Euthanasia branch?

Press, 9 February 1982, Page 6

Euthanasia branch?

Christchurch should have its own branch of the Euthanasia Society in “about two years,” according to the vice-president of the Auck-' land Voluntary Euthanasia Society, Mr Leo Stack. At the moment the society has two branches’ in the North Island — in Auckland and Wellington. Mr Stack. said- yesterday he was sure there would be enough “interest” for a branch to be established in Christchurch, although this would probably not be, for “about two years.” About 20 ’ Christchurch people belonged to the Auckland branch of the society and a “few more” to the Wellington branch.

Mr Stack said in Decem-

ber that increasing numbers of Christchurch people were joining the North Island branches, so the organisations were working towards establishing a separate one in Christchurch. This took time because the euthanasia societies did not make available to members the names and addresses of other members. .

Because some members of the Auckland branch had shifted to Christchurch Mr Stack was confident there would be little difficulty in establishing a euthanasia society in the city. However, he did not think it would be in the interests of the society to have branches scattered throughout the country. The Wellington and Auck-

land societies have a combined total of about 450 members from all over New Zealand. Both societies are autonomous and were established about three years ago. The aims of the society are to “promote legislation in certain circumstances for the administration of euthanasia (being defined as the painless inducement of

death) to persons who re- . quest it. and only those who request it, and who are suffering from painful and intolerable disease from which they are unlikely to recover, as well as to enable persons to request in advance the administration of euthanasia in the event of their suffering from such a condition at a future date.”