The Rescue Movement.—Mary Aldis Again.

Observer, Volume XV, Issue 863, 13 July 1895, Page 2

The Rescue Movement.— Mary Aldis Again.

It is gratifying to us to know that great and important results have followed the publication of our recent series of ' Maiden Tribute ' articles dealing with the evil of juvenile immorality in Auckland. Those articles opened the eyes of many philan-thropically-disposed mon and women to the necessity of some effort being made to save these thoughtless and wayward children, and the outcome of several preliminary meetings was the establishment of a Rescue Society to undertake this and other branches of reform work. Overtures were made to the Government by the Society for power to detain the girls in the Home until such time as the better influences by which they would be surrounded would have time to exercise a beneficial effect upon them. This the Government were prepared to concede, and, at the request of the Minister for Justice, the Society has drafted a bill conveying the legislative authority it seeks.

I am in receipt of a copy of this measure, ■which is entitled the Suppression of Immorality Bill, and to me it appears to be drastic enough to secure more reform in the matter of social evil than has ever before been attempted in this or any other Colony. Indeed, the bill aims a blow at the very root of social evil. Provision is made for the establishment and .maintenance of reformatories, carried on with

funde from the general revenue of the country, and of private rescue homes which, presumably, axe to be maintained by voluntary contributions. Proceedings by summons may be taken against (1) any immoral man or woman within the meaning of the Act, (2) any prostitute, (3) any man or woman found in a house of ill-fame, or soliciting for immoral purposes, (4) any children between the age of seven and sixteen leading a vagrant life, (5) any man or woman associating or dwelling with a prostitute or habitual drunkard. Power is given to a Magistrate, upon the hearing of a complaint, to commit any such person to a reformatory for a period of not less than three months or more than two years.

The measure is drastic in some of its provisions, and would probably be modified in certain respects before it received the assent of the Legislature, but it is nevertheless in the right direction. One of its wisest provisions' is that any inmate found to be suffering from contagious disease shall be placed under medical treatment, and in this clause the women at the head of this movement have f onnd an effective substitute for the CD. Act, without the more objectionable features of that much-discussed measure. All the other provisions of the bill are matters of detail, but power is taken to secure for the purposes of the reformatory in Auckland certain monies now in the hands of trustees for the purpose.

The bill will do one thing very effectively. It will test the sincerity of those people who have been loudly mouthing their anxiety to see the social evil suppressed so long as this is done by some other agency than the CD. Act. Here is that other agency. Here is a measure directed solely against immorality. Let us see what support it will get from that section of the religious community which was so shocked at the thought of legislating for the protection of sinning men. Are they prepared now to legislate for the salvation of sinning women ? Or are they determined to leave these women as a perennial national sacrifice to the lust of profligate men ?

It was only to be expected that that sweet young thing, Mary Steadman Aldis, would be first in the lists against the Suppression of Immorality Bill. Mary defies the right of people to place legislative restrictions upon other people. Just " what I thought. We are getting the truth now. Again, under the CD. Act, Mary shrieked against giving the police any power over young girls engaged in the traffic of shame, and now that all this is done away with, Mary shrieks again. She detests spies and informers, and she would not give the honorary officers of this society power to proceed on summons to sesfere the committal to a reformatory of a girl who was going astray. Would she assist the wayward footsteps of that girl into Hell ? I would ask. Is it any time to talk sentimental bathos when a thoughtless girl's footsteps are slipping for the first time — when her outstretched hand grasps wildly for some friendly clasp to save her from the vortex of damnation into which she is being dragged ? Shame, Mary Steadman Aldis. Are you a woman ?

Mary Steadman Aldis bitterly attacks the provision to summon a girl of the town before a Magistrate, because it is possible that a girl of good character might be placed on her trial. The idea is preposterous. The girl of good character would k&ve a sound remedy at law against her accusers for slander, and even if we admit that a designing and unprincipled policeman might question her virtue for his own purpose, the same possibility cannot be accused against the philanthropic ladies who are engaged in this work. And an equal objection to this method of procedure immoral girls might rest against the right of prosecuting girls for theft. Is that power not in the hands even of the much-abused police ? And have we ever any suspicion that it is taken advantage of by bold, bad policemen to ruin innocent girls? None whatever. The Rescue Work Society is to be commended for the determination it has shown to secure, at least, some measure of social reform, and I hope to see the bill in its present or amended form the law of the land at no distant date.