S.P.U.C. unhappy about judgment

Press, 28 May 1979, Page 2

S.P.U.C. unhappy about judgment

PA Wellington The president of the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child (Mrs Marilyn Pryor) is “gravely disappointed” that Auckland may soon have two abortion hospitals. But the president of the Abortion Law Reform Association (Dr Margaret Sparrow) is relieved but not surprised at what she says is “the right decision.” The comments from the two groups were made after a Supreme Court appeal decision on Friday in which Mr Justice Speight referred back to the Abortion Supervisory Committee in its decision not to grant the Auckland Medical Aid Trust a licence to [perform abortions. The trust’s medical director (Dr R. B. Hunton) has hailed the judgment as “jusitice.”

i The trust will again ask the committee to grant it a ■ licence. “When we get a li- ! cence — and I think we 1 should — we will be ready to • start performing abortions,” 1 Dr Hunton said. Dr Sparrow said: ‘I think . that most people were very ' surprised when the committee ’ refused that licence.” ’ But Mrs Pryor said she was , disappointed that the com- ' mittee’s decision had been ; challenged. r “I am gravely disappointed . that we may have the situr ation where we have two ; abortion clinics in Auckland z (the other is the Epsom Day t Hospital) set up for the spe- . cific purpose of ending hu- > man life.” Mrs Pryor disagreed - strongly with Dr Hunton’s s comments and said the Super- - visory Committee had made I a proper decision.