AN OUTSTANDING WOMAN

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24280, 10 June 1944, Page 2

AN OUTSTANDING WOMAN

Dr. Edith Summerskill, who is now in Australia with the British Parliamentary Party that will visit New Zealand within the next few weeks, is a big woman, tall, striking, handsome. She was born in London in 1901, was educated at King’s College, and qualified as a doctor at Charing Cross Hospital. In 11)25 she was married lo Dr E. Jeffrey Samuel, and they have two children, a son and a daughter. She is the only woman in the delegation, and is its medical adviser. She is also the first woman ever to travel as a member of the Empire Parliamentary Association Dr. Summerskill believes in women. She works and thinks for women, and plans for their future—not from any feminist angle, but with a firm belief in a new world of men and women working with equal responsibility for the security and happiness of all. There are. she says, 14 women members of the House of Commons, and they are all vocal. But she hopes before she dies to see 100 women in the House.

Two members of the delegation were born in Australia. They are Mr Reginald Purbrick. of Melbourne, and Mr Ralph Etherton. who was born in Adelaide while his parents we;e travelling round the world. Mr Herbert Butcher is most interested in New Zealand because his mother was born in Auckland. Lord Listowcl. deputyleader of the delegation, is 315 yea r s old. He was married 11 years ago to Miss Marfry-Mantuano, of Budapest.