The Daily News THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1930. PRESENT DAY MORALITY.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 November 1930, Page 8

The Daily News THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1930. PRESENT DAY MORALITY.

The deputation which interviewed the Minister of Education, the Hon. H. Atmore, on Tuesday, on behalf of the Parliamentary watch committee of the National Council of Women of New Zealand, had no pleasant duty to perform. That such a body should be zealous in the defence of the young women of the Dominion against, a sweeping allegation that implied extensive immorality existed among them is not surprising. Apparently this allegation, whicll appeared in a book on “Education in New Zealand,” was founded upon statistics, and it is well known that figures, if used as a means to an end, can be not only alarming, but may lead to illogical and unjust conclusions. Morality and immorality are not subjects that lend themselves to proof by statistics. Different times have been marked by varying conceptions of these two qualities, and it has been found that in certain localities there exists a much lower standard of morality than in others. At the same time it must not be forgotten that society in most civilised countries has a code of morality which is generally recognised as operating in the best interests of the community. The whole question depends largely on the human equation, .plus education and a due sense of right and wrong. The book which the deputation discussed has not the approval of. the Minister, but it was subsidised by his Department, this giving its contents a certain standing outside the Dominion. The particular statement in the book that was considered to be illogical, unjustified by the data supplied by the Statistician, and a slur on the young people of New Zealand, was a prophecy by. the author that the first child of’every third girl in. New. Zealand will be conceived out of wedlocck. However much immorality of this nature may be deplored, more harm than goos. is likely to ensue from incorporating in semi-official publications a, sensational prophecy like that, which the deputation properly resented. Taking a rational, view of. the matter, it would seem the deputation’s request to have the statement expunged from the book fairly met the case. This view was evidently endorsed by the Minister, who, while admitting. the value pf the book, stated it was unfortunate the statement had been made. More unfortunate still is the fact that whatever harm 'has bben done by the publication of such a defamatory prophecy will not be remedied by. expurgation. More to the point. would it be to prevent the broadcasting of such harmful prophecies in future According to the Minister, the Government pays only a small subsidy towards the cost of such books, but has no power of censorship over them. Such laxity should be remedied without delay. The Minister quoted figures from the Australian Year Book showing that New Zealand occupied a proud rank as regards percentages of extra-nuptial births in comparison with other countries;. and he contended'that New Zealand boys and girls challenged comparison with any others in the world. At the same time he agreed—as will all reasonable people—that there is work to be done for the welfare of children. Inasmuch as to an appreciable extent ignorance is at the root of this social trouble, there must inevitably be- not only much said and written in the direction of removing that ignorance by plain straightforward educative means, but a stricter code of morals enforced. These matters have emerged from the closely shrouded mysteries of the Victorian age and are being to. some- extent dealt with openly as part of the general knowledge equipment of the rising generation. It is quite possible that if the suggestion'for a conference to be called by the Government were put into practice it might by careful and wise investigation devise a course of action that would check the undoubted tendency towards loose morality, not only in the Dominion, but in the Empire generally. If such a conference helped to solve this admittedly difficult problem, some compensation would be obtained for the slur on the young people of the present day, whose sexual transgressions have been unduly magnified.