THE SOCIAL SCOURGE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11762, 28 July 1916, Page 2

THE SOCIAL SCOURGE.

WAR REGULATION BILL CLAUSES [From Our Correspondent. i Wellington, July 27. Tn co in ra it tec on the. War Regulations Bill 011 the sub-clauso dealing tho suppression of prostitution and tho prevention of venereal disease Mr Hornsby moved the following provj?o : —''But no regulation shall authorise tho arrest of any person on tho ground of suspicion or otherwise' than in accordance with process of law now in force.' Mr Hornsby contended that unless such a proviso were carried tho country would be practically put again under the C.D. Act.

Tho Hon A. L. Herdman, in declaring that ho was unable to accept the amendment, said that any regulations uiadc under the XJi 11 would coast? a year after the end of the war, but it was* very necessary to obtain power to deal with one-woman brotheb, which the existing law did not give. That was shown by tho quashing of a magistrate's decision by the Supremo Court the other day. Mr liornsby: What I want to prevent is the arrest of women without warrant. The Hon A. L. Herdman: We aro not seeking power to arrest people outside of the Court. Dr Newman contended that the Bill gave the Minister power to reinstitato tho C.D. Act under another condition. Mr Hordraan: You are quite wrong. Dr Newman: I know you can explain it away in technicalities, but th o result is the came. Mr Hindmarsh pointed out that tho C.D. Act recognised prostitution, whereas the present Bill proposed to suppress it. The Hon G. W. Russell assured the House that it had never been in the thoughts of Mr Herdman or himself to get the power to arrest women in the streets without a warrant. Tho 13ill was only intended to deal with women who lived in prostitution and with men who lived with thoin and fattened on their wicked earnings and who were, no doubt, afflicted themselves with disease. Mr Hornsby's amendment was rejected by 5-1 to 16.