PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 339, 28 October 1908, Page 7

PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY. The speeches delivered yesterday evening 'at tho annual meeting of the Society for the Protection of AVoinen and Children were of a very, interesting character, and it seined a pity that the audience to which they-were addressed was a small one, though it might be called' an audience of experts. Mr. J. G. W. Aitken, M.P., who presided, conveyed apologies for absence from Mrs. Rhodes and the Hon. Geo. Fowlds. Speaking of the excellent work done by the society, he deplored the fact that it , was undoubtedly required in ..Wellington, which, although such a young city, was beginning to develop some of the social troubles familiar to older countries. He urged that where a man had been ordered to contribute'to the maintenance of his wife and family steps /should be taken to see that tlio order was carried, but. Mrs. Atkinson read and moved the adoption of the report and balance-sheet. Tho motion was seconded by the liev. .J. lt. Glasson, who congratulated th£ society on its work. The Rev. W. A. Evans, a.who proposed./that Mrs. Atkinson should be re-elected as president, paid a tribute to herYwork..'and, ito -thivt, of, the society. The Rev. Mother Mary Aubert seconded his motion, and-it-was-carried-umuu-mously. Dr. Agnes Bennett snid she thought that a great many more cases irould bo brought.to the society if people realised that they would always be treated as confidential, and that no steps would be taken without tho consent of the clients. " ' Dr. Collins referred to;tho work done by, the society in the direction" of protecting infant life, and thought it would: be well if it could follow the examplo of Huddersfield and have all births notified witliin" twenty-four hours, so that the • earliest possible help might be given to delicate babies. Mr. A. R. Atkinson thought the siciety might look into Dr. Valintine's schemo for the State guardianship of destitute'children. The scheme had never ye't-been adequately discussed, and there seemed to be no''Society so competent to discuss it as this. Before the conclusion of the meeting Mother Mary Aubert took the opportunity to urgo the necessity of establishing some home for epileptic; children. Every week she said she was asked:'to take in some child epiloptic, and this was Impossible, nor was it l'.tting that they should be sent tomeiital hospitals. The following officers were elccted:—President,. Mrs. A. R. Atkinson; vice-presidents, Mrs. W. A. Evans, M.A., and Mrs. W. Fell; lion, treasurer, Mrs. J. KirkCaldie; committee. Lady Stout, Mesdames T. W.'-Hislop, D. Nathan, Hoby, T. C. Williams,, Wallis, C. Izard, S. A. Rhodes, Rev. Mother Mary Joseph Aubert, Dr. Platts-Mills, Stalf-Captain'-' Hutbard, Misses Coates, M. E. Richmond, and E. B. Brown, Nurse Holgate and Sister Isabel Sinclair ;"trustees, Messrs. J. G. W. Aitken, M.P., H. D. Bell, J. R- Blair, E. Tregear, and Rev. W. A. Evans; lion, solicitors, Messrs:' A. R. Atkinson, H. D. Bell, C. H. Izard,' J. Logan' Stout, H. Cooper (Palmerston North), Field, Hislop, Myers, Morison, Tanner, Young, H. H. : Ostler, Webb, and G. Lloyd (D'anrievirke); lion." physicians, Dr. E. Platts-Mills, Dr. Agnes Bennett, Dr. Elizabeth Gunn, Dr. Chappie, and Dr. Mackenzie; secretary, Mrs. W. A. Waters.