285
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O.882/11
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
52348
24
No. 12.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
(Received 2.50 a.m., 7th November, 1924.)
TELEGRAM.
[Answered by No. 13.]
Venereal 6TH NOVEMBER. My despatch of 16th March, Confidential.* Diseases. Government policy subject of remarks in Legislative Council yesterday when considering Supply Bill and the Government were in the difficult position of
Please let me have reply. being unable to give any information.
52348
No. 13.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR. (Sent 12.50 p.m., 14th November, 1924.)
TELEGRAM.
[Answered by No. 14.]
Venereal Diseases. My predecessor YOUR telegram 6th November.† appointed Committee to advise on questions of social hygiene referred to it from Committee time to time. Intention was that Singapore question should be first matter referred to Committee and should be fully considered on receipt of its advice. included members late Parliament, representatives of Colonial Office, among whom an official of Colony concerned may be included, War Office, Admiralty, National Council for Combating Venereal Diseases, and Association of Moral and Social Hygiene. It has not yet been found possible to hold meeting.
55103
No. 14.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 1.12 p.m., 24th November, 1924.) TELEGRAM.
[Answered by No. 15.]
Venereal diseases.
24TH NOVEMBER. Your telegram of 14th November.‡ Highly desirable that I should make a public statement. Question is being con- sidered by a Committee constituted as stated. May I do so?
55103
No. 15.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR. (Sent 2.50 p.m., 1st December, 1924.) TELEGRAM.
Venereal diseases. No objection to YOUR telegram 24th November. § announcement on lines of my telegram 14th November to which you may add that I intend to continue Committee and hope that meeting can be arranged at an early
date.
* No. 10. | No. 12. * No. 19.
No. 14.
11 No. 13.
6164
25
No. 16.
MINUTES OF THE FIRST MEETING OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL HYGIENE, HELD AT THE COLONIAL OFFICE ON THURSDAY, THE 29TH JANUARY, 1925, at 3.30 P.M.
Present:
THE HONOURABLE W. ORMSBY-GORE, M.P. (Chairman). LADY ASTOR, M.P. ·
DR. F. J. H. COUTTS, C.B.
SIR GILBERT GRINDLE, K.C.M.G., C.B.
J. H. HARRIS, ESQ.
COLONEL D. HARVEY, C.M.G., C.B.E.
A. B. MACLACHLAN, ESQ.
DR. A. E. HORN, C.M.G.
MRS. C. NEVILLE ROLFE, O.B.E.
SURGEON-COMMANDER T. B. SHAW, R.N.
E. B. TURNER, Esq., F.R.C.S.
MISS ALISON NEILANS (vice Dr. J. Douglas White).
W. T. CHAPMAN, ESQ., Secretary for Chinese Affairs,
Federated Malay States.
H. BECKETT, Esq., Colonial Office.
G. H. CREASY, Esq., Secretary.
I. THE Committee had before them a draft Ordinance entitled the Venereal Diseases Ordinance, which had been received from the Governor of the Straits Settlements. It was explained that this Bill had been prepared in consequence of the recommendations of the Straits Settlements Venereal Diseases Committee, 1923, and that the matter was one of considerable urgency, more especially in view of the approaching enlargement of the Naval Base at Singapore, and the consequent large increase to be expected in the naval and military establishments.
A letter, dated the 3rd March, 1924,* addressed by the Bishop of Singapore to the Secretary of State for the Colonies on the subject was read to the Committee. together with the replyt of the members of the Venereal Diseases Committee to certain criticisms contained in it.
II. The Chairman then invited the representatives of the Admiralty, War Office, and Ministry of Health and of the Associations represented to express their views in turn, but no general discussion took place. The view generally expressed was that the draft Ordinance, if enacted, would prove ineffective. The object of the Ordinance was to introduce a system of State Regulation which had always failed either to prevent disease or to suppress "sly" prostitution, wherever it was tried,
In regard to "sly and to which modern medical opinion was entirely opposed. prostitution it was, however, stated that the Chinese Secretariat were confident that the powers conferred by the Bill would enable them to deal with this question.
The following points were brought out in discussion :
"
(a) The immediate effect of the enactment of the Ordinance would be that the vast majority of the prostitutes in the brothels in Singapore, who are, as stated in the report of the Venereal Diseases Committee, already diseased, would be refused licences. This would lead to two results: firstly, these prostitutes would become clandestine prostitutes, and, secondly, the necessity for replacing them in the brothels would tend to increase the traffic in women, a matter in which the League of Nations took special interest, and in regard to which the policy of His Majesty's Government was well known.
(b) From a medical point of view certification was unsatisfactory. It was for instance impossible to certify women as free from gonorrhoea, and the provisions of the Ordinance as regards inspection would therefore be ineffective. There was also the question of "carriers." Further, if these provisions were to apply to women, they should also apply to men.
(c) It was urged that the question of venereal disease could only be dealt with by providing education, free treatment, and extensive propaganda. It was stated that this course had been successful at Shanghai, where facilities for treatment were welcomed by the Chinese coolie population.
* Enclosure 1 in No. 11.
† Enclosure 3 in No. 11.
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