SOCIAL HYGIENE BILL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9788, 11 October 1917, Page 6

SOCIAL HYGIENE BILL

W.C.T.17. PROTESTS. REPLIED TO BY HON. G. W. KHS6EL.L. Telegrams from various branches of the W.0.T.U.. protesting against certain clauses of the (social Hygiene Bill, have been sent to the Hon. U. W. Bussell (Minister for Public Health). The Minister has replied to them as under: "Your telegram received, for which 1 thank you. In reply, please note: (1) The compulsory powers of detention and examination are already the law in section 10 of tho Hospitals Act, 1918, and .lino IVit’cmera’ Detention Act:, 1915. I 'have hitherto refrained from bringing these powers into force and am now providing safeguards which will effectually protect tho womanhood of the Dominion from tho possibility of anything like the O.D. Act. One of them is tho examination of women by women doctor®. Drastic action ibo stive pur papulation, and especially our soldiers from evil consequences is, however, Absolutely necessary. (2) The statement that the bill re-enacts the worst clauses of the O.D. Act is absolutely untrue. i 3) Cocc/puisory xwtafldafaon is net provided ft»r in the bill. This hue been lefli out of the bill in order to protect innocent victims of disease, and because tho British Eoyal Commission did not recommend it. (M Tho statement that tho bill will affect one sex only Is quite Untrue. Both sexes are equally liable under it. (5) It is not intended to treat diseased persons for a short time only, but to hold them until they cease to be a menace to the public health. (6) The only persons who will come under the compulsory clauses ore diseased prostitutes of both sexes. (7) Tree- treatment at hospitals and laboratories is amply provided for in the bill. (8) An educational campaign is already in existence. One pamphlet by a woman doctor ia in circulation and another for men will be shortly circulated. (9) The attempt to minimise these diseases in our country should commend the support of all women, as they and children are most seriously affected.”