PROPOSER SOCIAL HYGIENE BILL.

White Ribbon, Volume 27, Issue 319, 18 January 1922, Page 6

PROPOSER SOCIAL HYGIENE BILL.

Supporters of the proposed Social Hygiene Bill have had much to say about the success of a kindred Bill in Western Australia. The following extract from the “Auckland Star” bears out all that this paper has contended as to the failure of these measures in W est e rn A ust ralia: FAILURE IN AUSTRALIA. An interesting visitor to Auckland during the week-end was Mrs A. Macdonald. of West Australia, who Is passing through New Zealand on a holiday and health trip. It was only when she began to read the local papers that her attention was drawn to the controversy which is taking place about the proposed Social Hygiene Bill for New Zealand, and she regretted that she had not known of the recent public meeting on the subject, and so missed being present. Mrs Macdonald is one of +he vice-presidents and also treasurer of the West Australian State Ex< cutive of the Women’s Service Guild, an organisation which wields a great influence in West Australia. She is also Secretary and Treasurer for the Little Citizen’s Free Kindergarten Movement of her home State, and is very interested in all movements which are for the benefit of women or children. In conversation with a “Star” representative Mrs Macdonald said that New Zealand seemed to her to he bringing forward retrograde legislation. and she had noticed that West Australia was being quoted as an example of success. In point of fact, the two big organisations of women, the Women’s Service Guild and the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, opposed the bill which was being quoted, and continued to fight it every session. The Women's Labour Organisation was also against it, and a learned medical man -a member of the Upper House — helped the women’s societies to get a clause inserted to protect women from false statements. This clause provided that on laying information a sign* d statement must be given, and if the p rson. man or woman, was found to be free from disease, then the accused person had the right to see this statement and know whom their accusers were, and could take legal proceeding if so desired. After working the Ad for two years the Chief HeaUli Commissioner brought In an amendment to have this clause deleted. Thf re was such a protest from

the women’s societies that although the amendments were carried, they have never yet been put permanently on the Statute Rook. So every year the Rill comes up before Parliament, and members of both Houses, w’ho are in sympathy with the protest, ask very pertinent questions and receive answers. These answers go to prove the contention of the women’s societies that the Bill was only camouflage, and that although it was presumed to be a health measure, it was only an attempt to get at one class, namely, prostitutes, and that no real certificate of cure can ever be given, because not even the wisest doctor can say when the disease may not break cut again. The worn* n’s societies contend that the clause detaining prisoners after they had served their .sentence for crimes' c ommitted was against all British justice, especially as venereal disease was not gazetted a crime, and the prisoners had to conform to the law and attend a fully qualified medical practitioner after their release. The women's societies also contend that if the Government was really in earnest to minimise this dread disease it would show its sincerity by opening clinics with fully trained doctors to attend the cases with the latest scientific, adequate and up-to-date treatment, and provide secret cubicles, so that the patients may not meet or see anyone hut the doctors, and also that a campaign of education he started pointing out the dire results of sexual indulgence and unchastity upon the innocent child and the whole community. In this campaign the women's societies had the consistent support all through of members of Parliament, the Anglican Archbishop, Salvation Army, and influential citizens, and so strong has been the opposition \o the Rill that it has not yet been made a permanent measure. The fact that the Bill comes up once a year gives the Health C immissioner and the women’s societies especially the latter, some work to do. As all the ramifications of the Rill are enacted in secret, the women are compelled to get those memhers of Parliament m both Houses to ask questions as to the working of the Bill, and year by year it is being shown that the contentions of the women’s societies are being proved to be true, viz., that the great power invested in one man is out of all proportion to the eases coming under his notice, and

again that the Act resolves itself into a crusade against one class only, namely, women. It shows that compulsory notification has, and always will prove a failure from the very nature of the disease and the means at hand for deception. I >ast year, with ab the army of power behind the measure in West Australia, only 40 cases, all women, came directly under the notice of the Commissioner. Six of these were pronounced as never having suffered from the disease, six others were suspicious, and the rest it was supposed were infected. Just consider the ramifications of this Act, which Is being quoted in New Zealand, only reaching so small a number. Even from a statistical point of view it proves nothing, said Mrs Macdonald, because it Is well known that there must be more than a little over 1000 people suffering from this disease in a quarter of a million of people. Yet this is the net result of notification after five yearn’ working. When Mrs Macdonald was visiting Sydney in 191 , r » an - ffort was being made to give free scientific treatment at night clinics opened in various parts of the city, hut especially at Prince Alfred Hospital, and the figures for the first week were ir»00, for I h< following weeks over 3000 per week. The rush was so great that the free treatment had to be given up through lack of funds. This proves that free treatment might cope with the evil. It is the fear of being detain* d, and the fear of publicity, that keeps people away, for in many cases they are innocent sufferers. Another point is the question of pro phylactics. There is talk in Australia of introducing this war-time method into the peace-time life. It is being whispered that prophylactic outfits arc to be provided at the public conveniences. and the women are asked to allow this for the good of the race. Mrs Macdonald said that the sooner the conspiracy of silence on this subject was ended the better, and that women would rise up in a body and denounce this iniquity. Would women allow to be given to their sons what they would not give to their daughters? It would rob the race of even thing that women had held dear. When the means was provided whereby men might sin without fear of punishment, the fatal blow was struck that would lay our Empire In ihe dust with Nineveh and Tyre.