WOMEN ON THE CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7213, 26 November 1888, Page 6

WOMEN ON THE CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sis,—l read with interest your article of the 29th September on the subject of electing women as members of the Charitable Aid Board, and think it is to be regretted that the matter bos not been further ventilated, in view of the approaching annual election ot that body. The Charitable Aid Board has long had the assistance of lady visitors in the management of the Refuge; and the Hospital Board similar assistance in their work.' The practical usefulness of women in this kind of work is therefore admitted, and everyone must feel that the work of the Charitable Aid Board is much of it of such a nature as most naturally can be assisted *>y female counsels and experience, it is probable that two-thirds of the cases relieved are either widows, deserted wives and children, or orphans; and men cannot possibly enter into all the surroundings of many of these cases as fully as they would if assisted and directed by the co-operating experience of women. A further step haa been taken since the date of the article above referred to, and the Charitable Aid Board has granted the application of certain ladies for the increase of the number of lady visitors to the Orphanage to twelve, and for their selection not only from Lyttelton, but also from Chriacchurch and its neighborhood. The Board having in this unmistakeable manner borne witness to the value it attaches to, and its readiness to accept, the assistance of women in the discharge of its duties, why should the movement in the above direction not go a little further and aim at securing a seat on the Board at the coming annual election for one or two women. In this colony, as far as I know, at all events in this provincial district, women have not yet been elected to either Education Boards or Boards dealing with charitable objects ; but in the Old Country it has long been recognised that the peculiar services which women can render as members of such bodies are of the greatest value, from the fact that their experience among their own sex and children cause them naturally to be able to deal more intelligently, and at the same time sympathetically, with many of the cases treated by these Boards. The election of members of the Charitable Aid Board takes place next week, but as it is not directly jin the hands of the ratepayers, but in those of the local bodies it rests with them to make the selection. If the public, however, is earnestly of the opinion that it is desirable to take a hint from the Old Country in this direction, no doubt the matter may be so urged upon the local bodies as to cause them, in deference to the wishes of their ratepayers, to make the experiment above advocated. — Yours, 6cc, Observer. November 23rd.