... and to prostitution

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34151, 12 May 1976, Page 1

... and to prostitution

The Labour Party conference is not prepared to accept either the return of corporal punishment or the legalisation of prostitution. These decisions were among those made yesterday in discussion of the remits which have come in from all parts of New Zealand, reports Cedric Mentiplay. One hotly-discussed remit asked “that corporal punishment be reintroduced for persons convicted of gang rape and other serious crimes against the person.” Mr S. Waru (Onehunga Maori branch) said that his wife and daughters were not able to walk down the streets of Auckland without being molested —but he opposed the remit. “Corporal punishment is not the answer,” he said. "If the conference were to

legalise prostitution there w’ould be no rape.” This comment drew a round of applause. Me V. Buck (Avon), reelected yesterday as youth representative on the Labour Party Council, moved that rape by a husband should be an offence. The fact that it was not, she said, was blatant discrimination against women. Mrs R. Stone (Princes Street) said that although she was a feminist and had strong views on rape, she was appalled that anyone at a Labour Party conference could endorse corporal punishment. The conference decided, by a big margin, to oppose any move to reintroduce corporal punishment. It also rejected Ms Buck’s proposal to allow husbands to be charged with the rape of wives.