THE LOCK HOSPITAL.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 101, 9 May 1885, Page 3

THE LOCK HOSPITAL.

Reported Reformation of Fallen Women, The agitation against this institution has been resumed, and another effort is being made to secure its abolition. Some didcussion took place at the City Council last evening, when reports from Dr. Tennont and tho police were submitted. These bore unanimous testimony to the value of the Hospital, and the police statement asserted that the effect of tho Act had been to decrease the number of abandoned women by 63, while no lefcs than 28 had entirely reformed, been married, or taken into refuges through the instrumentality of the Act. On the other hand, Mr R. H. Hughes, secretary of the society which is antagonistic to the Lock Hospital, wroto, asserting that since tho Act had been brought into force the visits of men to biothe's had increased twenty-fold. In his report, Dr. Tennont said the number on the Hospital register originally was 84, and at the first examination, eleven women had been detained for treatment for several diseases. Ho then proceeds: Thcie has been, at least, CO per cent, of a decreaso in the number of pro?tutoa since the opening of the Hospital, and I am informed by Detective Hughe* that prostitutes soliciting in the street.* are now rarely if ever seen. I luive received from Mr Superintendent Thomson the following report from the Police Department :—: — Number of prostitutes kr.own to the police in Auckland and suburbs io date .. .. 103 Number pro ceded againet under the Act. . 98 Number brought un^ei the Act, and who attended the Look Hospital 8i Number who Jeft for the bush and other parts of tho colony 14 Average number that attend for medical examination twice every month, and averatse number in Hospital 40 Married and refo mcd .. 8 Li vine with men not man ied . . . . . . 5 Number gone into service and reformed by the Jadics of the Parnell dome and of the Salvation Army Rffuge 20 Number in Mount Kdon Gaol 10 Number loft Auckland for other parts of the colony 15 Number not proceeded against .. .. 5 Decrease of number of prostitutes . . . . 63 Dr. Tennent adds :— The establishment of the Lock Hospital has also arrested the spread of infectious diseases. I cannot close my report without bearing grateful testimony to those benevolent ladies who have rendered valuable aid and sympathy in the work of attending and reclaiming Hie fallen, some of them making regular visits to the Hospital weekly.

Opposition to the Hospital. In his letter, already referred to, Mr Hughes says : My attention having heen drawn to a statement in the Star to the effect that Dr. Tenne-nt, medical officer to the Lock Hospital, was about to submitted annual report re that institution to your honourable Council, which would prove of a favourable character, showing a diminution in the number of prostitutes, and a decrease in the amount of the particular form of contagious disease, I beg, on behalf of the 1,200 married ladies of the city and suburbs who petitioned against its first introduction, and also in the name of the large number of citizens and ratepayers -courteously designated by the late Mayor, " old women of the other sex "—who strongly disapprove of the CD. Act, to protest against any further expenditure of the city fundß for such immoral purposes. It is stated on good authority that, as was prodiotod, since the Act was enforced (to the shame of the mfcn be it said) the number visiting houses of ill-fame has increased ten or twenty-fold. No doubt the large increase in the number of cases of indecent assault, illegitim&fcy, di voice, infanticide, &c, is, in a great measure, attributable to the immoral influence of the C. D, Act. In the course of the discussion that followed, Crs. Qo}dio and Cvowther strongly advocated the abolition of the Hospital. They asserted that large reductions in the expenditure would have to be nade, and this should be the first. Consideration of the report avos deferred for a fortnight, until the annual accounts were submitted, Superintendent Thomson to be as^od for a ' report in the meantime ,

Th,eye are 25 legitimate thoatros in London, exclusive of music halls. As one makes his atmosphere so must he breathe it Pope Leo XIII, hiv aged muoh during the last twa yaa.rs, Efp is ft groat man who oan sacrifice evpvyth.toff and say nothing. Mr Fon.d says the presenoe of lithia in the To Aroha hot springs makes them of great value ia th / etre.atnaen.tqf rJiQumatisim,