ABORTION EVIL

Grey River Argus, 11 August 1937, Page 5

ABORTION EVIL

DUNEDIN ACTION Catholic Attitude [Per Press Association] DUNEDIN, August 10. A decision to form a committee to ' act with similar committees through- ■ out the Dominion, in considering pos- : sible measures for alleviating the . abortion problem, as revealed in the I McMillan report, was reached last ; evening, at a meeting of various bodies, which was addressed by Doctor ; Dawson, professor of midwifery and i gynaecology. Rt. Rev. Monsignor Morkane, Administrator, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, I Dunedin. stating the attitude of Roi man Catholic Church, said it would ■ oppose any suggesion for widening I the legal facilities for abortion, whether criminal or so-called therapeutic, I because there was no difference in ; the Church’s eyes. “I dissociate my- | self and the Church from any suggestion that there should be legislation to widen the scope of therapeutic abortion. I dissociate myself and the Church from any suggestion of legislation to establish birth control clinics where people can be taught this evil. Similarly do I associate myself and the Church from connivance on the part of the Government and newspapers, in the sale of these goods that bring about abortion so frequently.”

Dr. Dawson considered that the annual abortion average might be nearer seven than six thousand. He added that it was by no means a single girl problem. His investigations showed that of the total of 733 consecutive abortion cases, admitted to the Dunedin hospital, only 89 were single women. On the other hand, the group of married women, who had between four and seven children, constituted 48.7 per cent, of the total cases.