NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 86, 13 April 1899, Page 2

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE

N.C.W.N.Z

THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS.

The fourth annual Conference of the National Council of Women of New Zealand opened yesterday in the Council Room of the Auckland City' Council. The first public meeting was held in the evening-, when the President delivered her annual address. Mrs Daldy, the President, occupied the chair, and the delegates present were: —Mrs Sheppard (vice-president N.C.W.N.Z.), Mrs Tasker (vice-presi-dent, Wellington), Mrs Ilatton (vicepresident, Dunedin), Mrs Wells (vicepresident, Christchurch), Mrs SieveAvright (secretary, Gisborne), Mrs Williamson (treasurer, Wanganui), Mrs Schnaekenberg, Mrs May, and Mrs Garland (N.Z.W.C.T.U.), Mrs Kirkby (Auckland Democratic Union), Mrs Shera (Auckland Liberal Association), l Mrs Nicol ('Reform League, AuckIhind), Adjutant Ilutchtnson and Ensign. Sparks (Salvation Army), Mrs Fraser (Women's Political Association, Gisborne), Miss Boyd (Democratic League, Welling-tcm), Mrs Fletcher. (Canterbury Women^s Institute), Miss Garstitn (Australasian Society for Social Ethics), Miss Sievewright (Progressive Liberal Association, Christchurch), Mrs Knight (Woman's Suffrage League, Dunedin), Mrs Dewar (Women's Political League, Auckland). The delagate from the Tailoresses' Union, Duuedin, had not arrived, but was expected to-day. There was a very fair attendance of the general public, for whom ample sitting accommodation had been provided. WELCOMING THE VISITORS. Mrs May (Auckland), on behalf of the Reception Committee, welcomed the visiting delegates to the city, and expressed the hope that they would enjoy. their stay in Auckland. Mrs Shera in seconding the motion of we' come referred in eulogistic terms tc> ! the good work' done by Mrs Slmm>pard, the late President of the Council. . Mrs Daldy said they would still have been in their infancy, ranked with 1 lunatics and criminals, had it not been for Mrs Sheppard, who had been Prej sident of the Council from its initiation vp1 to the present year. They owed her a very heavy debt of gratitude (applause). PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. The President then delivered her annual address. That day, she said, should be a red letter day in the hisI tory of the city, for a Council of ,Women were meeting there for the j first time, to discuss public affairs. Men would learn that the women had no wish to displace them in any way; they wished rather to raise Uiemselves to a perfect equality with men, so that each might aid the other in life's battle. They had been twitted that they had accomplished nothing by their meetings. Certainly, they had been refused the power to make the laws; but if they had led people Uo think and to ask questions, it might be they had done something better; and this they laid claim to have done. So far, woman's place in the world was not altogether a settled point. | Women, she contended, should have to do with the administration of charitable aid. The State was a home expanded, and what was home without a mother? The result of much of the present aid was to degrade the sufferer in helping him and to sow other evils in curing the nearest. It was that fact which made it a necessity for 'some of their best women, having seats on all boards which ministered to humanity's needs. Women should also have a share in the Government of the State. When granting the franchise to women in New Zealand, a special clause was inserted refusing them a share ihVthe government, giving as one reason the unfitness of the surroundings. Could any reason, she asked,'more forcibly show the necessity for the presence of women in Parliament? Could men, whose conduct was such as to render them unfit associates for women, be ! expected to' make laws such as women and children should obey? Why did women want his pawer? Because they wanted to make the world a safe place for their sons and daughters to live in. Present day life had driven their daughters to compete with sons in the race for life therefore j women had a right to see there was safety beyond the home. Having then satisfied themselves that the position they were trying to fill oould not be ably filled by any bint themselves, she would proceed to introduce the matters that would occupy their attention. 'Domestic servants, and how their position could be improved,' would be the subject of one paper, 'Education' would be another, while parental responsibility must receive their careful attention. There ! was little hope of improvement in this rospect so long as parents were relieved of their responsibilities, . because they could not control their children. Our young people spent years in qualifying for various professions, but the formation of a noble character, which required so much more skill, patience, and intelligence, was left to chance. Could we not have training homes for mothers, and for those Who contemplated undertaking domestic responsibilities? The subject of 'The Economic Independence Of Women' startled the public very considerably when first introduced by the Council, and many daggers were thrown at the brave leader of the movement, but she already saw the seed springing up in recent 'legislation granting husbands and wives equal-privileges as householders, under the amended Municipal Franchise Act. The money- question would follow in due time,' and future generations would be shocked at the dependent condition of many presentday wives as we were now shocked when we read of the miserable condition of serfs under the feudal sys-. tern in England. Economic Independence was the fundamental basis of all home authority. So long as the husband exercised full control omlt the house the wife only occupied the place of a dependent. What must be the effect on children who saw their mother not trusted with the purse? It was impossible' to say how ' .'ar reaching such want of confidence extended. How many criminals jiad been the result of this economic dependence of women would, she. imagined, never be known. 'Our Duty to the Unfit' was another paper that required all the thought the best of men and women could give to the subject. There was a large amount of misplaced benevolence in this Britain of the Soujth. They made a great mistake in thoughtlessly introducing old world institutions. In

this young country no man, woman, or child should eat the bread of charity. Their duty to the unfit, then, was to place them in positions of independence, where they might develop character, as well as provide for their daily wants. The present legislative measures for dealing1 ' ith ■vice were utterly inefficient. The motive power of man's laws was fear,and it had proved a sad failure. Was it not necessary to place the wrongdoer under such restraint as would strengthen the will? It meant a slow process, buit if the end were accomplished it surely must be worth v trial. They must' ' congratulate themselves and the world generally on the progress of peace principles amongst the nations. Disarmament was no longer visionary, but would, they hoped in the near future, become an accomplished fact. Mothers aud wives were already beginning to ask why they Should offer in sacrifice their hearts' treasures to satisfy the greed of any autocrat. She could not close without a reference to those iniquitous enactments which plunged desecrated worrianhoocl into still deeper degradation. In conclusion, Mrs Daldy expressed the hope that the 'introduction of woman's influence into .he political world would lead to legislation being based on the highest prin-. ciple.s, on the basis of the Golden Rule itself. They had every encouragement to press on, for though few in number here, they must not forget that they were working- with the ablest women in all parts of the world.

.Mrs Williamson (Wanganui) on behalf of the visiting delegates thanked the Reception. Committee for their cordial welcome.

Mrs Schnaekenberg (Auokland) rroposed that Mrs Daldy's able address should be handed to the press.for publication.

Mrs Williamson, in seconding the proposition said she was considerably astonished to find that in the leading columns of one of the Auckland papers they were lectured or told 'not to do it again' or something to that effect, the paper practically charging the Council with indecorous conduct. She would like to challenge that newspaper to say when or wui're their conduct had been indecorous.