WOMEN REPLY

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 48, 20 November 1930, Page 6

WOMEN REPLY

Mr. A. G. Butchers’ Book MORALS OF YOUTH Usefulness of Statistics A statement was issued last evening by the Parliamentary Watch Committee of the National Council of Women in answer to the reply of the author of “Education in New Zealand,” Mr. A. G. Butchers, to the observations made by the committee when it waited upon the Minister of Education on Tuesday. The committee stated it left it to the public to judge who bad the true interests of the young people at heart. The committee quoted the following statement from “Education in New Zealand.” which aroused the indignation bf the women of the Dominion: — “The following are the figures (illegitimate births) for the quinquennium 19231927 Year. Number. Percentage to total births. 1923 1200 4.51 1924 1338 4.77 1925 1332 4.73 1926 ’ 1473 5.17 1927 1387 4.97 “If, however, the ratio of extra-marital conceptions to the total number of first births is considered the following startling figures emerge:— Year. Percentage.. 1923 31-12 1924 82-09 1925 81-28 1926 33.09 1927 -•• 83.42 “While it is, of course, recognised that not all Illegitimate births are first births, there is no doubt that in the great majority of eases they are so. And, indeed, in 35 per cent, of the cases registered in 1927 the mothers were actually under 21 years of age. Read into terms of tho school population this can mean nothing else than that under present conditions approximately every third girl in our schools will conceive her first child in this way. As to the probable future morality of the boys one can only guess.” Statistical Data. , v ‘

The committee said that Mr. Butchers had stated that the deputation produced no statistics, and offered no figures m support of its contention that his deduction quoted above was “erroneous, illogical, and unscientific. The National Council of-Women had never questioned the accuracy of the Government Statician’s figures, but it still. claimed that those figures were not sufljcient data on which to base-such a statement. “No record is in existence of the number of mothers who produced the illegitimate births in the period under review,” added the statement. “No record is kept-of the number of parents who subsequently married after the birth of their child, which means that under New Zealand law the child then becomes legitimate. This does not alter the moral position, it is admitted, but it does affect 'statistes. Ao record is kept of the sub-normal mothers, many of whom have as many as six illegitimate children. “What exactly does Mr. Butchers me»n by the term ‘school population i Does it include all girls attending private schools, commercial colleges, etc., or_only those, attending State schools.' What about the girls assisting at home and not at school? Are they not potential mothers also? The increase by female immigration is not reflected in the school figures. The school population and the total female population of the Dominion are two vastly different things. In addition to these it is necessary to ascertain other factors as well for a scion tilic treatise on the subjects. In a previous statement published the attitude of the council regarding the boys was' clearly defined. “The new-won liberty of youth is recognised by the council as the leading factor in the present state of things heie and in all parts of the world, aud it was referred to at the deputation more than once. The council is a strong supporter of truth, but deprecates exaggeration, specially in' regard to the youth of the Dominion. The reference made by Mr. Butchers to the 1923 commission on venereal disease is entirely outside the points aud needs no comment. For many years the council has striven with constructive suggestions to endeavour to safeguard the young people, and many of these efforts were mentioned at the deputation. Historian’s Task. “The task of an historian, according-to the council’s ideas, is to gather all material available, sift the false from the true, and present facts only, not prophecies, and in connection with this, the council has no intention of prophccying evil, on,

the part of the young people in the future. “We wish to inform Mr. Butchers that the deputation was from the women of the Dominion . Mr. R. A. Wright was not' a member of the deputation, but, as a member of Parliament, consented to introduce it. The deputation was purely from the National Council of Women, and not as representing citizens >in general. That the council recognised that this important matter concerns the men as well as the women of the country, is shown by the request for a conference. “A verbatim report of the whole proceedings of the deputation will be available shortly, and may be seen by anyone interested on application to Mrs. A. R. Stone, convener the watch committee. We leave it to the public to judge who has the true interests of the young jieople at heart, and the expurging of the damaging prophecies was suggested as a means of ‘making the best of a bad job. 1 ”