THE SCARLET SCOURGE

NZ Truth, Issue 579, 22 July 1916, Page 8

THE SCARLET SCOURGE

PARLIAMENT AND THE PROBLEM HOLY HORNSBY AND THE LADY GALLERYITES Minister Rass?Ts Carefully Prepared Speech

The disappointment experienced by the members of the public, who gathered o» Tuesday nig-ht m the hope oi hearing the debate on the War Regulations Amendment Bill, but whetted theiy. appetite for the coming feast. On Wednesday afternoon the galleries were 'again well filled, but once more it was a case of "come, disappointment come." Questions took the whple time of the afternoon up to 5.20 p.m. As there were only ten minutes to go, the Prime Minister thought it would not Le fair to call upon the Minister m charge iof the .War Bill to start out on its Introduction, only to be pulled up just when he was getting into his stride. x He moved "that the House do immediately adjourn until 7.30 p.m." This was agreed to. . Shortly after seven o'clock a larger crowd was m waiting than even that of the previous evening, the number of women being m the majority. When the doors were opened to the ladies' galleries, the orderly m charge told each lady as she passed m, the nature of the question likely to come up for discussion, and left her to decide for herself whether or not she should go AND "SIT IT OUT." Only a few women turned back, but a sufficient number passed through the doors to fill up every available seat. The great majority of these were matrons, and every female present was of an age at which such matters should not be kept hidden from them. These ladies had taken their places, not only knowing that the question of "the scarlet scourge" was coming up for* discussion, but they had come for the express purpose of listening to the same and learning from the mouths of representative men the male point of view on a matter every bit as important, to women as to men, if not more important to the former; and these facts ought to have saved them from the gratuitous insult which the Holy Hornsby handed out to them a little later on m the evening. The Hon. Mr. Herdman, AttorneyGeneral, formally introduced the measure, and subsequently moved the second reading m as neat and as sane a speech as ever was delivered, m that House. At the same time, he did not hesitate to make clear his own position toward the proposals contained m the measure and as regards certain amendments which, he understood, were to be moved by those who j held just as strong convictions as,himself, though m an opposite direction. He referred specially to. the six o'clock closing movement. The measure, as introduced, leaves the hours for the sale of liquor as they are. He gave his reasons for believing that this was a wise policy, and backed these up by quoting from the report of the Commissioner of Bolice. The Bill proposed to abolish "shouting," and he had agreed to this as a sop to Cerberus, though personally, he did not think it was called for. The part of the BUI dealing with the question -of venereal disease, he said, would be explained fully by the Minister for Public Health later. He looked upon the proposals to be submitted m that connection as the most Important part of the measure. After expressing the hope that nothing but the utmost goodfeeling would prevail throughout the discussion, he moved the second reading and sat down. , Mr. Isitt, rising to a point of order, suggested that the Minister, for Public Health should follow Mr. Herdman with a statement concerning the part of the bill directly under his charge. This was agreed to, and just as the Hon. G. W. Russell rose to read his CAREFULLY-PREPARED ADDRESS, Holy Hornsby rose on his hind ones and m a voice of studied and supercilious solemnity drew the Speaker's attention to the fact that ladles were m the galleries and said that the subject about to be discussed was one upon which honorable members could not exercise the necessary freedom of discussion, if the ladles remained. The Speaker intimated to the ladles present that a member hod called his attention to their presence and gave them the "straight grlffln" to "get" To say that the ladies were surprised Is to put 18 mildly. They were Bcandalised! Ab they rose and reluctantly filed out the looks on their faces eloquently expressed what they thought of the member for Walrarapa whose modesty and concern for the feelings of females had got them turned out of the galleries, while men were allowed to remain. If one of the Labor or progressive members hod had the courage and Initiative to have followed hot on the heels of /the hirsute Hornsby and had told the ladles that nobody could put them but, ninety-nine per cent, of them would have resumed their seats Immediately. When something like half of the women had left, Mr. McCombs, somewhat belated, rose and pointed out that tho matter coming under discussion concerned male and female equally, and be thought It an unfair thing that such a discussion should take place m the presence of one sex only. The Speaker intimated that he had no power to turn anyone out so long as tho rules of the House wcro observed/but he ''left it to the good taste of the ladles." This last remark of tho Speaker's was absolutely uncalled for. It was equal to the assertion that any femalo who dared to remain, after what had been said, WAS NO "LYDY." Of course, Sir Frederick may have followed precedent, merely, and personally may not have cared a tinker's dam whether the ladles remained or not. It Mr. Hornsby wants to know what some of the women think of his action and those who think with him. let him read tho following letter to the Editor of "Truth " by one of the ladles who left tho Chamber on Wednesday night: Sir, — May I enter an emphatic protest against the action of Mr. llornaby, the member for Walrarnpa, who requested that tho hidlos bo asked to leave tho grtl- * lories before he addressed the Uouho on tho War Regulations Bill? No wonder wo women are ho j/usplelouH of the actions of Parliamentarians, when a 13111 of the vory utmost Importance to our sex requires to be discussed In such terms na to render It necoiwary for oh -to leave tin.* galleries! I feel auro tho Mlnl«i<;r for Public Health would not have transgressed beyond the limits of common decency. That Mr. Hornsby felt ho was unablo to <lo ho, we must ciHHume by hl» request to Mr. Spfiikor. Wo hope, and ir\ist, there aro not many members who follow th© same lino of thought. Women need plain, clean exposition of the dread evils surrounding them, tholr daughters, and. abovo all, their brave soldier »onji. and this BUI d*alt specially with chair

preservation, and women and mothers were turned out of the Parliamentary galleries of their ( own Dominion at the request of i one of the men whom they sent to ! represent them! Why did not some of the other members show a modicum of common sense and prevent such a blatant mistake? # The Hon. the Speaker has no alternative, we know, when once reference is made to "strangers m the • gallery," but when the rule was enacted, women had no vote. Now they have; And they must see to it m future that the candidate's vocabulary is such that he can debate or discuss questions of a delicate character m decent language. We who had to leave felt sorely ashamed, but not for ourselves. — Yours, etc., "MATER." When the galleries had been cleared of the fair sex (except for five matrons, who positively refused to budge), the Hon. Mr. Russell rose and read his speech to the House. The further he read "the more the wonder grew" that the ladies had been called upon to leave the precincts. The speech was a carefully-prepared one, and as carefully worded, 1 PLAIN, UNVARNISHED TALE. There was nothing new m it from beginning to end, except the figures concerning the number of cases reported on m the camps, and "Truth" is afraid that these don't tell all the story. The Minister had been telling members, prior to Wednesday night, that he was going to take the gloves off when he spoke on the scarlet scourge m the House. True, he dealt with the subject more fully and more intimately than has hitherto been the custom to deal with such subjects m Parliament, but he did not say one word m advance of public opinion. Nay, on thia question, the Minister is following public opinion, and that, too, as the Apostle John followed His- Master on His arrest, a long way off. For several years past "Truth" has made the people familiar with all tho awful effects and extent of the dread diseases under review, and the public were prepared for the Government taking stronger measures tthan it is seeking under' the Bill now before the House. The speech was, m great part, A RESUME OF ARTICLES which have from time to time appeared m these columns. Many of the powers sought as a means of stemming the tide of . the disease were first suggested m these columns. Although the Minister haa hesitated suggesting the more farreaching proposals put forward m the People's Paper's campaign against this crimson cancer", we acknowledge the compliment paid to "Truth" m those suggestions which have been adopted by the Minister m this Bill.