NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 218, 13 September 1924, Page 22

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN

ANNUAL CONFERENCE. The annual Conference of Women took place this year in Dunedin, when Miss Kane (of Wellington), the new president, pointed out that there is still much spadework for the women's organisation to do, but the fact that women were sufficiently keen to travel such long distances to attend the conference, and that they are given a civic welcome, marks a great advance. Members of Parliament now listen politely, she explained, instead of greeting them with gibes on questions of women's power in civic and national life. Tho subject of sex disability was brought forward, and it was moved: "That the Government be urged to pass legislation on the lines of the British Act (known as the Sex Disqualification Removal Act), and thus throw open to women the positions of justices of the. peace, women police, and women jurors." The mover said that a measure of this sort had been repeatedly passed by the people's representatives in Parliament, and then thrown out by the Upper House, the members of which belonged mostly to the Victorian period. The problem that faced the world as an aftermath of the war could not be solved by men alone or by women alone, but called for the best efforts of both sexes.

It was also urged that a medical woman should be appointed to the staff of every district health office. The mover, Mrs. Cadoux (Auckland), expressed the opinion that maternity homes should be inspected by women. There were many things that the nurses would like to talk about to a wonian inspector, but would not talk about to a man inspector, because he would not have sympathy.

Miss England, of Wellington, brought forward a motion to urge the Government to provide additional accommodation in mental hospitals, so thnt a better classification of patients could be made. Miss Basten (Auckland) spoke