EARLY MARRIAGE THE REMEDY.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 9, Issue 349, 16 January 1918, Page 6

EARLY MARRIAGE THE REMEDY.

Editor, ' "The Maoriland "Worker,"— Crimes of a sts.ua! nature are ever ot> the increase, as proved by the record ntiinber of offenders who appear before the judges session after session. Abortion was one© practically unheard of. Now this offence is of com men occurrence; likewise, according to figures, the number of illegitimate children born during tho past twelve months passes all other previous records. This demoralising etate of affairs is the outcome o£ a deep-rooted cause, and is more. The cure does not lay behind prison bars. Imprisonment is of no avail; even the gallows themselves would be useless against this rising tide of viae. Tho cause of these ever-increasing evils is absolutely owing to tho fact that our modern system of society, with its low wages, high cost of living, irrc.srular employment, harsh land laws, forces celibacy and abstention from ]<«al msrria«e upon the vast number of yoiu& people. Those who <\o marry in tho fr*>s-aii€"£S of youth, in a great number of cases their home consists cf two rooms with the use «f all conveniences in souio other person's house. The i-eiiedy is to live in harmony with nature; but seeing that marriage is not i\ psu't 0! naMire, but rather a, custom, and as procreation is a. natural instinct, if it be immoral to fulfil a certain custom esoept through the medium of a man-made custom, tben that custom should be within tho reach of all. Celibacy is unnatural, because it • involves the deliberate and incessant suppresision. of the most powerful instinct of mankind, and it results in much suffering and misery; any person could bear witness to this who had experience in tho wards of lunatic asylums. Also abstention from lawful marriage encourages prostitution. Therefore, we Malthusians, firstly, most strongly advocate- early marriage and limited families. Medical science has shown that tho size of families is absolutely under the control of parents, if they will but oxe-reise a reasonable amount of care and. forethought. Thus the teachings of Malthusianism, oombined with the development of harmless checks, plus a liberal, progressive land policy, where every man and woman has a real stake in the country, something to defend, if needs be to die for, then wo shall see a very marked improvement in our social conditions. Seeing that the Malthusian movement looks upon woman as a human being arid not a mere breeding machine that turns out the necessary material to fill the factory, field, offic-e and workshop, and incideutjy fodder for the caDnon's mouth. Also it .shows woman how she can bo mistress of her own body and thus regulate the supply of human beings of her own free will and accord, irrespective of the pleadings or threats of that parasitic class, who live and grow fat on the many evils arising from over-population. It is therefore a wonder to mo that, seeing as they must the important part the Malthusian movement is destined to play in' the improvement of tho human race—they have failed to agitate for the ; entire abolition of all penalties on the j public discussion of thie population ques- I tion. j

If the validity of the Malthusian position be admitted, there is no logical escape from the conclusion that the knowledge by which families may be limited should be conveyed to the people, but when' tho eocial reformer passes iroin vague precept to direct instruction lie is then confronted by a rotten law which threatens him as a foe to public morality.—Yours, etc., H. AVOODKUITE, Auckland.*