HOUSE RAIDED AT KELBURN.

White Ribbon, Volume 23, Issue 275, 18 May 1918, Page 9

HOUSE RAIDED AT KELBURN.

The police at Wellington raided a house at Kelburn. The Press, with is usual unfairness in affairs of this kind, published the names of the girls found there, but the names oi the men, who were at least equally guilty, were not published. The girls, two of whom were only 19, were hurried off to gaol, and the men were allowed to go free. We cannot too strongly protest against such sex legislation and class legislation. Both men and girls are found in the House. Why are not all detained as prisoners? The following resolution, passed by the Wellington District Union, speaks for itself:— “The members of the Wellington District W.C.T.U. desire to protest most emphatically against the publication of the names of the young women arrested in the* recent raid on a Kelburn house. Considering the popular odium attar ng to the crime of which they are accused, and the probability that they will at once lose their business positions and incur the opprobrium of society in general, such publication is tantamount to the infliction of a severe penalty before theii guilt is proved, .1 method of procedure utterly opposed to British justice, and tending to drive them to a life of crime. The Union desires also to express th**ir unqualified disapproval of the injustice perpetrated by the publication of names of the women arrested, while those of the men arc withheld and the men themselves escape scot free, and being convinced that to set up a different standard of morality for men and women renders it impossible to d°al effectively with the social evil, and they emphatically protest against suc h differentiation of the sexes.” As the Magistrate has not yet given his decision in this case, we forebear further comment till next issue. But wr strongly urge that the i>olice in future be authorised to arrest both men and women found in any house raided by them. Why should these girls be subjected to the indignity of arrest and their male companions go free ?