er to urge the patient to make a statement, or, if she refuses
to do so, to take any further action.

"2. That when a patient who is dangerously ill consents to give
evidence, her statement may be taken in any of the following ways."
[The procedure employed in taking this statement is then
specified.]

The Committee is also of the opinion that if the medical profession
closely follows this guidance and that of the amended section 41 of the
Births and Deaths Registration Act, the public interests will best be
served.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS.

I. The Committee is convinced that the induction of abortion is
exceedingly common in New Zealand, and that it has definitely increased
in recent years.

It has been estimated that at least one pregnancy in every five ends in
abortion; in other words that some 6,000 abortions occur in New Zealand
every year.

Of these, it is believed that 4,000, at a conservative estimate, are
criminally induced either through the agency of criminal abortionists
or by self-induction, either of which is equally dangerous.

It is clear that death from septic abortion occurs almost entirely in
such cases.

Such deaths have greatly increased in recent years, and now constitute
one-quarter of the total maternal mortality: in some urban districts it
amounts to nearly half of the total maternal mortality.

New Zealand has, according to comparative international statistics, one
of the highest death-rates from abortion in the world.

II. The Committee, after taking evidence from witnesses representing
all sections of the community, has formed the conclusion that the main
causes for this resort to abortion are:--(1)Economic and domestic
hardship; (2)changes in social and moral outlook; (3) pregnancy amongst
the unmarried; and (4) in a small proportion of cases, fears of
childbirth.

These matters are fully discussed.

III. Consideration has been given to the possible remedying of these
causes.

(_a_) In so far as economic hardship is the primary factor, certain
recommendations have been made regarding financial, domestic, and
obstetrical help by the State.

(_b_) To lessen any fear of childbirth where this exists, it has
been recommended that the public should be informed that New
Zealand now has a very low death-rate in actual childbirth and that
relief of pain in labour is largely used. At the same time the
Committee has adv