SOCIAL EVILS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12777, 22 October 1919, Page 5

SOCIAL EVILS.

THE CHURCH’S ATTITUDE. DISCUSSION BY SYNOD. At yesterday’s sessions of the Anglican Diocesan Synod, Mr H. M. Bannohr moved—‘ ‘ (1) That this Synod, while viewing with sympathy the practical efforts of lay societies to cope with immorality, deplores the increasing tendency to consider immorality as regrettable merely on account of its physical effects, and emphasises the fact that there are other grave social, moral and religious factors involved. (2) That this Synod respectfully requests his Lordship the Bishop to set up a commissi.m to co-operate with the central commission which was appointed by General Synod.” The mover said that some societies had done and were doing wonderful ?work In the case of the Social Hygiene Society, the number of people who had come under its notice was simply appalling. _ He thought that there was insufficient teaching on the subject of morality. The leaders of Christianity should take an active interest in this most important matter. In respect of the second part of his motion, he said that it was really a recommendation of General Synod. Dr A. C. Sandston seconded the motion. Ho said that the wording of the motion might lead to a certain amount of misunderstanding. He did not wish it to be thought that they wished to depreciate the work of outside'societies. He thought that the establishment of a society similar to. the Social Hygiene Society, to deal with males, would soon become an accomplished fact. It had to be remembered that those who constituted Church congregations were not always those whom it was most necessary to reach in teachings upon morality. The medical profession was in favour of compulsory notification, but this proposal was not accepa.blo to the great body of men and women of New Zealand. They opposed it because it might mean isolation end segregation, though really the disease of immorality was on a different footing from diseases such as enteric, where notification did mean Isolation. In the disease of immorality the medii oal profession could not promise an easy or a quick cure, but "it did promise an earlier and more efficient cure, : Many opponents of compulsory notification were afraid of the moral stigma which might attach to innocent persons who became infected through no fault of their own. It was the opinion of the medical profession that notification should be held as a club over the head* of people to compel them to have early and efficient treatment. All who had the disease should he compelled by law to have early and efficient, treatment and to refrain from infecting other people. If people were not prepared to follow this, then the club of notification must be field over their beads to compel them to carry out the law _ The majority of medical men I were satisfied that this was th* only way to cope with the disease. The motion was carried.