RIGHT TO BIRTH CONTROL ADMITTED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 17 November 1937, Page 11

RIGHT TO BIRTH CONTROL ADMITTED

REPORT TO I'KESIIYTERIAN ASSEMBLY THE ABORTION MENACE I U.v Telegraph-Press Aam-eiiiliii.i I AUCKLAND, Lilli November. The abortion menace in New Zealand and the use of contraceptives were among the chief subjects dealt with in a report of the public questions committee submitted to the Presbyterian Assembly to-night. The committee was complimented on the coinage and realism of its report, which admits the right to birth control by other means than abstinence. The convener ol the committee, tin Rev. .1. T. Macky, said the chief cause of criminal abortion was the lowering of moral standards, for which Unchurch must accept responsibility, t hey must instruct their young people that this evil tiling would not be so i..iivh stamped out by law as overcome by nobler ideals. Wherever conception would be wrong or inadvisable, they could not condemn the use of scientific means of prevention if thoughtfully and conscientiously applied. The Rev. P. G. Hughes said that contraception had been practised from the time of Adam, and the choice to-day was between a blundering method and a scientific method Twentieth century man had made his choice. The principal, Mr Dickie, called the report a "most Christian report.” The Youth Committee was instructed to prepare literature dealing with sex relations from the Christian point of view. The Government was urged lu mlniduee legislation prohibiting the advertisement ow abortifacients and allowing their sale only on medical prescription. Serious complaint was made of the weakness of the law, which allowed the vast majority of criminal abortionists to escape and the Government was asked to make the law more effective. Mr G. Cruickshank, formerly a Stipendiary Magistrate, pointed out how the existing law favoured the abortionist and made several suggestions for its amendment The debate was adjourned.