WOMEN AND THE WORLD

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25138, 20 March 1947, Page 8

WOMEN AND THE WORLD

INFLUENCE FOR PEACE AND PROGRESS NEW ZEALAND’S PART IN INTERNATIONAL LIFE “The world cannot afford to exclude women from politics and it would appear that women cannot afford to exclude themselves,” said Mrs M. Dunningham, of Dunedin, in the Civic Theatre last evening to the rally organised by the National Council of Women. There was an attendance of about 1000, and Miss M. McLean presided. Mrs Dunningham said that in countries where women were denied rights—especially in Latin-American countries—it would be reasonable to expect that such services as maternity care and hygiene would be developed while the women took care of the homes, but actually the reverse applied, and women had to fight fof their rights in those countries.

New Zealand was a small country, she continued, and it was perhaps hard to realise that millions of persons in Asia were living in intolerable poverty. Wendell Willkie had coined the phrase “One World,” and that world was growing smaller. New Zealand could not continue to enjoy its high standard of living while millions existed on handfuls of rice. The East must be regarded as a prospec - tive market and not as a source of cheap labour. Everything of value depended on New Zealand’s relations with other countries of the world, and women everywhere had been given responsibility, said Miss M. G. Havelaar, Dominion president of the council. Remarking that New Zealand was the first country to give votes to women, Miss Havelaar said that a vote, if exercised properly, made a Government which sent its delegates to the United Nations That meant that every New Zealand woman had become a world citizen. She appealed to women to take a wider view of life and to pledge themselves to work for improved international relations, so that homes and nations throughout the world for generations to come might be safeguarded from the scourge of war. .Miss Havelaar said that the National Council of Women in Great Britain had invited two German women to go to England so that relations which had existed before Hitler came to power might be renewed. While New Zealand was too far away from Europe to adopt a similar course, there were women in the Pacific, and New Zealand women should get to know them.

Legislation affecting women was referred to by Mrs M. Dreaver, M.L.C., who paid a tribute to the work done by the late Mrs P. Fraser, wife of the Prime Minister. One or two important items of legislation affecting women had been put through because there was as the wifp of the Prime Minister a woman who was interested in matters which interested the National Council of Women.

Mrs W. H. Elliott, Dominion president of the Women’s Division of Federated Farmers’ organisation, said that if more food could be made and distributed there would be a happier and more peaceful world. The United Nations had recognised the need for better distribution of food, and farmers throughout the world had realised the same thin§ and held a conference to discuss improvements. In September a delegate from New Zealand would attend a world conference of countrywomen to disctiss the food situation. Women ' Delegates “We want women delegates from New Zealand to go to every, international conference,” said Miss M. B. Howard, M.P. “I believe that it is largely due to the influence of the National Council of Women that we have had a woman delegate included in an important United Nations conference. “We must live down the tradition of the weaker sex. We are not weaker mentally, physically, or in any other way. That was proved during the war when women took men’s place in industry. There was an immense field for reciprocal trade with the East, said Mrs H. Dyson. The Asiatic countries no longer wanted the white man, and many were in the process of throwing off the yoke. Mrs Dyson added that there was a great need for young, virile immigrants to New Zealand to help to build a nation strong enough to resist any Asiatic invasion. Other speakers were Miss M. Wigley and Mrs C. H. Weston. Other reports of the women’s rally are printed on page 2.