IMPROVING THE RACE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16706, 25 July 1928, Page 8

IMPROVING THE RACE

MENTAL DEFECTIVES BILL CATHOLICS OPPOSE PROPOSALS (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Archbishop Redwood made a statement to the Post, to-day in regard to jwo of the provisions in the Mental Defectives Amendment Bill now before Parliament. " the Catholic Church does not blame any reasonable efforts to improve the race,” ho said, “ provided such efforts bo mi the right lines. The spirit of the Church, however, turns rather at extend, mg than curtailing the freedom of the individual, and the Catholic conscience strenuously guards against- the State being Unduly exalted tit, the expense- of the family. Consequently, we Catholics regard with no small misgiving the Bill now before. Parliament, insofar as it limits the right of certain people to marry and proposes the sterilisation of those who may be classed as degenerates. It introduces, in our opinion, a very dangerous principle, and is likely to interfere seriously with individual rights. “ In dealing with racial poisons and social evils, the Church has her age-long remedies. They are radical, and based on moral law, and it must he borne m mind that she knows human nature through and through. She lias experience wellnigh 2000 years old, and in every age and country in civilised times and in barbarous ones, so these problems are not new to her. '■ The root difference between Catholic touching and modern eugenics is that the Church makes bodily and mental culture, subservient to morality, while modern eugenics makes morality subservient to bodily and mental culture.”

Archbishop Redwood asks who are to judge as to degeneracy and the prevention of marriage. “We confess wo have no confidence at all in the competency or fitness of hoards set- up by the State to decide in matters so intimately conned, cd with morality and individual liberty,” he declared.

With regard to sterilisation, he said Catholic experience was that an operation was no remedy against an inordinate sexual desire. On the contrary, it might easily open the door to immoral practices, which would constitute a worse evil than tlie one to he avoided. The operation also might readily encourage the abuse of matrimonial relations. “We hold that an operation is not permissible, even with the- patient’s consent, except as «. necessary means to hodilv health,” he concluded.