U.K. ANTI-VICE BILL

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28888, 7 May 1959, Page 13

U.K. ANTI-VICE BILL

Reading In House Of Lords

'N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, May 5.

Earl Howe, a Conservative peer and former racing driver, told the House of Lords tonight that a prostitute had tried to knock his hat off with an umbrella. The House was discussing an anti-vice Bill aimed at cleaning up the streets of London and other big towns by sending hardened prostitutes to gaol if convicted three times for solicit-

ing. j Earl Howe said he had once been confronted by a female who refused to move out of his path. “I got bored,” he said. “I took hold of her arms and put her on one side and tried to walk on, whereupon she attacked me with a brolly and tried to knock my hat off. I set off to try to find a policeman, but I could not.” But Viscount Massereene and Ferrard (Conservative), a former Guards officer, said he had been accosted “hundreds of times” by prostitutes and had never been annoyed. Baroness Ravensdale said: If you clear up the streets and put the women underground, may I ask why not clear the streets of men who solicit women as well as their own sex?” Complaining that the Bill attacked one sex only, she said: “Surely this tampering with the whole of British law, to make the purpose of an act an offence when the act itself—the sexual act, if achieved —is not an offence, is wrong.” _ The Bishop of Exeter (Dr. R. C. Mortimer) said he felt “a moderate rapture” about the Bill which, he hoped, would abate an intolerable public nuisance. The Earl of Arran (Liberal) said statistics showed that one in every 540 women in London’s metropolitan area was a harlot. The Bill was given a second reading—agreement in principle —by 46 votes to 11—a Government majority of 35.