SOCIAL PROBLEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 4 November 1929, Page 7

SOCIAL PROBLEMS

ENGLISH QUAKER’S WORLD-

WIDE ACTIVITIES

AUGKLAND, Nov. 1. A leading ligure in the world-wide campaign against the white slave traffic, Air Maurice Gregory, a prominent English Quaker, arrived by tne iiangitiki to-day on a visit to his brother, Air Alfred Gregory, of Dargaville. For 43 years he has devoted his time and energy to the cause ol pit 1 lan trophy and social progress in all parts of the globe, lie is a member of the Bishop of London's Afayorality Council, which interests itself in a variety of social problems affecting the welfare of London, and has travelled widely in the interests of special committees of the British House of Commons. In 1911 Air Gregory was selected by a Parliamentary Committee to visit .Japan to influence public opinion and the Japanese Government against tiie re-establishment of Yoshiwara, the ‘red light’ district of Tokio., burned in the disastrous fire of that year. Although not successful in preventing thp rebuilding of the quarter, he had the satisfaction of seeing important reforms carried out. As vice-president? of the Parliamentary Committee carrying out the work of Josephine Butler,

he also played a part in the campaign which brought about the abolition of State regulation in vice in Great Bri-

tain in 1886. “Thanks to individual effort and the mutual help of the Governments white slavery has been-reduced to very smal' •proportions .taking the countries a,s a whole,” said Air Gregory. “The women’s suffrage movement has altered the whole problem since the war, so much so that girl immigrants going to Canada a few years ago very much resented the special measures of protection afforded them. The greatest help in effecting reforms, however, has 'been the fact that public opinion and the Press of all countries have been solidly behind us.”

Air Gregory actively co-operated with the four Parliamentary leaders in obtaining the abolition of the Government’s share in the opium traffic between India and the East in the ’9'o’s ancl visited India, China, and Japan in furtherance of that object. Famine in India also engaged bis attention, and it was partly through representations to which he subscribed that the Indian Government built a network of “famine railways,” which, enable food to be rushed at a moment's notice to centres of distress. “When I first went to India 48 years ago,” he said, “it was not uncommon for 1,500,000 to 2,000,003 people to die in time of famine. A short time ago when anotli.ol' famine, threatened, the chief of the Fatilino Department announced in all confidence that not only would the crisis pass without a single death occurring, but there would not even be a case of emaciation, and the most interesting thing is that all are self-supporting and are running without cost to the ratepayers.”

The great need of the present day, he added, was the further cementing of the bonds of friendship between nations. It was distressing to him to detect the fear of Japan among Australians abroad. “I have often sounded Jaoanc.se nationals and officials on this topic.’’ he said, "and in every case they laughingly scoffed at the idea that the countries of the Pacific wo'dd ever tempt them. To incur the displeasure of Britain was the last thine: on earth they desired. If they were out for conquest the huge unpopulated spaces of China and Siberia would surely attract them first."