RACE SUICIDE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 626, 1 October 1909, Page 7

RACE SUICIDE.

STATE CARE OF. NEGLECTED: CHILDREN. , INCREASE OF "INEFFICIENTS." \ln casting: his cyo over tho annual returns, of-.oash expended by the Wellington and Wai. rarapa Charitablo Aid Hoard in rospoct of out- - door Telicf last year, Mr. 11. C. 1 kirk (chair- ' man •of .|he, : ;board),-('rcfcrrinß;' ,-ta ■ tho .item "Children boarded, out. (Wellington included)— X 3010,'.' gave expression to certain views which should, nlford somo qf our progi'cssivo economists. something to ponder ; over, 1 There! was-,;; ,no doubt, ho saidj that the Kpondiluro under ' , this heading was 'largo..;but no•.«wis ;firmly.•:\ convinced, that they had some adequate return. ' for it, and that tno policy of State guardianship of children.in poor, circumstances could, ' with profit to, the country as a whole,.! be , ; extended to/benefit every : child,' legitimate or . illegitimate, who was. so handicapped jby 1 con-'/ | ditions of birth and environment as to bo. 1 denied' a; fair Btort .in lifo.' Thoy .vrcro really . beginning at the wrong end ; whon: they estab-' • lished .tho old' ago- pensions systero;,?,;lf ~tlio. State were. to, see, tis' an article bf adhiinistra- !•. tivc; responsibility,, that every.; child rerchcd a fair start in liie, the necessity forAdispoitsi4e charitable aid would bo materially ': l'educed,.; :> while tho charge on the Old Age Pensions Fund would also be lightened..' It ;would.-. pay the . State handsomely to do this., 'Thp whole ques- ~ tion: was one. that appealed: vdry' strongly to him, and it was, his , intention; to ; proceed 1 . 1 ;; further in' the, matter' at' a later date, ; ; Miv D. :M'Larcn, M.P.,. agreed; Tho most drastictreatment should,; lie' said, bo. meted " out to those who Lncglocted the cacrod obligor,. tionfT of-parental responsibility. ' The law ; should bo adamant on; that p0int....... Mr. Kirk, continuing, said'that tho question was rendered' morb acuto by tho decline of tho i birth-rate among what Might; bo termed', tho ; "efficient" classes'of th'o .community. It was : now a matter of eimplo fact.'that tho'rape,'wasX: increasing only among, tho "inefficient", classes —inefficient . physically, "' mentally, 1 education- ;, 'ally—and' this , could' only- have one . 'result, V , national'deterioration.,' The'fact hail to bo faced, as France and,, America., werfl : already , • faciiig it, and the only way to meet this grave danger to tho race .was to .make' cfficioht' citi-. .' zens pf the children •of , inefficient;, parents.' In France, if a child was considered to bo in; danger of being";neglected, jt'was snapped tip. ' by. tho State' and looked after.;' The New.;.-; Zealand 1 Educotion: Department had a system of State'control of neglected, children .'which exercised' an" efficient - guardianship . over ■ a-'. . child from birth to 13 or 14 years of age, with : -a system of supefvisiott':up T t<r tho agcr of 2t ■•, years. It seouied.to him that it did not much ' matter; whether, the system adopted* by. .tho State took tho form of orphanago asylums or .th ■ extension of .the present system of boarding- '.. out. Tho point to bo reached was that, all neglected' children should! bo cared for by tho State.:. ... ' '■,