A DISTINGUISHED WOMAN SCIENTIST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 3, 5 January 1938, Page 10

A DISTINGUISHED WOMAN SCIENTIST.

Position of Women In World Affairs.

On her way to Sydney, where she will be the guest of the New South Wales Government during- the Centenary celebration?. Dame Maria Ogilvie Gordon arrived in Melbourne by the Otranto. Charming, natural and intelligent, with only the trace of a Scottish accent to proclaim the land of her birth, Dame Maria Ogilvie Gordon is a distinguished scientist, who has won many honours and written many scientific works of

moment, says a Melbourne paper. A doctor of science of London University, she studied geology and palaeontology at the Munich University, and was awarded the Ph.D. degree •with highest honours in 1900, when the degree was conferred for the first time by that university on a woman. It- is not only as a. scientist, but as one of the foremost women in women's movements overseas thai Dame Maria Ogilvie Gordon has come t-o Australia. Perhaps her deepest interest is in the International Council of Women, of which she was honorary secretary in 1904. She became first vice-president, and has never relinquished her keen and practical interest. Dame Maria Ogilvie Gordon, whose husband was also a distinguished scientist., believes that women who lead busy lives at home should occupy public positions because of the breadth of their experience on such practical subjects as health and dietetics. To the intelligent woman housework and home duties need not present, insuperable difficulties in the way of keeping up her outside interests as long as she managed the house scientificallv.

Power of Women.

X>aTDe Maria Ogilvie Gordon spoke of the increasing power yielded by women's organisations to-day, particularly by the National Council, which was s_o wideJy representative. Expert deliberated upon the most important ■national questions of the day. and the reports were then circulated among branches in the various provinces, thus giving members more courage to come forward and express their own views. An example of that was the interest promoted among women at the moment in the securing of milk at lower prices. Apart from the National Council other organisations were carrying out similar activities, Dame Maria Ogilvie Gordon added, but the council was in a pnrticularly strong position because is was recognised e.s a central organisation to which other societies sent delegate?.. The executive included women who were experts in a wide variety of subjects, not, only voluntary social workers! bat .professional women, whose knowledge could be commanded on questions of education and health. "Women and Peace. One movement noticeable ever since the war was the increasing interest in international relations, Dame Maria Ogilvie Gordon said in referring to the Internationa] Council of Women. The council had a most efficient method of circulative information. The new president, the Baronne Pol Boel, was one of the most courageous of Red Cross workers during the war, and was greatly honoured and respected. She possessed, in addition, e singular executive power which gained her the confidence of the entire movement.

The 50th anniversary of the council was to be marked by a meeting in Edinburgh in 1935, for which preparations had already begun. It was hoped that many members and visitors from distant parts would attend, as the conference promised to be of particular interest. Persona] contacts between women of different countries, Dame Maria Ogilvie G-ordon pronounced as being tremendously powerful and important. To enable people to get to know personally the characteristics of different nations was one of the surest ways of encouraging peace. It inculcated a kindly feeling for other nations, and some understanding of what they sought and what thev had inherited.

Youth Plays Its Part.

Dame Maria. Ogilvie Gordon is a firm advocate of the principle that women should have some work or interest. She had noted with pleasure, she said, the large number of young women joining national and international organisations. Girls and women of new-born States, such as Czechoslovakia. Yugoslavia and Poland, were so delighted at -their new liberty that they had taken full advantage of it. Doctors, lawyers, teachers and Government servants were particularly keen to get into touch with other countries, in the new countries as well as the old. and a" big influx of young people was noticeable in all organisations.

Dame Maria Ogilvie Gordon spoke of her own work, in which she has never relinquished interest. Every summer <he spends six or seven weeks in the eastern part of the Dolomites and in Corinthia. taking observations and collecting information about the structure of the Dolomites and the district ea.-st of it. She has limited her survey work to that area., she sflid. but she keeps her publications up to date. This enables her to appreciate the advancement and the progress which others are making. has one sob who is a. doctor, and of her two daughters one took a medical degree with honours.