THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND SOCIAL LEGISLATION.

White Ribbon, Volume 1, Issue 4, 1 October 1895, Page 2

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND SOCIAL LEGISLATION.

It is not generally supposed that members of the Upper House are extremely anxious to see women sitting in the halls of legislation; yet a perusal of certain debates on social politics, as reported in Hansard , would almost lead one to imagine that, by revealing their own incompetency, these gentlemen intituled “ honourable ” are seeking to pave the way for lady law-makers. A few more such exhibitions of ignorant and one-sided legislation and New Zealand women will be roused to a revolutionary pitch of indignation. Under the auspices of *he Christchurch Women’s Conference, a meeting to protest against the action of the Council w'ith regard to these social questions was held in the Y.M.C.A. Rooms on October ioth. Miss Hookham, President of the Canterbury Women’s Institute, presided, and a goodly number of ladies attended, representing organisations of w’hich w’omen are members. The first resolution—“ That this meeting protests against the refusal of the Legislative Council to endorse the action of the representatives of the people in raising the age of consent ’’-was moved by Mrs Cunnington. In an able speech Mrs Cunnington stated, on the authority of the heads of the two largest maternity homes in Christchurch, that the large majority of the girls who enter the homes are under eighteen. She also pointed out the irreparable injury inflicted on a girl, physically, mentally, and socially. Then the iniquitous wrong inflicted on the children of such immature mothers ! By far the lesser evil was,

perchance, for a few innocent men to run the risk of blackmail. The motion was seconded by Mrs McKee, and carried unanimously. Mrs Munnings. moved. “ That this meeting protests against the refusal of the Legislative Council to endorse the action of the Representatives of the people in repealing the C.D. Acts.” England repealed them so many years ago. Are we to go back ? We cannot make men moral by act of Parliament, but law's have power to increase wickedness. The resolution was seconded by Mrs Wells : Our ancestors laid down their lives for the liberty of all and not for the license of the few\ What says the Great Teacher on the principle of such laws ? We may no longer condone the sow. ing of wild oats. We cannot sow evil and reap good, immorality we shall always have in our midst! Things shall not be as they have been. Men and women with diseased bodies should not oe allowed to propagate their kind. Mrs Newton remarked upon the acknowledged and proved uselessness of the law's from a sanitary point of view. Immorality and disease are increased by the enforcement of such laws from the fancied security they give. The laws of God should be studied so that coming generations may be pure. The resolution was carried unanimously. The third resolution —“ That this meeting protests against the refusal of the Legislative Council to endorse the action of the representatives of the people in amending clause 196 of the Criminal Code Act "—was entrusted to Mrs Field. The heartless absurdity of the law as at present is patent to all mothers. This motion was seconded by Miss Bain, and also carried unanimously.