"EMPIRE."

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18399, 4 June 1925, Page 9

"EMPIRE."

■ ,i- . ♦ —. WOMEN OF THE NATION. A J.P.'S INTERESTING . ADDRESS. A yory interesting ( addresa was delivered by Mr C. E. Jones at theiUiniial dinner and social of the Canterbury Justices of tho Poace Association al- - the Rendezvous last evening, lu tho course' of his remarks Mr Joiies said that as -a* nation tho English people were apt to be apologetic for the proud condition their country holds among the nations of the wori*. This humble spirit, no doubt, was worthy of praise in our national. character, but there irere times when wo. ought to let ourselves go. Mr Jones referred to Queen Mary, Princess Maiy, JS'urso Cavell and Florence Nightingale as mothers of tuo Empire. Ho said, we did not want, future mothers of tho nation to savour too much of the modern Eves, but rather a little of the old-fashioned girl with the old-fashioned ideas, not to be regardless of their sex, not to adopt too free and easy ways with young men, but to have a respect of tho proprieties. Their innate refinement should make it impossible for them to do certain things that we knew wero done. A pure, healthy girl realised her womanhood and shrank from things coarse anil vulgar. There were a number even .vet, thank God, but they would become fewer unless we were careful. Those that were would bo tho salt of the earth, for, in spite of our modern ideas, when girls lost that fine quality or modesty and claimed to lead their liives unhampered by convention, they also lost that subtle power which made men reverence womanhood. We may sneer at Jane Austen's heroines and scoff at the Victorian ideas concerning girlhood, but those who- gave up their superiority in order to be the equals of men were making a bad bargain. Our grandmothers were criticised a<» a poor au&inic set of girla who lived nioßtlyiby the firesides of airloss, sheltered homes, who fainted on every conceivable occasion from the 'appearance of a mouse to a proposal of marriage, which wtis supposed to be their only aim and object in life. To that indict* ment we could reply that Victorian women were great walkers and that well into the middle of the Victorian period every girl of the upper and uppermiddle classes waa taught to ride 011 horseback as a matter of course. We looked for worthy successors to the mothers of that generation—those graeious and dignified women in their soft silks and laces, possessed of tact and tsavoir fairs, a fund of conversation, musical ability, wit, and a keen sense of humour. Tiie «'new old" ladies who played golf by divy and lost their money and tempera at bridge by night wera a sorry substitute. (Laughter and applause.)