APPENDIX L 271 



APPENDIX L 



" Among the means adopted by some of the opponents of the 

 Acts to bring them into public odium have been charges of mis- 

 conduct or gross neghgence on the part of the poUce, in putting 

 the law in force against common prostitutes. Cases have been 

 brought forward in publications and speeches at public meetings, 

 not only of cruel insults to innocent women through the agency 

 of the Acts, but of repeated wrongs to the unhappy women who 

 have been, or are, subjected to them. We have made inquiry into 

 every case in which names and details were given. We have 

 requested the persons who have publicly made these statements 

 to substantiate them. In some instances the persons thus 

 challenged have refused to come forward ; in others, the explana- 

 tions have been hearsay, or more or less frivolous. The result of 

 our inquiries has been to satisfy us that the police are not charge- 

 able with any abuse of their authority, and that they have hitherto 

 discharged a novel and difficult duty with moderation and cau- 

 tion. Even if it had been proved that in some instances they 

 made mistakes or exceeded their duty, such errors might have 

 rendered it necessary to make provision for the more careful 

 administration of the Acts, but would have been no valid argu- 

 ment for their repeal. The charges thus rashly made and 

 repeated, have contributed much to excite public indignation 

 against these enactments." — (" Report, Royal Commission Con- 

 tagious Diseases, 187 1," paragraph 23). 



