EUGENICS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue XLVII, 7 November 1912, Page 3

EUGENICS

VIEWS OF HOSPITAL AflD CHARITABLE AID BOARD SOME PLAIN SPEAKING. LECTURE BY MISS. MACGEORGE. At last night's meeting of the Hospital anil Charitaole Aid Board a letter was read from Miss Mac George, secretary of the Eugenics Society, asKing for an interview to place the objects of the Society before the Board. '! lie Chairman said Miss Mac George had waited on him, and he had agreed to allow her to s;jeak at the Board meeting. Mr .Lock said the Board could not be lectured to by representatives of all societies who came along. Other societies might want a similar privilege. The question after all, alleged Mr Lock, was only a fad. Mr Hoult : Hear, hear ! The remarks by Mr Lock were upheld by Mr Hoult, who failed to sae any reason why the Board had to listen to a lecture of this sort. He did not feel inclined to waste the time of the Board in listening to Miss MacGeoVge. The Chairman said it would be only courtesy to hear what Miss Mac George had to say. A discussion arose as to the length of time to be allowed Miss Mac George, and it was finally decided to grant 20 mill itt cs. MISS MACGEORGE'S ADDRESS. Miss Mac George, who arrived later at the meeting, thanked the Board for the courtesy extended to her. and said that most of the objects of the Society had been endorsed by other Boards before which she had spoken. She intended to speak on the burden of taxation as it affected Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards, which had largely to deal with mentally and morally defectives and their dependents. The Society had abundant reasons to suspect that a very large number of the physical, moral, and mental defectives of this country were the descendents of those who in 1870, and later periods, came out as immigrants. It was most desirable that l soma'form of inquiry should be instituted as to this point. An authority claimed that while environment exercises enormous influence upon character, heredity exercised a still greater force. Therefore, in relation to the immigrants, it would be the best thing for the Government to make inquiry into the parentage of them before coming to New Zealand. It was also claimed that pauperism was hereditary. The Society thei-efore ;suggested that those whom they suspected of being hereditarypaupers should have details of their family records obtained. The Christchurch and Otago Boards were already moving in this matter. The enormous burden upon the Board's finances as the result of those who had made no financial arrangement for their children had led the Society to suggest that the j National Provident Fund Act be made | compulsory, so that children should not be left unprovided for and dependent upon the funds of Boards. Referring to the drain on the Board's finances made in supporting families of those who were unfit for parentage, Miss MacGeorge said until a scheme for medical examination before marriage could be introduced, the families of such people would remain dependent on Boards. The Society had outlined such a scheme, which" was similar to that .made before ' insurance. The Society did not think that medical examinations before marriage should be more unpopular than that made for insurance; but it never contemplated the restriction c'f marriage. Miss Mac George read schemes devised by the Society to carry this into effect. In concluding, Miss would like the Board to express itself in relation to the proposals, in favour or otherwise. , In answer to the Chairmr.ij, Miss MacGeorge offered to answer any question*. Mr Franklyn : Are we to understand that this medical inspection before marriage is for both sexes? Miss Mac George: Yes. Mr Franklyn : I think if such was the case that one-half of the girls, who, as a rule, are extremely modest, would refuse marriage altogether rather than be examined. They would rather remain single all their lives. It would be ' a cruel libel and a scandal if such a thing became law. Mr Hoult: Why do you quote 1870 as a criterion? Do I understand that from 1842 to 1870 the race has degenerated ? Miss Mac George : I would like to =ay in relation to our "earliest immigrants that I have so much knowledge o't them j as to be overwhelmingly proud of them. Continuing, Miss Mac George said that in relation to 1870, Sir Robert Stout and many others had told them of the ship- | loads of emigrants who came out under j the Julius Vogel policy, some of ! whom were *the dregs of tlie cities. The I Society had some reason to believe that I the inmates of industrial schools and others in New Zealand were descendants of those immigrants. Mr Franklyn said it was notorious that the descendants of old ssttlers could i be compared with the best in the uni- J verse. It was a downright slur to say | that the immigrants who came out unde. the Julius Vogel policy were unfit. | The children of those who came o'ut in the sixties represented the best citizens in the wox-ld. Members: That is just what Miss Mac George is showing you. Mr Franklyn : I understood Miss MacGeorge to say that the descendants of those who came out 30 years ago are inmates of the industrial homes. It was a fallacy which would not beaf inves- | tigaticn. It was scandalous. "Bunkum!" interjected a member. Mr Franklyn : It should be the aim of everyone to assist the poor in Eng- . land, and bring them out to New Zealand to live in peace and 'comfort. I . object to" the slur on the old settlers. The Chairman : I understood Miss .Mac George to refer to those arriving in 1870, and not to the old settlers. Mr Bell : Has your Society any definite policy in dealing with these undesirables. Miss Mac George : I think before many years are out we shall have compiled a book entitled "Noteworthy People of New Zealand," which will contain re- | cords of those who came out in the . early days, of which we have reason to be proud. In answer to Mr Field, Miss Mac-

George said that one family in New Zealand had already co'st the Government £20,000. After several other questions had been answered, Mr Allan said the remarks of Miss Mac George had been most interesting, and the Board should pass a vote of thanks to her for the very able manner in which the views had been expounded. He moved to' this effect. Mr Higgins seconded the motion. Mrs Watson supported the motion, which 'was carried. It was decided to postpone action at present in regard to endorsing the views of the Societv. M iss Mac George thanked the Poard, and withdrew. /