The Henson Journals

[134]

Wednesday, February 1st, 1922.

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I spent the day at Westminster in the Committee on Patronage, and lunched pleasantly at the Deanery. On the strength of meeting him at luncheon in Auckland Castle, Harold Begbie has gained an entrance to Bishop Ryle, whom he refers to flatterously in his precious book! Burge told me that Parry Evans was a friend of his, and a devoted worker with a curious ambition to become a colonial Bishop. The Archdeacon of Canterbury also gave him a good character, but dwelt on his unprepossessing appearance. Later, I met the Archbishop in the club, & he confirmed this view, adding that my Adonis had but one eye! Burge told me that, on the ground of economy, he had resigned his membership of the Athenaeum. Therein he follows the example of the Dean of St Paul's.

I dined in the club, & had much talk with Mr Justice McCardie. He is persuaded that the legislation suppressing brothels has had the effect of extending both immorality and disease. He is opposed to the raising of the age of consent, and holds that the only consequence will be that juries will refuse to convict. I asked whether the introduction of female jurors had been advantageous, & he replied that it had done no good whatever. So far from "protecting" their sex, the tendency of female jurors was to be specially severe on the girls in cases of rape &c. Men were far more disposed to be lenient, a fact which was becoming known to the class most directly interested in the fact. I suggested that in cases of homosexual vice, where it was desirable in the interest of society to stamp out a highly anti–social practice, flogging might be usefully adopted. But he would not allow that the cat was any effectual deterrent, nor would he concede that homosexual vice was in any special degree anti–social. Generally he thinks that, while drunkenness has largely diminished, sexual aberrations have largely increased. There would appear to be connexion between total abstinence and sexual purity.

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