SECURITY BENEFITS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 157, 6 July 1939, Page 14

SEC URITY BENEFITS.

WOMEN'S PROTEST. CIVIC LEAGUE MEETING. At a meeting of the Auckland Civie held yesterday afternoon Aβ attitude of the Auckland public to <3w medical and maternity benefits under the Social Security Act was discussed. Attention was drawn to the matter by a letter written by Mrs. A. M. O'Leary, in which she urged the women of Auckland to uphold the women of other centres in their protest. In her letter Mrs. O'Leary stressed the point that the question was outside party politics and, since it affected all women vitally, she considered that the women's organisations of Auckland should unite in making protest.

The president, Mrs. Kenneth Gordon, spoke briefly on the eubject and stated that the doctors opposed the Act not because it would mean personal loss, but because it meant the repudiation of the ethics of their profession. Acceptance of the scheme, she said, would ensure financial security for the doctore, but they felt that the inevitable outcome would be the lowering of the standards of the profession. A point stressed by Mrs. Kenneth Gordon was the fact that under the Act medical secrets would no longer be inviolate. It was decided to write to the National Council of Women and the Women's Division of the Farmers' Union stating that the league upheld the text of Mrs. O'Leary's letter wholeheartedly and would like the co-operation of Auckland women in the matter. Military Training. The case for and against conscription was also discussed. It wa* felt that,

besides contributing toward healthy minds and bodice, military training and school cadet corps induced keennese for the defence of home and country. This realisation could not be imbued merely bv lectures.

Mrs. Gordon [minted out that, in the event, of a war, it was vitallv necessarv

to have trained troops in readiness. Conscription, however, did not mean war-mongerinpr, but was a measure fur

the preservation of peace, and example could be taken from the conscripted fore , of Switzerland. All members agreed that the voluntary system was not fair to the volunteers.

A letter k to be cent to the Auckland organiser of the New Zealand Defence League. Mr. K. H. Marryatt,

stating that the women of the Civic Leapiie are unanimous in their support nf oi'iiscniitioti, and in accordance with t'ie Wpsils of tlip Ppf<-nce League. A donation will bo included.

A lottor wn« read from the Lcajru? of X;i(i!in« Union, wlno'i stated that a meotinjr was to bo hold to form a omnniitt.ee in Auckland to deal with nil matters refugees. Tho league was invited to nominate a repreeentative. and Mrs. Gordon was chosen to attend.

"Hitler has said that all the nations of the world are sorry for the persecuted .Tews, hut none are prepared to pive them refujre,' , said Mrs. Gordon, in summing up the opinions of the leajrup. "This jibe seeme to be well founded, and the present lack of action in New Zealand is a disgrace to the countrv."

A letter was received from thp snperintendent of the Auckland Harbour Board. Mr. T). Holdernpss, which stated that the leapue's recent sujrgeetions, repardin? covered piers with stairways for the use of pedestrians on the wharves, was one of the proiects broupht forward in 1937. and would be attended to at a future date. It was agreed to send r letter of thanks to Mr. Holderness for prompt reply.