Mr Stead and the Social Evil.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1596, 31 December 1885, Page 2

Mr Stead and the Social Evil.

Utationa let.'] It is soiiKiwliut consolatory to s per- • five that a strong roaction iii fa Your ot the heroic Mr \V. T. -lead is now setting iti. Those Colonial editors who pretend to lead, hut who really grovel in the dust before public opinion, and who a fliort time since echoed the insensate howl ofa ntacouism of a prejudiced, illinformed mob, will now he compelled judiciously to turn iu their tracks, and we perceive are even now commencing to beslaver the man whom a few short weeks ago they beslimed. A large and enthusiastic meeting was recently held in Aloltiouruu for the purpose of ex* pressing sympathy witu the editor of the Pall Mall Gazette, and the further purpose of expediting a Criminal Lair Amendment Bill in Victoria. Mr J. Campbell, M. LC, occupy 1 »»'" fl»*ir, and it was stated that in Malboars* alono there weie 400 female children of and under the age of 14 yean, who were leading a life of prostitution* Young Booth, of the Salvation Ann/, said : — • In a flash house not far trom the -Temperance Hall, lie n.ta bcou Un, eleven, and twelve, young woineu soni* of them under 16 years of age. On* was a Judge's (laughter, another the> dauj; liter of a clergyman, and another the daughter of one of the leading lawyers in Melbourne. And yet Bishop Cowie, and others of the Army of the> noble gospel of ' Hush!' couderaned th« publication by us of Mr Stead's revelations, because the Australasian Colouies were so innocent that their morals might be contaminated. Mr Cowie further spoke of ' the almost incredible particulars of a nefarious traffic in the bodies of human beings.' The fact ia Melbourne, according to iU size a«d opportunities, is more immoral than Loudon and that even in Auckland, of which city Mr Cowiv assumes to be bishop, there in a featful amount of depravity. But— Hush !. J