The Henson Journals

[163]

Wednesday, June 14th, 1922.

I motored to Durham with Clayton, and instituted several curates in the Castle Chapel, among them the Irishmen Sinnamon. Also I collated Stephenson to his hon: Canonry. We lunched very pleasantly with Wilson. Captain Apperley was of the party, and in excellent form. Then I went to my room in the Castle, where I had tea before going to the Cathedral for the Confirmation. There were no fewer than 310 candidates, and I managed to get the service over in an hour & 25 minutes. Then we returned to Auckland, where I played bowls with William for an hour before dinner.

The post brought a copy of a new paper bearing the sinister title "Birth Control News" issued monthly for one penny. It suggests "that many of our murderers & criminals were unwanted children, & owe their perverted instincts to the efforts made to destroy their prenatal existence". Is there any authority whatever for this strange notion? If the knowledge of contraceptives is thus cast broadcast on the world, and the methods brought at small cost within the reach of all, can anyone really doubt that the effect on public morality will be very great? As public opinion becomes indulgent, and the practice becomes familiar, will there survive among us so odd and inexplicable a creature as virgo intacta? I doubt it.

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