Manawatu Evening Standard. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1917. THE SOCIAL HYGIENE BILL AGAIN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10111, 19 October 1917, Page 4

Manawatu Evening Standard. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1917. THE SOCIAL HYGIENE BILL AGAIN.

It would be a mistake to assume that the resolutions passed at Lady Stout's meeting last evening are in any way representative of the considered opinion of the women of Palmerston, much less of the public generally. Lady Stout holds very decided views upon certain subjects, and has, through the agency of such societies as the "Women's Christian Temperance Union, impressed them upon a number of other wellmeaning women who are now making common cause with her in attacking Mr Russell's Social Hygiene Bill. It does not seem to have occurred, either to Lady Stout or the women associated with her, that the view they take of the matter is a mistaken one, or that the policy they would force upon the Government and the country is in any way inimical to the well-being of the community. Yet a few moments' careful consideration of facts already emphasised by the "Standard" upon this very important, if unsavoury, subject, should sufiice to convince even Lady Stout herself that, in expressing her determination "to light to prevent this Bill going through," she is setting herself up against the common sense ol the greater number of people, who cordially approve of the measure she condemns. The suggestion that 70 or 8(1 people, assembled in a town of 14,000 inhabitants, have a right to call themselves the citizens of Palmerston North, and to demand, in the name of those citizens, the withdrawal of a Bill which (outside of the women's societies referred to) has been greeted witli gen- ' era! approval, is absurd. The proper course would be to indicate the number of women who were responsible for passing the series of resolutions that we assume are being sent on to the .Minister, so that he might rightly estimate the volume of opposition the Bill lias raised against his action. Lady Stout's criticisms of the Bill were mainly directed towards the possible consequences of iis operation, and in no way Justified her opposition to the measure. The objection to compulsory examination and notification, which is the real crux of the new legislation, and is essential to its success in safe-guarilmg the public health, coupled with the declaration that it would have the effect of "driving the evil underground" is puerile, and shows fairly conclusively that neither Lady Stout nor her sympathisers realise the lull extent of the evil which has to be cornbatted by the State. Lady Stout conjured tip all sorts of imaginary evils that might follow the introduction ol such a law, declaring that it opened up dangerous possibilities and that it meant going back to the old CM). Act, backing up this extraordinary assertion with the still more amazing statement that thousands of innocent women committed suicide rather than face charges of this character, and winding up with the declaration that the Minister liar not considered this subfect as the women had done, but had only taken it up for two years. With no desire to he ungallant, we cannot resist the conclusion that, judged by the measure itself and Lady Stout's criticisms thereon, the Minister appears to have used his two years to much better advantage than the women's societies who claim to have ••considered the subject.