Editor 'Otago Daily Times.'

Sir,—I am afraid the "Hush!" policy of "M.D." and others will not do much for the removal or prevention of the terrible social evils which are being proved to exist and are well known to be largely remediable by legislation. But no legislation in this direction is likely to be effected unless the people say they are determined to have it, and nothing short of a knowledge of the ghastly facts well arouse them to that determination. But given a page break universal knowledge of some of the facts, and unless the bulk of the community is utterly depraved, which we decline to think, the scoundrel authors of these things will not be much longer able to reproduce them within the sanction of the law.

I have read the 'Pall Mall' disclosures, but did not do so till within the past week. I confess to have taken up the paper with some trepidation on account of its possibly polluting character, judging by reflections I had seen upon it in some newspapers. I have laid it down as a paper which could have no such influence upon any most ordinarily decent individual, and as calculated to create in any humane mind only pity for the victims, abhorence of the villains, and the conviction that it is the bounden duty of the New Zealand public to resolve that many of the things described shall be made not only legally impossible, but very perilous to be illegally done, in this young growing country. The things disclosed are made known with such a manifest abhorence of their villainy, and such complete proof of the misty and hopelessness to which the victims are inevitably reduced, that if young people get their first knowledge about some things they are little instructed in from this source they may be thankful that that knowledge has come to them associated, as is so seldom the case, with such salutary warnings. Like those who have got their natural curiosity first awakened and partially met by the Books of Moses, in which the divine wrath is so unmistakeably revealed against impurity, they will be immeasurably less likely to go astray than those who are left at the pitiless mercy of what they can pick up in illicit secret conversations and the too-easily-accessible filthily-suggestive novel.

I do not know whether the White Cross Society contemplates educating the people with a view to special legislation, but hope it does. The public mind cannot be too much impressed with the significance of the fact that while the law refuses to let a young woman dispose of her property as she likes until she is twenty-one years of age, and refuses her liberty to marry without the consent of her parents or guardians until she attains that age, if she has attained the age of thirteen only and cannot prove that she did not consent—and how could she prove it, however innocent, poor helpless thing?—he who has despoiled her of what should be more precious than property or life is shielded by the law as one who has done no wrong. This should not be, and I ask your readers, sir, to resolve that it shall not be, and bestir themselves till their righteous resolution takes effect inefficient legislation.

The country should say by law that so long as she deems it necessary to protect her daughters from their possible indiscretion respecting their property or marriage she will also be responsible for their safety in this more momentous matter—they shall not have legal power to consent, and seduction under any circumstances shall be a criminal offence. Their honor is at least as precious as their property, and should be protected at least as long. Corporal punishment is the fitting infliction for this corporal offence. The nonsense talked about "necessity" which no man can reasonably urge except as speaking for himself, would speedily vanish before the lash. By divine law the way of transgress ors is hard. The religious community at least should not rest so long as by human law this murderous way of transgression is easy. If the social evil itself cannot be absolutely extinguished, the law against it should be so framed as to make every assault upon the innocence of youth extremely perilous. I have not read in the 'Pall Mall' disclosures anything more loathsome than what I have heard reported as discovered through certain recent investigations in this Colony, by which, at a certain place, boys of school age are allured to the basest possible beastliness of this bad business. The people must see the leprosy if the people are to prescribe for its removal. Focus the light upon it, sir, and the people will have cause to bless you.