COURAGEOUS WOMEN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 180, 25 April 1908, Page 11

COURAGEOUS WOMEN.

• Australia has just hacl a very practical object lesson of the courage : and resourcefulness of her women. The tale of the Bega's foundering is too tccerit (says the " Sydney Morning Herald "), to need • retelling, but the quiet, courageous way in which . the women: went through the whole trying experience is a lasting lesson to those cynics jvho .say the modern woman is a mere bundle qf-nerves. It is an evidence of. the fact that'; though- our modern training may educate the mind at the expense of the body, though, we livo .in a -worrying, nerve-racking, age, thelesson of walking, side .by side with man, and tho ■ habits of independence inculcated in our sox' torday, stand us in very good stead "in the time of need. ...The women of the Bega were not picked women; they, were just a number-of ordinary women that might he found in any boat or. on any train—anywhere, in fact, where people are .to be found. But they behaved with as great, a calm and courago. as if .they, had been drilled for the ■ part. ,And doubtless any- of our- women- would havo bohaved in exactly the, same .way., •; And that is ihe one great brightness in the dark happening. It is good-to, know that there are amongst us women who are fit to be the: mothers of heroes and the makers of a nation, and 'these not chosen ones, but-just the . ordinary everyday .women of tho workaday world. If a , chain is onlj;. as jstrong as it's weakest link, a nation is just as strong as its weakest member; and it augurs well indeed for the-future of us as a people that those-of us who : are known as the " weaker sex " should rise to. the occasion in-moments of. great' peril. There need be no : fear of the ■teachings;"of. manliness and courago being

neglected in our boys .while-there aro ouch mothers'in our'midst. ; > • And their resourcefulness, too. has caused almost as much 'admiration; Ina new country ■ tho ■power of . 'making l uso.;of what; you have, ; regardless of: its. primary:..visdj\ is abso-, lutely;imperative.. The. Australian ; woman ,has evory : chance of exercising, her ingenuity; and! sho certainly does so.' Tho .picture of those ■ women| using their ! skirts to'soak up -thewater in the' leaking.• boat is' ; ; typically", Australian.'. Wo are not a" conventional people. We could never. carvo .out a living in this most; unconventional. country, if •• wo were; Staangers maj\laugh at ,us for.our ways that are l riot as'theirs; .-tint rwe; -can; lignhre 'their ridicule.. AVo can'afford to bo different, when wo-are sure that at heart we are the , same as the; best; of them—sound, sane; and full Tftf.- coUrago. ■ S' .