BLIND GODDESS SIR—The contention of Mr. P. R. Mursell (June
23) against the paradox stated in my letter (June 16) deserves attention. If we take as our authority the Oxford English Dictionary we find that the expres- sions 'an act which is not criminal' and 'a [perfectly] lawful act' are synonymous. On that authority, there- fore, the contention vanishes; and the paradox stated in my letter stands.
The lamentable effect of The paradox is that the offence described in Section 1 (1) of the Street Offences Act, 1959, can become so nebulous as to be objectively indistinguishable from innocent be- haviour . . . a basis so shockingly nebulous for an offence that all citizens are specifically shielded front it by the Act, except a defenceless class of women.
Grave criticism was expressed in the debate on the Bill in the House of Lords and strenuous attempt;
made to reach a law more worthy of the statute book of a great nation. See Hansard (Lords) May 5. June 9, 15, 30, July 14, 1959, which will well repay study.—Yours faithfully,
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