vely mild complaint, is regarded by medical men as being as
serious a disease as syphilis. It is difficult to cure, especially in
women, unless properly treated at the outset. It is a great cause of
sterility in both sexes.

Owing to the absence of accurate statistics it is impossible to make
comparisons between New Zealand and other countries as regards the
prevalence of venereal disease, or to say whether it is increasing or
decreasing in this country.

There are in New Zealand no fewer than 3,031 persons being treated by
registered medical practitioners for venereal disease in some form, or
for the effects thereof--1 person in every 428 of our population. At the
clinics since their establishment 3,634 patients have been
treated--3,038 males, 596 females.

An interesting calculation as to the prevalence of syphilis in New
Zealand has been made by Dr. Hay, Inspector-General of Mental Hospitals.
Working on what is known as Fournier's Index--the relation of the number
of cases of dementia paralytica existing at any one time to the number
of concurrent syphilitic infectious--he computes the number of persons
in New Zealand now who have or have had syphilis to be 33,000, or 1 to
every 38 of the population.

The Committee desire to state, however, that in their opinion there can
be no accurate estimate of the prevalence of venereal disease until some
system of obtaining accurate statistics has been adopted. One point
which has come out clearly in their investigations is that venereal
disease is sufficiently prevalent to cause serious concern and to call
for energetic action.

Evidence was given to the Committee to show that children with mental
and physical defects due to venereal diseases may become a charge on the
State; that a proportion of these on being released become parents of
defective children, who in their turn have to be supported at the public
expense. It was also shown that such defectives have little sexual
control, and are usually very prolific.

According to the Commissioner of Police there are only 104 professional
prostitutes in New Zealand.

There is, however, a great deal of "amateur" prostitution, and this is
chiefly responsible for the spread of venereal diseases.

The evidence points to a good deal of laxity of conduct among young
people of all social conditions, especially in the large towns. This is
generally attributed by the witnesses to the weakening of home influence
and the restlessn