WOMEN & CHILDREN

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 27, 27 October 1926, Page 12

WOMEN & CHILDREN

WORK OF PROTECTION SOCIETY POLICE COMMISSIONER’S SUPPORT The twenty-ninth annual meeting of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children was held last night, Dr. J. S. Elliott presiding. The Commissioner of Police (Sir. McIlveney), invited by the chairman to speak, said that it afforded him considerable pleasure to do so, as during the whole of his professional career of 30 or 40 years no society hud done more for the uplifting of women and children. "There is but one other organisation on an equal footing with the society/' he eaid, “and that is the Salvation Army. I have received more help from the Salvation Army and the Society for the Protection of Women and Children during my professional career than from any other society. The society is held in very high esteem by the members of the service I represent. There is no instance of anyone not being received with open arms and helped to place themselves on a better footing. The association can look for the strongest support from me.” Speaking of offenders against women and children, he said that they should be brought to book, but it could not be done without the support of the society. Women patrols had done a great amount of good in Wellington, working silently, steadily, and efficiently, and the good they did could not be estimated in money, only in human lives. The matrons at the various police centres ' had great authority, and were also a great help. He concluded by saying: "I will always support the work with all my power. As long as I am approached for help, so long will I give it.” The Rev. E. It Weeks said that what the commissioner had said had assured him that the work was wonderful. Speaking of the conditions among boys in Wellington and of the Children’s ..Court, he suggested that here as in. Winnipeg the Court should be held in private houses with no uniformed officials about. He also suggested the adoption of the "big brothers” idea. The influence of these big brothers on a boy aided him to find his better self and gave him a new viewpoint. These big brothers, who were business men, helped the boys and prevented any stigma coming to their young lives. The officers were re-elected as follow: Patroness, Lady Alice Eergusson; vicepatroness, Lady Stout; president, Mrs. Sprott; vice-presidents. Lady Chapman, Mesdames Evans, Kirkcaldie and Chatfield; hon. treasurer, Mrs. Line; advisory committee, Lady Luke, Lady McGavin, Er. Platts-Mills. Br. Ada Paterson, Mesdames Ward, Maearthy-Keid, Ponsonby and Misses Newman and Parlane; committee, Mesdames Frazer. Glover, Hoare. Izard, Montgomery, Webb, Wright and Misses Stewart and Telfer; secretary, Miss C. E. Kirk; Trustee, Sir Francis Bell, Messrs. Atkinson, Archibald, Hoby, and Tregear; hon. auditor. Mr. Archibald; hon. solicitors, Sir Francis Bell, Messrs. Atkinson. Blair, Cooper (Palmerston North), Cornish, Egley, WestWalker. Fell (Nelson), Field,. Hislop, Kennedy. Lloyd (Dannevlrke), Myers. McGregor (Palmerston. North De la Mare (Hamilton), J. F. B. Stevenson, D. S. Smith. Stout (Whangarei), R. 11. Webb and 'Wood (Napier); hon. physicians, Dr. Agnes Bennett, Dr. Campbell-Begg, Dr. Ada Paterson, Dr. Platts-Mills. Dr. R. Stout, Dr. D. Stout, and Dr. Young. Dr. Elliott said that the work of the society had ,his sympathy and admiration. One vital question was the mental defective, who was a burden to the Government. It appealed to the society, especially in the case of women, who needed special care. He suggested the establishment of a board of eugenics, which would have a register of all mentally afflicted people and prevent their marrying. He advocated the establishment of a special school where mental defectives could be taught a trade and so enabled to regain their self-respect. "Get them early,” he concluded, "and you will get the best out of them." Mrs. Chatfield asked for help for the girls in the Borstal Institute from people who would employ them and to whom they could confide their joys and sorr°"Men who abandon their wives and children should be punished,” said the Rev. Dr. Elliott, "and that is a part of the work, to help find them. I hope you will go on with the work for many more years, until it is no longer necessary.