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North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3887, 21 February 1885, Page 3

SOCIAL NUISANCES.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir —Under the above heading there nnpears ft letter in your issue of to day aSSicd "Humanltd*," advocating the mtroduction and enforcement of the Contngiouß Diseases Act as a measure that has "'lone wonders in lessening and alleviating the miseries consequent upon the habits of the most licentious and denraved" This statement, taken ns a whole, is grossly inaccurate and dangerously misleading! and tends to shield from just, obloquy and reprobation one of the fouleet pieces of legHation hat ever dwprnced the statute book of any nation The writer is either profoundly ;gn°™nt oj the filthy nature of these acts and the abominable consequences *«««*«* .°» their enforcement in the towns whert they have been brought into operation or else he has 1 ulterior object in £W not «, yet disclosed to the public. Let.the^inhabitants of Oamnru beware of being 1 oodw" ked a, to the true character of hese acts and the immor.l consequences Brown" on? of their enforcement wherever Key mve been brought into operation. The wickedness of these acts I will briefly .ummariec: vice is legalised ; woman degradTd ; iho virtue and safety of the wives ?nd daughters of the laboring classes imperilled ; they render it all but impouible for an erring woman to return to a better way of living; they allow the seducer and the debauchee to K o scot free. The proved tendency of these acts w to promote the very evil which osteni ib y they have been framed to leeson if not to eradicate. Tliey were oapeoially desiar »ed to apply to garriaon towns (and here "HnnianlUB M "may draw a plain *u& natural inforenc) ; and it is affirmed that military officials were the pntne movers in seltinu these ods P! »s Bed8 ed hroughthe legialative chambers. In oonolusiou, I ap. peal to every pure minded husband »nd brother to re«i«t any attempt to introduce this kind of legislation to the very uttermost, as it is a fearful blot on our common humanity and civilization.

VIGILANS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sm— I should odvice Mr Inspector Thompson to study the following clauses in tho Police OSVnces Act, 1884 : Drunk-onn»-Bs aud riot, clauses 19 and 2oJ obscenity, clause 24 ; Ulo and disorderly persons, clnuae 2G ; nnd if he cannot see bin wny to pull some of the women of the town under these cleuscs. we must_ get somo one in his pl?ce who will. It is all very well to say that tho police cannot obtain a conviction tindor the present magistracy, but let them try. If they fail with a good case, wo have a remedy there also.

Morality.