SEX PURITY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 16 July 1924, Page 9

SEX PURITY.

TEACHING THE YOUNG

(BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, July 16. The Commission on Mental. Detectives sat again to-day. J)r. I>. E. Fenwick, representing the British Medical Association, said that by lar the most important element in tne causation o f men Cal deficiency was hereditary. This was tar more important than association or environment. Tlie most important point, therefore, was tne prevention oi the bieecling ot mental defectives and degenerates. The chief aim was to prevent the marriage or intercourse of people likely to produce mental, defectives. Sterilization would prevent propagation, but not further offences of sexual degeneracy. The problem of segregation was extremely difficult, but it might be tackled in the same manner. The instruction of children in sex hygiene was entirely parental, and the B.M.A. was quite against instruction in the mass. Personally he thought any child under fifteen too young to receive such instruction. Undoubtedly confirmed sexual perverts should be segregated as a danger to the community. He believed a certificate of mental and physical health should be required of persons before marriage. The chief questions should relate to parentage, venereal disease and nervous disorder.

Mi's Glover, probation officer and prison visitor for the Salvation Army, quoted some shocking cases of heredity and its results.. She did not see that it would do any good to teach children collectively. The teaching should be individual, for no two cases were alike. Miss Jean Education Department, quoted tne success of the State institutions for feeble-minded in' New York. She emphasised the great importance of each, individual case, and advocated the training of teachers for the direct training of individual defectives, a complete census of defectives and a travelling clinic to deal with such cases. Miss Begg advocated dealing with, unregulated dance halls by the institution of proper regulations and supervision. ,Mr Bligh, on behalf of the New Zealand White Cross League, said he did not think there was any reason why a teacher on simple truths to promote sex purity shoufd have medical training. Up to the age of twelve years the talk should be simply on conduct, with a plea for chivalry. To older children a "clear statement should be given by one of their own sex. The tendency on the part of most people was to make a mountain out of a molehill in regard to teaching of sex purity to the young. He held that on the whole parents were not the best people to give their children sex -instruction. This concluded the work of the commission as far as the taking of formal evidence is concerned.