WOMAN'S PLACE IN POLITICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 7, 9 January 1926, Page 18

WOMAN'S PLACE IN POLITICS.

THE QUALITY OF HER SOCIAL SERVICES. THE ACID TEST OF EXPERIENCE (By 3IARK COHEN.) 'Concluded;. What has been the Legislative record* if tlie searcher after truth will trouble himself to examine the catalogue of legislative achievements affecting women aild children since IS93—so carefully compiled by Mrs. J. McCombs and Miss Jessie Mackay, who have treated the subject matter very dispassionately, he will, if at all fair-minded, be forced to the conclusion that the influence c-f the feminist organisation has been felt to some purpose in the right quarter. True, lative progression has been in marked contrast to what happened in the early nineties. The time was when New Zealand led the world in w-hat has been euphemistically termed "experimental" legislation, but it must be confessed that of late years we ..-.e lagged behind woefully, Too often has humanitarian legislation been retarded —I ought in truth have written "wilfully blocked"—by those tfho manipulate the party machine, who have for years successfully prevented the passage-of overdue and loudly called-for measures, solely because their sponsors were on the Opposition benches, and therefore must be uenied any kudos likely to be gained by placing such measures on the StatiifJ Book. Two tratidhs of my argument occur to mc at this moment. The, Justices of the Peace Bill, originated by Mr. Wilford, passed unanimously by the Representative Chamber, but twice rejected by "another place," solely because the name of the member for "the Hutt headed it. That i declare advisedly. Then it took neariy 20 years to put our hospital nurses on the same footing in regard to superannuation as was enjoyed by every other branch of the Civil Sen-ice. Yet that demand for simple justice was backed by men of all shades of political thought, and by none more enthusiastically, I am pleased to acknowledge than by members of the Labour party.

I could cite over 30 Acts of Parliament, more or less of a distinct humanitarian nature, that are to-day in operation, in great measure due to the ardent and persistent advocacy of the women's organisations. It would take up too much of your space to enumerate them all, but the principal ones are.-—

Infant life protection, that put an end to baby farming; children adoption; industrial schools' classification; separation of the sexes and the adoption of a better system of boarding out; illegitimacy ensuring to a child born out of wedlock a share its putative father's property, in the discretion of the Court; also allowing patents in agreement to register it in the name of both parents. We intend to move further herein and to follow the example of some European countries (notably Free State Ireland and Japan), in removing the stigma of "bastardy" from the innocent child.

Legitimation, which confers on any child born out of wedlock the same Tights as the lawfully-begotten child when the parents agree to marry; widows' pensions; divorce and matrimonial, which now places the two sexes on a footing of equality in regard to the grounds for seeking divorce; summary legal separation, protecting wives from worthless husbands.

The Stewart Act, which enables a woman to recover damages from anyone slandering her reputation, without having to prove "special damage" as under the old law. *

Testators Family Maintenance, the work of Sir Robert Stout and the Hon. John Macgregor. This truly beneficent Act compels a testator to provide properly for -the maintenance of his wife and children, according to his means; and goes on the judge's discretionary power to vary a man's will according to his station in life. On several occasions our judges have intervened and varied wills where if was clearly shown that the husband, out of pique or revenge for fancied grievances, or ill-founded jealousy, had refused to make adequate provision for the support of his wife.

Destitute Persons Maintenance.— Under reciprocal arrangements with Great Britain and Australia, levanting and defaulting husbands can be brought to book and obliged to fulfil their obligations as to maintenance of their deserted wives and families.' In the session just ended authority waa taken to employ officers (male and female) of the Justice Department in prosecuting sneh cases instead of placing the onu3 on the deserted wife. Next session we hope to accord the same treatment to fathers of illegitimate children who rnn away from their responsibility to the expectant mother.

