WOMEN PROTEST

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 427, 19 November 1930, Page 2

WOMEN PROTEST

MR. BUTCHER’S BOOK.

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER. (Per Press Association.! WELLINGTON, Nov. 18. The prophecy made by A. G. Butcher in his book “Education in New Zealand,” that the first child of every third girl will bo conceived out of wedlock was challenged by a deputation to the Hon. H. Atmore from the Parliamentary Watch Committee of the National Council of Women of New Zealand to-day. It was contended that the statement was illogical and not justified by data supplied by the Statistician and was a slur on the young people of New Zealand. The Minister, in reply, sympathised with the deputation, but stated that, the Government had no power over the book.

Mrs Stone, president of the Wellington branch of the National Council of Women, said that the book had the approval of the Minister of Education and had been subsidised by the Government. That would doubtless give it a standing outside of the Dominion. In fairness to the womanhood of New Zealand they asked that the statement be expunged from the book, that none other than the expurgated editions be allowed to go out or be sold in the Dominion. Even if the statement were true, it could not be of any help in remedying the position. The figures in the Year Book had been compiled for a particular and not a general purpose. The deputation was not merely one of protest, but various speakers put forward suggestions of what might bv done to promote a better state of affairs than existed. Mr Atmore said that he did not believe in tho deduction made by Mr Butchers, but apart from the statement under consideration, the book was a valuable work and it was unfortunate that the statement had been made. He quoted statistics showing that New Zealand had a proud rank among the various countries in regard to the position relating to the extranuptial births.