"WOMAN, THE ENIGMA"

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 83, 4 October 1930, Page 18

"WOMAN, THE ENIGMA"

A. :FRENCH CLUB EVENING

Tho "evergreen question" of womenkind' formed the subject of address and discussion' at the last meeting- of the Cerclo Fi-ancaise of Wellington. ! The evening proved to be a most inI teresting one, the leading speaker being I Dr. Carbery, who displayed considerable research into the early history and formation of characteristics of women, delivering the result with a good deal of wit and kindliness. Dr. Carbeiy prefaced his remarks by stating that it was with all modesty and plrilosophy that he, as a confirmed bachelor, ventured to express some opinions he had formed on the question of '' Woman/the Eternal Enigma." Tho problem of assuring women liberty of thought and_ action in political and social relations, while fulfilling the inexorable demands of Nature and tho race, was a most involved one. The welfare of the family, lie knew, depended in a great measure on the probity, good, sense, and devotion of women.

Her choice seemed to be ■whether to live for herself, or to submit 'to the slavery of the human race. ' Dealing with (lie early history of women from the evoluiion stage of first consciousness of intellect, he showed "that, historically, she was responsible for the earliest improvements in the manner of living. Early research, apparently, showed that women were the first to possess tho secret o' making fire, .tho men only penetrating the mystery, later on. N Slic inaugurated cooking, pi'oparing oi skins for, clothing, and.discovered tho wild wheat and' other, cereals which helped to keep life going when tho beasts of chaso were scarce or absent. There was no doubt, according to authorities in folk lore, that women invented early pottory. In a number of ways the speaker developed his idea! that to women in tho early days was duo the progress of the world towards comfort and well-being in. a number of ways. They probably developed the moral sense as compared with tho earli- ! est tribal habits and customs. They wore home makers and agriculturists. Woman in the Golden Age was esteemed as the "mother of the race," and honoured accordingly. "At the dawn of history," said Dr. Carbery, "woman was the true companion of man, of equality with him, but of a spirit bottei suited to hervo the demands of a newly-born civilisation. In the shadows of the pre-histoiie era the- ear of human progress advanced painfully, diaiwi by women. lie traced along very clearly and iiiteiesttngly the his>-

Tory of H-omeii in the Greek and Eomnn civilisations, showing the gradual domination of man, and gradually came to the time p£ the Great JVar jvten wo-

men gained the- indemnity of the.^suffrage and of intellectual and moral lib- | crty. He concluded his address by ox-' pressing the opinion that it was still to women that {ho "ear of progress" was left to draw along painfully as always bei'ore. Very hearty thanks were given to Dr. C'arbery for his lecture. It was stated by tlio president (Mr. Miles) that a woleome gift of books had becu received from tho French Government by the kind intorest of .M. Serre (Chief Consul for France in New Zealand), at tho request of M, .Bouille, a vice-president of tho club. ■■ Mrs." Hursthouse received tho guests during tho evening, and Madame de.Phillippi conducted the conversation circle.