GLOOMY ARCHBISHOP.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 29 June 1928, Page 5

GLOOMY ARCHBISHOP.

EXPLAINS HIS OBJECT. (By I elegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Thursday. “My object was not to decry the state of the country. All I did was to draw attention to certain facts, to warn people against self-complacency, and to urge them to send to Parliament and into public life generally persons who were worthy and who took a real interest in social and moral questions,” said Archbishop Averill when he Avas invited to comment on the criticism Avliicli remarks of Iris last week had draAvn from Dr. T. G. Gray, Inspector-General cf Mental Hospitals. It Avas quite true, said tho Archbishop, that the figures on Avhich he had based his remarks came from a pamphlet by Dr. Moore, of Dunedin. The pamphlet itself stated that they had been taken from official sources, and it was for this reason that he had relied upon them. Even if those relating to lunacy and suicide Avere incorrect, no attack had been made upbn those relating to the prison population, divorce and illegitimacy. Comparisons with other countries apart, he said he felt sure that no one a\Jio had read the reports of tho official enquiries into venereal disease and the treatment of degenerates and mental defectives in recent years could honestly say that all was avcll.

“I think the public knows me well enough to believe that I would not try lo blacken the good name of NeAV Zealand,” Dr. Averill continued. “We are all proud of our country, but our pride iu it should not deter us from looking on the darker side of New Zealand life. Rather it should encourage us to do all aao can to make Ncav Zealand in reality what many people like to call it —God’s oavh country.” *