NOTES FOR WOMEN.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 286, 1 December 1911, Page 2

NOTES FOR WOMEN.

(From Oar Lady Correspondent.) LONDON, October 20th, WOME2? A2TD AVIATION. Mrs. Maurice Hewlett, the only woman aviator who holds * pilot's certificate, entertains no half views concerning Britain's mistakes in aviation, and «ss feiy outspoken in her eemsnents at the first At Home of the Women's Aerial League. Not only is England. Mrs. Hewlett said, two years behind France in the study of aeronautics, hut she dislike* learning. She has copied French aeroplanes and advertised them a* original, and so shortsighted is she in appropriating instead of honestly buying licenses to construct over here from the French design, that the Fi-anch constructors hide their sew designs and inventions till a greet prize or race is taking plate, so that we shall not copy them, and stand to win on their inventions. The lecturer appealed for more fairness and a Teal t porting spirit in place of what she fear essly stigmatised "unworthy and mean."* It may sot be gensrally known that the Women's Aerial League, organised 'by patriotic women to promote the general study of aeronautics and to create a healthy public opinion in favour of a strong air fleet, has already instituted a scholarship of £SO a year for three ye***, awarded annually, fox research. Th« I holder of the first scholarship, Mr. F. i Bnunweil, hae been at work for a considerable time in the aeronautical department of the National Physical Laboratory, engaged on investigations which ; should, in the opinion of the director cf the laboratory, prove of considerable value when completed. The league is also raising funds for a Sails memorial scholarship. The League publishes its own periodical "The Aerial Observer." WOMEN IN INDIA. For the first time outside India a book has been published with the name of the wife of an Indian ruling chief on its titleon Ha title-page. This is a volume on The Position of Women in Indian Life* and is by the Maharani of Baroda in collaboration with B. N. Mitra. The Maharani, who is the wife of the popular Csekwnr of Baroda, has travelled extensively in the last guar, ter of a century, and the book treats of her travels and impressions in the West and the Far East. Its main object is, however, to make known to Indian women the many sources of employment and interest open to them in America and Europe. WOMEN AND THE BIETHBATE. Widely beloved as the Bishop of London is, there is one subject—and that » pet of his—which invariably raises s hornet's nest of crit.iriwn around him. And that not, perhaps, undeservedly, because be invariably seams to address these particular views to middle and lower class women, who are not sinners, as are the upper classes in the question of the failing birthrate. within the last few days the worthy hsehelor bishop has again attempted to sting undutiful women to their duty, and many spirited retorts frccn women—mothers sad would-be mothers—are the result.

One mother wsttee of- the "growing disinclination of men to undertake obligations they cannot fulfill without giving up most of what makes life worth living. An unduly falling birthrate is no doubt en evil, but the remedy is that more men should shoulder the burden of fatherhood, not that the asteting mothers should be overworked.

"The State at present penalises marriage. A husbund and wife are considered one person for income-tax and two persons for death duties. Two brothers, two sisters, or two friends Hving together are sot so treated, though presumably the married people are in more need of money. On the 'whole, married people are getting rather tired of being lectured by bachelors on their duty." Another writer goes to statistics aad finds that 10 per cent, more boy babies are born than girl babies; at the end of one year the numbers are equal; at the end of five years girls preponderate, and that one-quarter of the women of the United Kingdom do not marry. The same writer draws attention to the shocking conditions under which thousands of mothers live, end goes on to point out that starved, stunted, undeveloped, overworked girls oannot he satisfactory mothers"; yet the men who make this a further grievance against women, that they are unfit for the performance of their own special functions, have never deigned to spend one penny of the nation's wealth on the nation's women to improve their stamina and save them from the cruel strain and suffering of their conditions. When want end disease and wretchedness break down their resistance, there is the workhouse» the gaol, the asylum, and the hospital supported by charity, for the refuge; but of national maternity hospitals, national creches, national district nurses, national food depots for nursing and expectant mothers, a total dearth." FIRST LADY PRESIDENT. Miss Amy K, William* was introduced to the London Teachers' Association at the thirty-ninth annual meeting a few day* ago, as the First Lady President the association has ever had. Miss Williams is a school teacher. MRS. PANKHUBST AND CHIVALRY. Said Mrs. Pankhurst in New York: "I know men who are good to womenmen 'who protect women in every possible way —but such men axe in the minority. It is just such men that J appeal to on behalf'of women who have no such protection. So long as you will not give us political independence, you are responsible for tbe existing conditions. Even it we get the vote, perhaps we may not be able to make things just as wo think they ought to be; but the responsibility will then be partly ours. Just now I would not be a man for all the wealth in the world." RUSSIAN WOMAN OFFICIAL. By the appointment of Mile. Kozlova to be Chief of the Postal Telegraph Branch at the Bourse in Soratbff (Russia,}, a departure from hitherto customary practice has been made in the direction of extending toe cl&kus of women to recognition for long service. 4 woman has never before, in the Civil Service, , been given a pe*fc of. this responsibility. PIT-BRQW LASSIES. At the Miners' Federation Conference, held at Southport in October, the principal subject of discussion -was the employment of women at the pit-bank. It may be remembered that some weeks §;o there were heated discussion* in the ouse of Commons on tbe subject, and a deputation of pit-brow women delegates came down to London themselves to j plead that their trade should sot be

It mi decided ai tha oan&rence that tie authorities do not aim at the immediate Abolition of female 3at>our, and the clause merely provides ttat there should not lie any new female labour. It does not interfere 'with the women •ad fall already employes.

hi—»mM «■■»» mo a.uy ucw jtuuaje iituULU. It does not interfere 'with the women ead fLrli already employes. THE DANGER OF STRIKING CHTLBKEST. You may have road that pathetic poem Of irowniug'a wiiich oontuneciorates the aot of an liarl of Arundel, who, having struck Ilia little child en the head, hid the picture of himself and child painted —the child, ae he became in after years, an imbecile, from the effects of that blow. It would be well, tn think, for every parent, and for all thoot having children on their hands, to commit these vmet to memory, and pat toe lesson in practice; for tha injury dose to gfafldteh by toe quick and oareloss "box on the ear, that is thought nothing oi at the time, is something incalculable. it would he well, we think, for every upon bo delicate an organ .as the ear, and one having each close connection wiith the brain, without doing en evil and unseen work, even when the blow is given with the flat oi the open nana.

You may have road that pathetic poem of Stowning's wiach enatttaemorates the aot of an Jiarl of Arundel, who, having struck Ida little child on the head, hid the picture of himself and child painted —the child, ae he became in after years, an imbecile, from the effects of that blow.

MISS ELIZABETH BKADDOX, the novelist, who is known in sfew Zealand, as in all parts of the Englishatpealdng worlds was *cventy-iour on Wednesday, October 4. In private life she is Mrs. John, Maxwell, tha -wife of her publisiwir, "and the mother of three promißing sons, one of whom, Mr. "William Maxwell, is also a noted novtliat, Miss Braddon reads German, Spanish, and Italian with equal facility. In earlier days she tvas a famora horsewoman; now her leisure is devoted to her dogs, her gardening, and collecting Old silver, curios, end aido-a-brnc.