MORAL AND SOCIAL HYGIENE.

White Ribbon, Volume 23, Issue 274, 18 April 1918, Page 18

MORAL AND SOCIAL HYGIENE.

Supt.: Miss McCarthy. A large amount of useful work has been undertaken by Unions in many of the districts mentioned in the report, but, considering the urgent need for education in the work of this department, especially since the outbreak of war, and the consequent awakening of the public, the reports for the Dominion, as a whole, are ex tremely disappointing. Literature. —Several thousand copies of the pamphlet by Dr. Platts-Mills have been circulated among and by the Branches, and the following Unions report work under this head ing :—Ashburton, Auckland, Cam bridge, Christchurch, Dunedin, South Dunedin, Greymouth, Gisborne, Hamilton. Kaiapoi, Nelson, New Plymouth, Pahiatua, Palmerston North, Stratford, Timaru, Takapuna, Wanganui East, Wellington District, and Wellington Central. Copies of “American Motherhood” are distributed by Dunedin, Greymouth, and Nelson. Nelson and Pahiatua have added to their libraries during the year. Dunedin and South Dunedin have voted small sums to commence a library. Nelson still maintains its depot for the sale of literature under the care of a member, and has also added “The Shield” to its magazines. Ashburton, Kaiapoi, Nelson, and Palmerston North District Unions have assisted auxiliary unions in working this department. Women Police. —The appointment of women po J ce has again been brought before Hie Cabinet by Auckland (where a deputation waited upon the local M P.’s), Nelson, South Dunedin, Tinaru. Napier, and Pahiatua. Ashburton has urged that more adequate sentences be passed uuon men found guilty of indecent assaults upon little girls Protests.—A fresh attempt was made to re-introduce the compulsorv clauses of the C.D. Acts under the Social Hygiene Bill. Indignant nrotests were sent from Nelson, Palme. • ston North, Christchurch, and Auckland, and requests from Dunedin and Pahiatua urging the Minister of Pub lie Health not to push the Bill througl the House until the vomen’s societies had been given tiire to consider iti clauses. The ayitation aroused re suited in the deletion of all the ob jectionable clause* White Slavf Traffic.—The tw( disgraceful cases, known as the Pat ker and Ebz'irv cases, revealed a shocking state of affairs, the lat.er recalling some of the features 01.o 1 . the

Piccadilly Flat case in London l he Dunedin Union arranged a larg\ public meeting for women, when stiong resolut ons were passed against the scandalously light sememe; .niposed. Similar protests went to the Cabinet from Nelson, Palmerst m North, Christchurch, New Plymouth, and Pahiatua. The Cinema. —Duned .1 and Palmerston North report ai attempt to improve this form of ei .ertainment. 'The tormer has been ins rumental in forming a committee, representing several educational and •. ocial reform societies; while the Utter has approached the local pictun managers. Public meetii.gs have been held by Palmerston N»rth, Christchurch, and Dunedin, white special meetings of educational value have been held at Dunedin, Nelson, Cambridge, Gisborne, Nap.er, Palmerston North, and Waimute. Deputations have been arranged by Auckland, Wellington, Palmerston Nortu, and Dunedin. Newspaper correspondence has been carried on by Dunedin and Palmerston North. Wellington District Convention re-affirmed the resolutions passed at the National Convention. Christchurch his appointed a special committee to arrange a campaign of work for iqiß. 1 have to thank the local Superintendents at Gisborne, Pahiatua, and Ormondvillc for sending local newspaper extracts, I. s requested. As upwards of 75 per cent, of the Unions send no report, it is . fear that tins work is either verv much neglected or goes unrecorded. Balance-Sheet, Department of Moral and Social Hygiene. RECEIPTS.

Examined and found correct — E. BANNERMAN. Waimate, March 11, iqiß.

I<)1 7- £ s. cl. Auif. 8 Received from Mis Dearlovc 4 16 6 |an. icy—Received from Mis Dearlovc IO 0 7 Dec.- For Librarv Dunedin W'.C.T.U I 0 O Nov. -For Librarv South Dunedin W.C.T.l’. 0 10 0 Nov*.—Miss Powell, for Literature O 13 6 £ , 7 0 7 FXPFN DITl’RE. £ s. d. Postage “ 0 14 3 Carriage 0 0 3 Whitcombe and Tombs, Acrount Book ... W hitcombe and Tombs, File, 0 3 6 is 3d .Envelopes, 4s 6d ... 0 5 0 Literature from America ... <> (4V25dols., poundage, is <>d) 1 8 Balance 6 9 £'7 0 7