller schools receive but perfunctory teaching 0 f a type that fails j to gain the confidence of the pupil;, or j i-vim to arouse ft passing interest. There ! uiv -•.••atDiiis, such as the Jlomoiom, timi, I <um based on a tkorouvu understanding ;

of the true principles of education, and no real progress will be made until the infant classes are taught by capable specialists. 'The foundations of education, like all other foundations, requires (o be well and truly laid. 'The employment of pupil teachers and inept young un.'ii and women on this important work is a grave error, The training of teachers'is also faulty, for,only those who are found to be able to gain the confidence of the children, and possess the ability to encourage their pupils to open up their intellectual faculties, should be allowed to remain in the profession. Costly as is our educational system it would be better to increase the pay of the teachers considerably if thereby can be obtained men and women of the right stamp, but they must have a far more enlarged experience than at present. Teachers in the making should, after attending- a training college, undergo supervision by well selected experts, such as are to be found in the chief primary schools at the four centres and then the real weeding out process should take place. What is wanted is a system designed to secure educators as distinctfrom instructors, thoroughness instead of superficiality, utility in place, of mere book learning. By giving the children a healthy and intelligent interest in life, we may justly look for improved morality and virility. If children are properly taught, then failure is eliminated from their vocabulary and the road to success opened. Education on the right lines will not be a panacea for all evils, but it will- be a powerful factor in the' uplifting of the nation from a low to a high standard, and thus bring about tbe regeneration that the needs of the future demand.

Age of Number of Children. mother. 1312 1913 1914 1#15 IS 4 14 5 4 r 7 15 12 •14 17 14 10 31 32 38 30 17 71 54 73 02