SOLDIERS' WIVES.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15773, 14 December 1916, Page 10

SOLDIERS' WIVES.

A WOMEN'S GUARDIAN j COMMITTEE. At yesterday's meeting of the Canterbury Patriotic Fund executive, Mr A. H. Turnbnll said that something should be done jco have a Women's Help Committee iof motherly women representing the different wards of tlio city, who would go rcrand to soldiers' homes and assist and comfort their young wives and. children.' It would meet a very grave necessity. This work would not be of an inquisitorial but of a sympathetic charactcr. Then there was the question of orphaned children, who wero now boarded out. A women's committee could bo of great assistance to the executive in regard to these children. Mr A. C. Maxwell considered this was a duty which lie felt sure would bo gladly undertaken by the Women's National Reserve. "Members of the Applications Committee knew that j a great deal of tampering with sol- | diers' wives had gone on." One vorv painful case indeed ha-d come before the Applications Committee, the wife Jof a soldier with .three children, who had left for the frout, clearing out wiih another married man with ono child. Members of the executive knew of the case. ''This scoundrel, this - mean bound who is of military age, and for all I know may be fit for service takes advantage of the other man's absenee to betray this woman," declared Mr Maxwell, ivho asked if the executive could not take some acti-on in stopping ..this tampering with soldiers' wives in tnis despicable ma-nucr. liC£islo,tion should be introduced to stop it, Perhaps Mr Turnbull's suggestion mi "lit provide a remedy. ( Mr H. E. Sorensen considered Mr Turnbull's suggestion would effect a great deal of good. Mr Turnbull said the Ladies' Committee should act entirely independently of the Patriotic Association. If it, were n©'.«6«ary they could make* representations to the Association. Mr Turnbull moved: "Tha.t, the Women's National' Reserve' be nr-.ked to confcr with the committee appointed by this executive regarding soldiers' wives and their dependants." Tho motion was carried,, and Messrs J. J. Doueall. Cyrus Williams. H. B. Sorensen, A. C. Maxwell, and A. H. Turnbull, were appointed tho executive's committee.