PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17756, 7 May 1923, Page 2

PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

SOCIETY'S ANNUAL REPORT. The fifteenth annual report of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children (Canterbury Branch) states:— The year that is past has been one of considerable activity on the part of the Society. In no previous year, do we believe, has the aid of the Society been so much sought, nor has the Society done so much. Thia is a state of things that we view with mixed feelings.

The activities of the Society brought to light, in July, the insanitary condition under which some' families in Ohristchurch were living. As ,a result a meeting of social workers of the city was held in the City Council Library on August 17th. . Investigation seemed to show that the evil existed as much, if not more, in the character of the persons than in their surroundings. Some considerable publicity was given to the subject. There is evi-.l<-nce to show that, in consequence o'f the action taken by the civic health authorities, . some improvement has been made. But here, as in other phases of the social problem, the trouble lies deeper than the surface. Insanitary and unhealthy homes may be due to many causes. There are old and worm-eaten buildings in bad situations. But inefficient training, dissolute and vicious habits, sub-nor-mal mentality, play a large.part. E3striction in the marriage of incapables, some measure of segregation, social workers are feeling, with increasing force, must be legislated for to help solve this and kindred problems. It would be interesting and instructive to know how much it costs the State to care for children born of parents who ought not to have been allowed to marry. The Society has been made aware that the law regarding the adoption of children is in some cases not being strictly observed. That law requires the order for adoption should go through the Court, and money, if any, should be paid only as directed by tno Court. This allows the State to be satisfied as to the fitness of the home, the adopting parents, and the motive. The law in thia respect should be more generally known.

The report of the committee of the Board of Health in the matter of V.D. in New Zealand was considered by the committee as bearing upon the work of the Society. The Society forwarded a resolution to the Government trusting that it would show courage like that of its committee, and legislate in the direction recommended in the report. Recent legislation which has eliminated the clause "reasonable cause to believe," and has extended the time wherein information may be laid regarding alleged parenthood in the case of illegitimate birth, we view with satisfaction. We are given to hope that the day may come when legislators will see the wisdom of raising "the age. of consent." Failure to maintain wife and family, and desertion, are sadly on the' increase. Already the Society sees the sad fruits of ill-judged legislation in the matter of marriage and divorce. It has helped immeasurably •to bring about a spirit which so lightly regards marital and parental responsibility, and makes for the increase of the work of a Society such as ours. It should be a warning that in the United States there are created yearly 80,000 divorce orphans. Sister Edith Walton, who had done, valuable work as secretary for three years, resigned in June. The Society has been fortunate in securing the services of Miss Cardale, whose ripe experience as a social worker in the city, and her former connexion with the Society, make the appointment very suitable. We were sorry to receive the resignation of Mrs Andrew Anderson on account of ill-health. She for some years has done good work on the executive. Mr 0. E. Salter's death came to us, as to many, as a sudden shock. He was one of our honorary solicitors of some - years' standing, and had served the Society generously in that capacity.

Finance has caused us much anxiety during the year. The withdrawal of the Government grant, on the score of economy, rather crippled us. But 'the energy and resource of some of our members has put us, for the. time being, in a solvent position. In this connexion we feel we ought' specially to piention the good work of Mrs W. J. Hunter, who, by arranging for an organ recital, and later organising the recent street collection, has relieved us of anxiety. May we appeal for increased subscriptions and donations sufficient to maintain the present position? We have found some diflieulty in securing a satisfactory collector of subscriptions and donations to the Society's work. The following cases have been dealt with during the year: —Domestic troubles, 87; arising from drunkenness, 58; immorality, 63; neglected children, 91; mental cases, 32; distress, 40; illegitimates, 63; miscellaneous, 31; care of children, 305; total, 770.