THE EBZERY CASE

Otago Witness, Issue 3309, 15 August 1917, Page 5

THE EBZERY CASE

PROTEST BY COUNCIL OF CHURCHES. Under the auspices of the Council of Churches a meeting was held on tho 7th in tae .burns .trail as a protest against what is considered in certain quarters to bo the totally inadequate sentence imposed upon tho man Ebzery, who was recently charged in tho City Police Court under the War Regulations with conducting a house of illfame. The other objeote of_ the meeting are made clear by the resolutions that were submitted. The attendance, which practically filled tho building, was composed entirely of men. The Rev. A. Cameron occupied the chair, and was supported on the platform by Canon Nevill, the Revs. G. H. Balfour, R. S. Gray, W. Trotter, Dr Riley, and Mr J. H. Wilkinson.

Tht Chairman explained that the meeting was Uuia under mo auspices of the reborn Council of Churches, which now included the whole of the Protestant churches in the city. They were met, ho stated, in the interests of even-hanued justice and clean living. —(Applause.) He thought everyone would recognise that women did not get even-handed justice meted out' to them, as compared with men —(applause)—and the sooner that state of affairs was remedied the better. The speaker also expressed his appreciation of the action of Mr C. E. Statham on this matter in the House. — (Loud ajvpla/usc.) The sooner tho law was changed, and some very much more drastio punishment provided than at present the (Loud applause.) The Rev. R. S. Gray, who spoke forcibly, dealt very fully with the question under consideration in speaking to the following resolution which had been handed him to move:—"That this meeting of citizens of Dunedin is of opinion that the ends of justice have not been fully met in tho Ebzery case by the sentence imposed on him, and it requests the Minister of Justice to make inquiry into the case and take, all possible steps to bring the other offenders before the court." Mr Gray referred to tnH repeated adjournments in the Ebzery case, and to the statements of the chief detective regarding procuration. Ebzery's counsel, he stated, did not isay a single word about these allegations, nor did he attempt to rebut any part of the charge. He simply entered a plea of guilty, and said the case would bo met by a fine. The magistrate had accepted the statements of the chief detcctivo regarding procuration, and had described the man as a menace to the community, and he (the speaker) out it to them that here they had the strongest reason for demanding that the men at tho back of this thing should be brought to light (Loud applause and "Hear, hear.") The Minister of Justice would be put in full possession of the facts, and would be told clearly that Ebzery's counsel had said no word that would justify tho prosecution in bringing evidence to show who tho men were for whom these girls were procured. Mr Gray mado reference to what ho termed the irregular prostitution amongst the semi-re-spectable girls in this city, and stated that there was a world-wide movement on foot to grapple, with this great evil. One means of doing so was to abandon the double standard for men and women, and to apply the same principle to a " fallen" man as to a "fallen" women. He also urged greater parental control and tho establishment of a moral educational league, so that even if parents neglected their duty tho children might not grow up in ignorance of these grave matters. It was their duty to destroy this immorality that had become so prevalent and lay clean foundations so that tho coming generations would bless, them and not curse them.—(Loud applause.) Canon Nevill, in seconding the motion, said that these cases .brought before us the question of white slavery, which had already been attacked in the older countries of the world, and made the interesting statement that when flogging was introduced in London as part of the punishment for procuration, half tho German population cleared out. He also wanted to know how those present would regard matters of this kind if their own daughters or sisters wero the parties concerned. The mot'on was carried unanimously. Mr G. M. Thomson then moved:—" That this meeting strongly protests against the inadequacy of the punishment provided by the Act for the offence committed by Ebzery, and urges the Minister of Justice to introduce immediately such an amendment as will make the punishment more commensurate with the gravity of the offonco." The Rev. R. E. Davies seconded tho motion, and epoke of the frequency with Which the ministers of the city found themselves faced with tho troubles arising from immorality. It was. of course, impossible tn cite cases, but were ho to do so those present would be simply astounded at the names of some of those who were occasionally concerned in these affairs. Before there was talk of reforming the women lot them reform the men.—(Applause.) He hoped the Government would see its way

clear to exact a penalty that would strike terror into the hearts of offenders, ana would reintroduce the lash every timp.w (Applause.) The motion was carried unanimously.

Mr J. H. Wilkinson moved—" That, a/ the president of the Council of Churches will bo in Wellington this week, he bo requested personally to present to the Mini*. ter of Justice the resolutions passed by this meeting." l>r itiley, in seconding the motion, eaid he , recognised that no appeal to legislation would prevent immorality. Legislation, however, could act as a deterrent to mon* etrous wrong, and could do something to safeguard the innocent and unwary. Such bestiality as they had heard of that night called for penalties which would prevent, if possible, the commission of similar crime* in New Zealand. Procuration was one of the vilest of crimes, and made every decent man's blood boil. From his experience as a medical man, seduction, not necessarily by a procurer but by vile and selfish young men, was common in Dunedin. In all cased the woman paid a penalty which was traglo in its bitterness, while the man went scot free. Disease, especially syphilis, was becoming far too common. For many years he practised in Dunedin, and had rarely seen a case of syphilis. Now there wer* always cases of recent syphilis in the Hos* pital, and one did not see the end of it. It behoved them as citizens of Dunedin to create a healthy public opinion. They would demand that men in public position* must be men of clean mind. They askeq that legislation be carried to its limits in order to exercise a deterrent effect on a, grave danger to the community. —(Loud applause.) The resolution was carried unanimously. On the* motion of Mr W. Davidson, a resolution was carried congratulating M* Statham on the action he had taken In tha House. The meeting concluded with the singing of the National Anthem.