NEGLECTED CHILDREN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 13809, 24 July 1905, Page 4

NEGLECTED CHILDREN.

TO Tim 3SDIXOB. Sir, —And eo tho Women’s Institute has to light tho same old fight against the inertia of the Pharisaical cult and the wilful misrepresentations of the scribes I Thus I was forced to conclude as I walked by the side of a tiny, shoeless, ragged girl, whose face showed too painfully tho signs of recent tears, and who carried a kit that seemed almost to overwhelm her upon her little arm. I saw her enter a hovel and a reeling, cursing man (her father by holy marriage!) followed her, and if “Norma'’ lias tho stirrings of imagination within him he can guess with what fervour I blessed “ tho noblest and only lasting system of morality,” as exemplified in the life that this poor baby must live. By their fruits ye shall know them and their deeds are grounded on their beliefs,, so if tho new “ secular ” woman believes that the “ sacred ” cannot bo divorced from the secular, and that the divinity lies hidden in every soul, and that there is no other means of developing it but by love, what are you going to do with her? “Norma” and his like have no power over her for her faith in the all-loviug father-mother-God is unconquerable, nor is she ever likely to bo led from her set purpose by a few cheap sneers. Moreover, let me further try to explain to “ Norma” that it is, bfccause she has caught a glimpse of tho spirit of the Christ that she cannot henceforth do otherwise than she is doing, for her vision cannot now be bounded by Atbanasian creeds nor her devotion stirred by archbishops of churches dwelling apart in palaces and recking not of the sorrows of men. She will not take her ease while the mammon god rules all, and so she is a power to be feared by its followers .gnd its dupes. “ A little child shall lead them.” Eh, “ Norma ” ? Have we arrived thus far? Then despite all protests to the contrary, we do not begin, to understand what it is to bo a Christian nation. What images have we made of the Master ? Go to England, if you will not look out in New Zealand, and let tho pauper and tho harlot and tho suicide and the lunatic and the “ gaolbirds ” and the factory “hands” and the sweated toilers, men, women, and children, and the ten thousand nameless social agonies of the people answer. And yet, with one accord, the most “ Christian ” rulers and leaders arise when men and women swear by the divine life within them that these things shall no longer be possible, hurl anathemas of “ secular,” “ athiest,’ “blasphemer,” at their head. But how spake they of the Christ? He hath a devil. —T am, etc., THEY SAY. WHAT DO THEY SAY? LET THEM SAY. TO THE EniXOH. Sir, —Will you allow me a little space to say a few words in reply to the criticisms parsed on Mrs Williamson’s speech in the City Council Chambers. I myself have a great respect for Mrs Williamson as a worker in the cause of humanity, especially with regard to tho children’s question, which sh© Iras so much at heart. In common with the rest of the Institute I regret that Airs Williamson should have made use ot the words in question. It came as a shock to a great many of v.b, and your correspondents in condemning Jvlrs \VUliam&on must not condemn tho Institute as a whole. Airs Williamson made it quite clear that she was voicing her own opinions, and in no way expressing tho views of the Women’s Institute. Have we not in common with other charitable societies always been trying to suppress this evil, and preaemng purity in all its forms? Every on© acquainted with Airs Williamson’s social work must have known that her general aims are in the service of reform and i° I AIBMBER OfVhE INSTITUTE.

TO THE EDITOS. gi r i was pleased to read Mrs "Williamson's kiudliearted utterance regarding cliildron of the State. I must be the outcome of a bnd heau, and she has no need to apologise for what she said, for 1 believe it is the stand Christ would take if He was on earth at the present time. ihe time has gone by when the poor unfortunate had to sit on a green stool in tiie church and he reprimanded before the session. It is so easy to sit in a cornfortablo home with refined surroundings and criticise our poor unfortunate sisters. “ Before yo gio poor frailty names, suppose a change o’ cases.” It needs no deep insight into human nature to see that the majority of cases is the result of simplicity and ignorance, when" the poor girl is more sinned against than sinning, and I hope the day will come when such action will constitute an irregular marriage, legal in the eyes of the law, and, to quote from your article in Saturday s paper, “ it would awaken society to its own iniquities and sej; it looking for a remedy.” It matters very'little what the Christchurch women '.think of Mrs Williamson, or whether men scoff. She has taken her stand on the side of goodness and mercy, “to weep oer the erring ones, to lift up the fallen,” and it is a tower of strength to feel that you are on the side of right. True religion is “to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free.”—l am, etc., "PRESBYTERIAN 'WOMAN. TO THE EDITOR. Sir.—Referring to Mrs "Wells’s letter of July 20 concerning illegitimate children. I think Mrs Wells is quit© right in saying, “The children of the State are not to blame.” And I also think they should have the right to claim the same as a legitimate child. But if the law was as it should be, there would be no such thing as-illegitimacy. The man who wrongs a wpman should he compelled to marry her. If afterwards they do not live h-ppily in the marriage state the woman must tolerate it for the child’s sake. That is where her punishment begin:;. We all reap that which wo sow. And now I am brought to another subject. Instead of divorce being so easy, I think marriage should be made more binding. When wo marry it should be “ for bettor or worse,” not until the worst comes and then back out of it. Make marriage more binding and the breaking of marriage laws a crime to be severely punished, and neglected children will cease to be. Illegitimacy will also bo a thing of the past.—l am, etc., "A WIFE AND MOTHER.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,-—-Now that Mrs Williamson lias made her personal explanation I hope the grievous perturbation of mind of “8.G.,” “A Father,” and the goodly company of St Saviour’s Guild will bo allayed, for , when the imagination is so seriously affected with jaundice jt is easy to understand what nightmare visions of tho horrible depravity of women, especially of Mrs Williamson and her follow-workers, may arise. But pax vobiscum! Pease, troubled souls! And, as they further say in the classics, Ipt us return to our muttons, and for. the reason that fair play is a jewel I guess it wants repeating that the women started out to the rescue of the children, but early in their voyage ’struck a bad snag, if not a submerged torpedo. However, as 1 am willing to hold tho stakes on their behalf, I am pleased to mention they seem to be floated off apparently undismayed. Courage, women 1 Finish

the course you have in view; make illegitimacy an evil, dream of • tho past; fight the battle of the children, and victory is as assured as to-morrow ,| H dawn.—l am, etc., SPORTSMAN.