Motherhood endowment advocated by delegate

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32588, 23 April 1971, Page 5

Motherhood endowment advocated by delegate

If a child could not have a normal up-bring-ing because it had only one parent, then that was the fault of the society surrounding the child.

i Mrs M. D. Batchelor, ! (Labour Party, Women’s Group) a delegate to the Christchurch branch of the National Council of Women, said this at the monthly meeting recently. Delegates were discussing points raised during a panel discussion on “The Unmarried Mother and Her Child,” at the previous meeting. “We pay lip service to the mother-child relationship,” Mrs Batchelor said, “but we don’t provide the climate that makes it possible for the mother to keep her child. We must face this fact.” Although legislation had been passed removing the word illegitimate from the statute books, “it remains in people’s minds,” she said.

Mrs Batchelor advocated the introduction of a motherhood endowment, so that mothers could remain at home to look after their children. PLEA FOR BABIES

"May I make a strong plea for the babies,” said Miss P. H. Ryan (Registered Nurses), who is a member of the Christchurch Women’s hospital staff. In her work she came in contact with an increasing number of girls who were keeping their children. “It’s not for us to say whether they are right or wrong, we can only advise them and give them our support. Their problems are

immense—often they have no help or support. They live together in flats, have to move from one to the other, and its very hard to trace them.” CHURCH GROUP’S WORK Mrs E. W. Fairweather (Pan Pacific and South-East Asian Women’s Association) said there was a church social service group in Christchurch which, in the last six months, had been in contact with 82 unmarried mothers facing problems in supporting themselves and their children.

Social Security Department procedures encountered by single girls applying for benefits were discussed by Mrs ,E. M. Aitken (Christchurch Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs). “It does something to a girl who is carrying a baby to be asked in front of a room full of strangers whether she is Miss or Mrs,” said Mrs Aitken. PUBLICITY

Delegates discussed whether mothers should keep their babies, or have them adopted. One said that there were plenty of statistics to show that adoption was not the ideal solution. Speaking in support of adoption a delegate suggested: "Perhaps less press coverage might mean less drama. Many adopted children are very happy." Several delegates spoke on parental responsibility, and said there was a need to help parents understand “both the pregnant girl, and the boy.” “I was rather appalled at the attitude of the panel that the girl’s pregnancy was no concern of the parents,” said a delegate. “As an area sec-

retary of a local Samaritan Society I know that many mothers are terribly shocked when their daughters become pregnant. Some girls are rejected and others are forced into unsuitable marriages.” A suggestion was made that an organisation of grandparents of children born out of wedlock, “Grandparents Anonymous,” should ,be formed.