WHITE SLAVE TRAFFIC.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2003, 10 March 1914, Page 6

WHITE SLAVE TRAFFIC.

IN THIS COUNTRY.

FIRST STATEMENT RE-AFFIRMED.

SOME INSTANCES.

(By ToleirraDti.--Prcss Association,) Cisborna, Jtarch 9. Mrs. Field, of Nelson, to-day replied to Superintendent Kcily's statement in regard to her address before tho W.C.T.U. Convention on white slavery.

"I'had no idea," said Mrs,. Field, "that my paper on tho subject was going to receive so muck publicity, but 1 do not regret it in the least, as it will arouse people to a knowledge of what is undoubtedly going on in this country. There is no bettor way of removing evils than by letting' the light of publicity shine upon them! Of course, I cannot, personally verticil for tho Auckland cases, as I was only informed of them, but I have »o reason to doubt the evidence of the person who made tho charges. 1 heard," continued Mrs. Field, "a rumour to tho effect that such things were going oa in the north, and I wrote for particulars. The letter which I included in my paper was the result. Since it has become- known that I hare been interesting myself in tho subject, people have come to mo and given me specific instances, which points oajy too clearly to tho fact that tljero "is mwd for prompt measures to stop tho attempts that are being made to lure- young efris to destruction.

To show you that I am not the only person who believes that trafficking is.going on in New Zealand," added Mrs. Field, "I need only mention that The Dominion newspaper, a shart time ago, saw fit to .puMish a full column article on this very subject Now; when a reputable city daily paper sees fit to devote so much spae.9 "to siveh a subject, it is apparent that' there ■is good reason to believe that sweh a thing exists." Specific Case Mentioned, , Can you ~givo any specific instaaces? inquired the reporter. ' "I can give you several," 2lrs, Field at once replied. "Thero was a case, not so long ago, where a girl answered an advertisement for a typist, Tho girl called on tho address gwon, and found that all that the office contained was a typewriter and a girl typist, ihe man who had inserted tfc advertisement wanted tho girl to pay a good round sum and join him in the business TluvgirUs father, 'hoWe-rer,'re-fused to sanction such a prap'esal. bomo tiino afterwards ftnotta- advertisement appeared stating that, if the lady who liad called applying for a typist s position would call again, tho position was open for li W , I n the meantime the girl who had. been engaged at this particular office sailed oil the mother of the girl who hftd applied, 'and told her on no account t» allow her daughter to enter the office. The callor had an alarming story to relate, bne said that she had answered a similar advertisement to the otto which had recency appeared. Tlio man .who tent the office had told a plausible talo ©fa lucrative business, and had offered to take her into partnership if she woli.ld put a certain sum into'tho business, euo had paid over the -moJwsv, and soino time afterwards, the win told her that lie wanted J-ier to proceed by train to -— in order to typo cort-am documents there. Has girl left by the train, and was somewhat surprised when she had proceeded some distance to find thai her partner was also oh tlio train. On arriving at —- he told her'to go to a certain hotel, and, on going there, found to her horror that the- mail jtad entered their names in tho hotel vemVer as husband and wife. The gif], who Jiasl spirit, defied tho man to eater her room, and, in' tho morning, .returned to .

A Case at Chrlstcharch. "This," said Sirs. Field, !i is only ono of many similar cases which I have been told of. It is very hard te get proof, even in cases whej-o fte evidence is almost overwhelming. Another caso which shows how attempts are made to entrap respectablo girls occurred in Christchurch, and the farts were related to me on the best- of authority Two girls arrived in Christchureh together, seeking employment. they hired a cab, and requested the driver to tako them, to a respectable boardinghouse.- He drove them to a house which the. girls did not like tlio loo.k of. and they liked less the appearance «F the woman who received them. They said that tho rooms did not suit, and went back to tho cabman aiid told Mhi that unless he drove them at on-eo to a respectable house they would report him. Ho' did so, and on making inquiries later the girls confirmed their suspicions that the house whieJl they had first been taken to fi-as a house of ill-fame.

An Occurrence in Wellington,

"Another case which "I might mention occurred in Wellington, and I also have this on reliable.authority. A young girl missed the- train at a suburban station, and found thai die "hoi to wait some time for the- next owe, "While waiting on the station she was approached by a well-dressed woman, who is by no means unknown in Wellington, and invited to come and have a cup of tea. They had not been bug in the- refreshment room when they werb joined by a man whom the woman introduced as her brother. Wiiw Was produced, and the girl was invited , 'to have- a glass. She replied that she- seldom touched wino, but en being pressed was on tho point of consenting when she intercepted a look which there was no mistaking pass between tlic woman and the" man. Tho <*ii-l fled for nor life, and was lucky in escaping. "I expect," said Mrs. l f ieM, "to receive further proof of specific cases which will pi;ove that what I assert is nnly too true. It is possible that the Women's.Christian Temperance Union will appoint a superintendent to look into this department, and when this is done thero wilPundottliipdly. bo work for such an oilicial to do."

SOME SUSPICIONS. (By Toleiranh.— Press Assw-iatian.) Auckland, March 0. In consequence, of the fact that Auckland city and province have been prominently associated lately with slatements about tho whit© slavery, a pressman has just completed extensive inquiries, not only among the police, but also among societies' and mtjividuais ■who work among tho poor iind ci'iftiiiial classes, regarding the matter. TJisi police state that they liato tean imable to discover any instances of the-'disap-pearance of girls due -to tho alleged traffic. Moreover, although it is stated that case-s have occurred, they have itot icceived either complaints or requoets to investigate. Soveral Auckland women whose work brings them in contact with a great number of girls wore questioned. Tho consensus of opinion was that, although there appears to be ?jo organised effort in trafficking in girls here, yet ijiero have been enough isolated instances of attempts to luro girls awny fjrom tlseif homes to put every young wfflnnn oh hor guard, and to make her very Wary in her dealings with strangers. One woman who meets asd Irelsre many girls coming to tho city in search of work said that she know of two cases of what was suspiciously li'ko white slavery, but, although she had m«tte inquiries in both instances', tlw evidence was too slender to institute prooeodiiiga.