SOCIAL EVIL

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 111, 6 November 1937, Page 10

SOCIAL EVIL

PLUNKET DISCUSSION

N.Z. WOMANHOOD

"THIS INDICTMENT*

"You must have been absolutely horrified by this indictment of New Zealand womanhood," said Mrs. David Nathan (Auckland), when the abortion evil'came up for discussion at the annual conference of the Plunket Society yesterday. Mrs. Nathan referred to the McMillan Report, and brought forward a remit from the Auckland branch of the society asking Plunket sympathy with organisations striving to remove the evil.'

"You may have noticed that at the end of the report there is a recommendation to women's organisations to see what they can do to alter the attitude of young women towards this problem, and see what thdy can do-to make it less prevalent," said Mrs. Nathan. The National Council of Women has said that it was not a matter for women only, but also for men—really a citizens' problem." The problem was one which could not be tackled merely by passing a resolution, said Mrs. Nathan. What was in view was an educational campaign to bring before people the eflects of abortion, as ,a great many people did not realise the harm they were .doing themselves both morally and physically, and the terrible danger faced by" the country as a whole through the drastic falling of the birthrate. The first step, said Mrs. Nathan, would be to ask the National Council of Women to call a meeting of men's and women's organisations and form a committee to study the question. Lectures could be given, and literature, such as that contained in the .McMillan Report, could be disseminated. FAILURE OF JURIES. The, -law as relating •to abortion should be "amended. The authorities often knew quite well who were the abortionists,-and yet if they arrested them'and brought them before the courts, the juries failed Ho convict. This position arose from several causes. The law was quite definite that abortion was an offence, but a conviction often was not .entered because many members of. the jury thought it was a desirable thing' that abortions should be allowed to continue. The sale of contraceptives and abor-tifacients'should-be controlled, .continued Mrs. Nathan. As things were at present if a person /wanted to buy ordinary poisons he had to sign,, but contraceptives and aboftifacients could be bought at chemists' shops through•out the country even by quite young children. She recommended that the 'McMillan Report be studied by members of the" society so that its contents could be sifted, and its most valuable roints realised. If any practical suggestions were forthcoming they could rventuallybe put into effect, not only with Government aid, but with the practical help of interested bodies. Miss A. Kane said that the question fbould receive careful study. One big factor in the prevalence of abortion ■ vns the lack of ' help for mothers. "There are times when women simply cannot have children, because it is the wrong time of the' year. (Laughter). This is no laughing matter. When you consider "the shearing and milking, you will realise the unfortunate position in which some! of these women 3re placed." Another delegate said that the .ociety might help by assisting mothers to obtain help. There were hundreds d£ girls on the' waiting lists wanting to \ learn, baby-nursing, and an appeal .-night be made to the Government, and, with its help, the Karitane' hospitals be extended, thus providing the .•neans of training more of the girls. Mrs. J. C. Allan (Auckland) .remarked that many of the girls whose names were on the waiting lists were itill .attending school. Dr. M. B: M. Tweed, medical adviser ;o. the society, said that people went ;o the Plunket nurses when they. were preparing to have babies, and not ivhen they were preparing not to have babies. "SIMPLE FAITH." "This simple faith in the efficacy Df abortifacients among the public is pathetic," said Dr., Tweed. "Abortifacients may produce the desired result by poisoning the patients, but I question very much whether the dangers of such a practice are suffi:iently well known: Desperate womeri are ■ prepared to risk their lives on a nundfed-to-one chance of getting rid of something that is not wanted." Mrs. Nathan said it was the ethical motives that it was desired to stress. The slackening -of the moral fibre of the people was noticeable, but it was thought that if people realised thafr when they procured an abortion they were murdering a child they would think .twice about itAfter further discussion the confer-nce-carried the following motion:— That in view of the terrible findings of the McMillan Report, in the event of a Dominion-wide organisation being formed, comprising the Churches and men's and women's societies, whose objects are (1) to ■ have an educational campaign against the evils of abortion, (2) to have the law for control and sale of contraceptives and abortifacients amended, the Dominion conference of the Plunket Society express -its sympathy with the aims of such an organisation, and recommends its members individually to co-operate to the utmost with such a movement. - That this conference urge that every Plunket nurse and every member of committees of the branches arid sub-branches throughout the Dominion should use every •opportunity of bringing before the public the attitude of the society towards the evils of abortion, by drawing attention to the clearly set out aims and objects of the society, the first and foremost of which is "To uphold the sacredness of the body and the duty of health; to inculcate a lofty view of the responsibilities of maternity, and the duty, of every mother to fit herself for the perfect fulfilment of the natural calls of motherhood, both before and after childbirth, and especially to advocate and promote the breast-feeding of infants.