ABORTION REMIT RULED OUT

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33665, 15 October 1974, Page 6

ABORTION REMIT RULED OUT

(New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN. A remit that the New Zealand Plunket Society take a positive stand against legalised abortion, was ruled out of order at the Dominion conference in Dunedin.

The remit was put forward by the Geraldine branch. A speaker from the Tauranga branch urged the Dominion president, (Mrs W. H. Reid) to rule the remit out of order on the ground that if it was passed, it might indicate that the Plunket Society was against the laws of the land. After considering the request for a short time, Mrs Reid upheld the point of order and ruled the remit out. This avoided what had been expected to be a heated debate.

The society is to approach the Government and other appropriate authorities to have the building code regarding building requirements for patios, bridges, guard rails and ramps altered. A remit to this effect from the Lyall Bay subbranch (Wellington) was unanimously passed. Examples of inadequate railings and protecting walls causing in New Zealand two instances of children falling

|to their deaths were heard by delegates.

“That in the interests of fire accident prevention, more publicity be given on the advisability of children wearing pyjamas instead of night gowns,” a remit from the Milton branch, was passed unanimously.

Mrs Dawn Ibbotson, of the National Council of Women, spoke to the conference in response to the Milton branch’s remit. Mrs Ibbotson described the National Council of Women’s efforts to urge the Minister of Trade and Industry to enforce legislation making it compulsory for manufacturers to show the composition of a garment on its label and also the degree of flammability. She emphasised the importance of Wool in making garments safer from fire. In closing the conference, Mrs Reid said she was particularly pleased at the amount younger members had put into the conference.

The next conference will take place in Auckland in 1976.