Married woman's property, which speaks for itself. ' -

State maternity hospitals, known as St. Helena. Whether or not these institutions shall pass, over to _and be "ran"- by the hospital boards is a matter that will be relegated to the new Parliament for decision. The Health Department contends that the boards can -manage them - more economically. -But of one thing- our women may make tneir minds perfectly easy about—the Government, through the Board of

Health will see to it that no radical change of management shall occur without the Department is fully satisfied that it should occur, and no alteration will be made in the dominating factor in these institutions, viz., that the best medical and nursing skill at the lowest possible cost shall be providedj as now. for the workers' wives who patronise these excellent institutions. In Mrflef that, as soon as it can be possibly done; a scheme of nursing sisters to visit homes in the backblocks as well as in the centres of population, the instructional course of all State nursfs has been lengthened to four years, the last twelve months being devoted to a course of 20 lectures or in midwifery. Xo certificate will in future be issued unless the holder is duly qualified to undertake midwifery work as well as general hospital work. Sister Moore, late matron of the Auckland Hospital, who has been in England for some time studying under the best teachers of obstetrics in England, will have the organisation and carrying out of these new courses and I opine that the day is not far off when the coping stone of Mr. Seddon's greatest work will be supplied by the endowment .of a Chair of Midwifery in connection with the Medical School at Dunedin. In justice to the memory of the late Mr. Seddon I may be allowed to say here and now that in 1904-5 I knew* from his own lips that he intended to buttress the St. Helens institutions by supplying them with ""Rest Homes" wherein an expectant mother could be lodged for a reasonable charge before going into the hospital, and where she could "rest after delivery until sucft time as her medical attendant considered that she ! was thoroughly fit to resume .her ordinary domestic duties. Mr. Seddoh' premature death prevented that idea from materialising, but that he was earnest in his desire is proved by the fact that he authorised mc to negotiate for the acquisition of a site at St. Clair which at the time was to possess many of the advantages that his advisers wished the site to have. Later, there was a movement to in the immediate neighbourhood of the present St. Helens j Home in Dunedin a very large and well-built home with If acres of improved ground, but the Department thought the price far too high and , turned the offer down. Private, specula- I tors at once stepped in, secured the property, and did very well by cutting . it - up. J

recognising the principle I of equal pay for equal work, fixing a minimum wage, limiting working hours, and improving workirig conditions. ] Criminal code amendment raising the "age of consent" from 14 to 16 years, ("file women are very much dissatisfied with this amendment and desire the age to be raised to 18, as has been done in Queensland.) Moreover, there must not be such glaring failure of justice as occurred this month in connection with an infamous case of morally ruining a girl of 19 years, who is half-witted. That criminal assault on a girl of weak intellect was done • by a man (sic) in the presence of his own wife, who aided and abetted him, according to the serious evidence. Yet, on appeal from conviction, .the judges held, by a majority decision, that a man and wife could not conspire together. And this deliverance was based on an antiquated decision given in England at a time when a wife was: considered to be little better than the chattel she is in some Asiastic and j African communities. Truly, Dogberry was right when he described, the law as "an ass!" 6

Education amendment, which provides for women members of the Council pf Education, women doctors, and medical inspection of children in State schools, schools of dentistry, women members of the governing bodies of secondary schools. But no woman, though many are eligible, has yet been appointed to the University Senate, nor a woman inspector yet been appointed, though long promised, to the primary, technical, or secondary institutions. Shop assistants, which safeguard the interests and health of female assistants, increases their pay from nothing in the firgt term of apprenticeship to something approaching a living wage, improves working conditions. Workers' Compensation.—Extension of the principle of compensation for injury to all female workers, including those engaged in domestic service. v

Prisons. —Better classification and more freedom given to those who show a disposition to reform, appointment of female visitors to our prisons and reformatories, extension of the Borstal principle to girl delinquents, adoption of inor-" human treatment of prisoners.

Municipal franchise extended to married women by reason of their husband's qualification.

Health of Women and Children.— Government recognition in greater measure of the heneficial effects of the Plunket and district nursing systems, which vrill always be a monument to the skill, enthusiasm and devotion of a lifetime of Sir Truby King, who has always had the advantage of the local co-opera-tion of a band of noble women, whose services and advice must always be retained, no matter what financial assistance the Government gives to the organisation in future. This form of co-operation lias been such a splendid success that on no account must it be interfered with.

Licensing.—Providing for the registration and ultimate extinction of the barmaid, abolition of bottle licenses held by grocers, and of the 'locker' system; prohibition of the sale of liquor off licensed premises to persons under 21 years: severe penalties for "lambing down," which is now practically extinct; and, greatest reform of all, closing of hotels at 6 p.m., which will never be departed from. Is the above record one that the womanhood of New Zealand has any reason to be ashamed of? There can be 'only one reply.