"WE WON'T PAY."

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 101, 2 May 1939, Page 5

"WE WON'T PAY."

WOMEN'S DECISION.

REGISTRATION FEE OF 5/.

SECURITY FLAN CRITICISED

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. By a clear majority decision, a meeting of at least 400 city and country women held this evening decided against paying the Government's eocial security registration fee of 5/. This decision was made after a heated discussion on the ethics of the social security scheme. There was a small but determined opposition to any criticism of the scheme, but the critics easily carried! the day.

A few men who attended the meeting endeavoured to have eome eay in the proceedings, but they were soon discouraged by cries of "Put him. out," and "Is this a women's meeting?"

Mrs. Hilda M. Traill was the organiser of the meeting, and Mrs. E. W. Trevenna agreed to preside.

The principal appeal to the audience was made by Miss H. W. Brown, who outlined the following cardinal points motivating the organisation:—Xo interference with a woman's choice of doctor; a protect against the Government endeavouring to lead people to believe that nothing was done for the pecple previously by other Governments; condemnation of the Government for misleading the electors about the state of the country's finances at the last election; a protest ajjainst paying the full tax under eocial Security without the full benefits; the expression of alarm at the Government finding it nece3sarv to tax children down to the age of 1(5. " "Is the British Medical Association to receive the same treatment of abuse and victimisation as has been meted out to free labour during labour strikes?" asked the speaker. A protest was made against legislation that "tends to destroy the moral independence and initiative not only of white people, but of the Maori."

After a good deal of debate from the floor of the hall, a motion was asked for. One woman said simply, "I move that we won't pay the tax." There were several seconders and on a show of hands the motion was carried by a large majority.