The Press. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 1898. "THE TABOOED SUBJECT."

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10129, 31 August 1898, Page 4

The Press. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 1898. "THE TABOOED SUBJECT."

The manner in which our remarks on this question have been reoeived gives cause for sortie satisfaction, and not a little relief. We approached it with a good deal of delicacy, feeling impelled to direct public -attention to the rapidly-growing evil which is'eating into the very heart of the '_ community, yet knowing that there is always a danger of doing harm instead of good by a discussion of this kind. This danger has been averted, mainly owing to the admirable spirit of restraint, coupled with earnestness and thoughtfulness, with which the ' subject has been handled by our numerous correspondents. One or two* whose letters have been amongst the most helpful, permeated as they were by a high tone and a thoroughly earnest desire for reform, seemed to think that because we dwelt chiefly.on the legislative aspect of the matter, we were oblivious of or indiffereht to the moral means to be employed. This is not the case. On the contrary, we realise that the moral aspect of the problem is its most important aspect, and that on education, moral suasion, and the appeal to moral and religious principles, we sha.ll have to place our chief trust in the struggle, to raise the tone of the community, to make the standard of purity higher, so that the coming generation in these fair lands may be a cleanly, sound, pure-minded and wholesome- living race, as free as possible from inherited physical or moral taint. Legislation can only deal with the question from the material _ride, by limiting the ravages of disease as far as possible, and that, hot for the sake of saving the guilty from the consequences of their sin, but to protect the innocent and to prevent the degeneration of the race. It is because we were dealing mainly with the duty of the State in this matter that we said little about the moral aspect of the case. We now desire to say in the most emphatic manner possible that we regard the moral means to be employed as of the first importance, and it is largely with a view of impressing upon parents teachers, ministers and others their grave responsibility in this matter that we have opened our columns to the present discussion. In the meantime, we must again deplore the fact that Parliament seems to have neither the time nor the inclination to deal with an evil which is,' without .exception, the most serious with which we are threatened at the present time. Drink is not the besetting danger of the rising generation in this colony. As was pointed out at the meeting of the Chamber of Commerce the other day, New Zealanders, considering the money they have to spend, are a singularly absteminous race. If deterioration sets in, and the inhabitants of these islands instead of growing up stalwart, clearskinned, long lived, as a bounteous Nature intends them to be, dwindle away into a miserable remnant of physical and mental "degenerates," impurity and not drink will be the chief determining factor in bringing about this terrible fate. Already the known facts are sufficiently alarming. We referred the other day to the evidence of the Wellington Hospital doctor as to the large number of cases of disease which came to that institution for treatment. The last Asylums report puts down sexual vice and depravity as directly responsible for the lunacy of 36 persons out of a total of 544 admitted

during the year. In how many cases the same cause was indirectly responsible it is of course impossible to say. Equally impossible is it to state how many lives are cut short by the diseases under consideration. This is a subject on which the vital statistics throw but little light. The number of deaths directly attributed to this cause is comparatively small. . n the vast majority of cases, however, death follows seme secondary oi tertiary complaint set up by the original infection, and it is fair to assume that death is not assigned to a cause which carries with it a dreadful stigma wherever it is at all possible to put a more presentable complexion on the case. In the face of these terrible facts it makes one's blood boil to think of the, child's play, and worse, with which our legislators are occupying their attention. They can find time for silly and vulgar personalities, they cau spend hundreds of pounds m a discussion brought about by a puerile attompt of the Minister of Lands to gratify his political vindictiveness at the expense of degrading "Hansard" from its t.gitima.e uses, and makiug it unreliable and ridiculous. Vet ,they can give no time or attention to a question which threatens the very existence of New Zealanders as a nation in the future, and at the present time is responsibfe for untold misery and degradation. All the notice taken of it, is that the Premier proposes to repeal an Act which is not in operation, and which he knows is dead for all practical purposes and not likely to be brought to life again. He does this thinking it a cheap way to get a' few votes. He proposes nothing to take its place, and evidently cares nothing about the subject, knowing that the House also cares nothing about it, being vastly more interested in the personal squabbles of Mr. M'Kenzie and Mr. George Hutchison, or the vagaries of obscure private members who, unable to adjust their differences by debate on the floor of the House, adjourn to the tennis lawn to see if there is more power in their fists than in their brains. As for legislation, we fear it is hopeless to expect anything from the present Parliament. This and other reforms may be looked for when the community returns to the House men of higher moral standing and more patriotic unselfishness, instead of mere carpet-baggers and self-seeking politicians. In the meantime we hope that the discussion which has taken place will do good. We hope that moral means of coping with the evil will be multiplied, and used with more vigour. Clergymen may well give it more attention—it is of greater importance than points of doctrine concerning which there may be differences of opinion without imperilling a man's hope of salvation here or hereafter. - Medical men can do much, and we are glad to see that one Christchurch doctor at least has expressed his willingness to talk to young men in his own house with a view of giving them physiological instruction which, they ought to know. Of course tact high-mindedness are called for in work of this kind. It is not a subject on which to be always talking or preaching, since a morbid dwelling upon, it is the very worst means of doing mischief. The most important work of all is to be done by parents and those who stand in their places, such as the heads of schools ; and colleges, especially boarding-schools. The mistake which is tod often made is that of supposing that it is possible to preserve on these subjects a state of ignorance which is in itself the best safeguard. Those who are in the best position to judge know that in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred ignorance is impossible. The question to be faced is whether knowledge should be acquired from the right persons in the right way, or from the wrong persons in the wroug way;—whether accompanied by salutary warnings and counsel, or by incentives to evil. "Maxima debetur pueris reverantia." There is no higher or more important duty cast upon parents than that of giving their children wise and sound instruction c n the great questions of life ; and iv our opinion such instruction ought to be given at an earlier age than ia commonly thought to be either necessary or advisable.