FAMILY LIMITATION

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 128, 24 February 1938, Page 12

FAMILY LIMITATION

Methodist Conference Resolution

“IMMORAL CAUSE THE' CHIEF ROOT” On the recommendation of -its public questions committee the conference of the Methodist Church of New Zealand yesterday adopted a resolution expressing the opinion that an immoral cause is the chief root of family limitation, approving pf the investigation by Government commission into abortion, urging the appointment of a Royal Commission to consider matters arising from the commission's report, and suggesting five courses of action. Speakers who took part in a brief discussion agreed that urgent action was necessary. The motion recommended by the committee, which was adopted with an amendment to (2), was as follows: Whereas we believe that marriage was ordained of God for the procreation and nurture of .children, and that parenthood within the married state is one of the greatest of human privileges, we regard as morally wrong any limitation of families that is prompted by selfishness or by callous refusal to accept the responsibilities of parenthood or by a perverted indulgence of the sex instinct. We are well aware that many factors—social, economic, and -'feven purely physical—are involved in the problem presented by limitation, but are of opinion that an immoral cause is the ichief root of a practice that threatens nation and race with a suicidal depletion. We therefore express unhesitating approval of the investigation undertaken by the Government Commission as far as this investigation has been carried, and urge the appointment of a Royal Commission to consider all matters arising from that - commission’s report. Without presuming to dictate particular courses of action, we ask consideration of (1) legal provision that any justifiable termination of pregnancy be under adequate control; (2) strengthening of fnej operation . of the. law against crimnal abortion; (3) prevention of easy access to contraceptives, abortificaients, and morbid literature •or other incitements to sexual vice; (4) suppression of advertisements calculated to intensify the present evil; (5) creation of means to lessen the medical expense of confinements, to provide in needy cases for the care of young children during the confinement of their mothers and to lessen the risks and much suffering now attendant on childbirth ; and (6) the alleviation of economic difficulties affecting the limitations of the family by the creation of a scheme of adequate family allowance or motherhood endowment. ’ Agreement with Dr. Gordon. In introducing the report the Rev. E. S. Emmett, Auckland, said the committee had explored the' possibilities of a united statement by the churches. The committee agreed with Dr. Doris Gordon that the basis of the problem was moral and spiritual rather-than economic, and that until a change of the moral stream could be effected investigations and resolutions would not advance the matter to any extent.

Following speakers expressed the opinion that the churches should unite in strengthening the hands of the Government in the action that should be taken. Mr. R. Hardie Boys, Wellington, said they should do more than piously support the Government; they should suggest action. The president, the Rev. Per—- Paris, pointed out that strong and icpresentative committees were studying the problem with a view to arriving at conclusions that would enable action. Mr. Boys said that clause (2) in the resolution was meaningless because the law could inflict the maximum penalty apart from the death sentence. The difficulty confronting the law was that juries were loath to convict because the evidence in such cases was usually conflicting. Jury System. The Rev. J. Olphert, Auckland, said the difficulty was that the jury would not convict because witnesses were usualy as guilty as accused. The jury considered it would be unjust to convict one and let others escape. If such cases were tried by the Bench alone the result would probably be different. The president said he hoped no resolution for the abolition of the jury system would go out from the conference The jury system was the safeguard of British justice. Miss E. Rishworth, Women’s Missionary Union, said that the woman’s point of view was that women should serve on juries hearing such cases. Several delegates: That is the solution. On the motion of the principal of Wesley College, Mr. R. C. Clark, clause (2) was amended to read: “Strengthening the operation of the law against criminal abortion, especially by the inclusion of women jurors,” and the report was adopted. Another resolution of the conference urged the Government to appoint a Royal Commission to investigate the problem.