THE WOMEN'S EFFORT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1508, 2 August 1912, Page 4

THE WOMEN'S EFFORT.

FOR BETTER THINGSREFORM LEAGUE'S ANNUAL MEETING. A SPIRITED ADDRESS.'' The annual moefiiiff of the Wellington liranch of tin 1 Women's Political Reform League, lic-ltl in Hie Wellington Hull, ISuulcott Street, Inst evening, attracted tlio largest anil most enthusiastic meeting of iliat body ever held, The chair was occupied by All's. .Newman (president), who.se address embodied tlie annual report of tile league. The Address. Mrs. Newman, who was accorded an ovation mi rising, said: . It is-with sincere regret that my openin;,' remarks should fou in reference to the loss of our vice-president, Mrs. George I'ell. She joined the league when it was tir.st formed, anil worked loyally to bring others into the fold. Ever ready to sacrifice herself for the' cause, 1. lotuul her a valuable ally. 1 grieve not only for my personal loss, but that the league should loso the influence and services of so_ good a member. The record of the work of the members during tin past year is 0110 of which they can be justly proud. Naturally this I'iw been a momentous year—a year ol' opportunities—anil the members were not slow to seiiw their opportunities. (Applause.) ■ Fighting the General Election. The general election was the chief factor in bringing forth the zeal and energy ot the league. The women promptly showed that they were willing to sacrifice themselves, to sink personal opinions, and, when necessary, ell'aco themselves, for the great cause of bringing about a chango of. Government, of trying to purge public lite of the in.my evils and abuses which had grown umler 21 years of Liberal, and, more recently, oulocratic Government. That these efforts liavu been rewarded by the return of the lieform party, and uy the placing on tho Ministerial benches of men who ivc can confidently predict will govern the country wisely anil well, is a matter fof general rejoicing. The Stiff Task at First. Now let ;uo" detail some of tho works of tho league, and to do so 1 must take you back to the beginning, so that the recent recruits may know what was done before they joined. Three years ago, at the instigati.ni of Mrs. Sclioch, a women's branch of the Political lieform League was started in Wellington. Fourteen members were .enrolled—only a few less than tho little band which Mr. Massey was first called upon to lead. Members gradually increased, but still the causo lacked enthusiasm, and it required much patieuce and conngo to enable Ihe pioneers of the cause to carry on, for we were up against a stiff wall of deadly apathy—a wall that showed few signs of ciumbling away, but it has now conio down,, as if from a dynamite charge—tho dynamiate of success. By the example of this branch, and through its influence, tho women in other districts, were roused to see what they could do, and now there are severrtl nourishing branches. Later on we hope they will affiliated with us'. To these branches we have supplied literature and all information respecting the formation, organisation, and work of tho league.' (Applause.) This organisation of the women was, in view of tha pending; general election, and in hopes of making our sisters in other parts of New Zealand realise tho responsibility uf the franchise. From all parts of the North and South Island appeals for help reached me. "Will you tell us how to start a. branch here? Vi'hat <lid you'do to get members? Have- you any literature to help us? I'loase send .some," etc. "Worked from Early Dawn to Black Night." Four months before the general elec- . Hon—the date of which was. then uncertain, We agreed to liire a room in Donlcott Chambers, and to keep it open, with a secretary in attendance;, until I lie polls closed, Polls, forms of enrolment, permits for the Wellington and suburban * electorates, were kept there, and owing lo tho central situation of fche room a brisk business was kept up, until the closing hours of the see-a ml ballot. All the. members who could spare the time volunteered as canvassers, and distributed themselves through the various electorates, working with unflagging zeal. As everyone knows, the tight in each electorate was fierce and hardly contested—both sides worked from early dawn to black night—always cheerful and confident. Canvassers brought in daily reports of the indifference and half-heartednoss of hundreds of elfKitors. "Oh, yes, they \yero tired of the Government, they had been in tco long, but it was no good voting against them, because they would never J;o"out." (Laughter.) That Great Mass Meeting., This feeliiig was so acute, so general, that in order to hearten up our own side, to cheer the faint-hearted, to bring in the wavwers, and,to decide those who must shout with the winning crowd, the members of the league decided to organise a'monster meeting in the Town liall and to invito the ■Reform candidates for city and suburbs, to address the meeting. The proposal did not j meet with much support from—with one exception—tho candidates, but nothing daunted lho women. Ably assisted by Mr. li. M. Gilbert—who did yeoman service—tlioy went on with their arrangements, and the meeting was fixed to take place on tho Menday night before tho first battle. Tho hall was overcrowded at least forty minutes before the hour of the meeting, and hundreds of disappointed people turned from tile dcors. (Applause.) That the huge success of the meeting had a beneficial and exhilarating effect is undoubted. All expenses were borne by the league. The women behaved nobly--effacing themselves—not even seeking' a back seat on the platform, and ninny members had no seat. I have since thought that elfacement of ourselves was a mistake, for not one word of acknowledgment from the candidates, with the one exception,' ever reached a member of tho league. Crude Laws Affecting Women. "For future guidance, I urge von, as women, to object to be merely ca'ivassiiiß agients; and to insist_ upon the right of initiative. Only in this way can we hope I to maintain our independence, and in so doing help those who, oppressed by the cares of life, cannot raise a protest against the injustice of some laws affecting women. !t is proposed to hold a eon-' I I'erence of the women's branches in AVellington, towards the end of November, : when we hope all the branches, will be : represented. There is much thai' wemen can do towards helping to the betterment I of their poorer sisters—many questions 1 affecting their positions as ' wives and 1 mothers. For instance, why should not < we, as women, try to persuade our legis- f Inters to improvo the conditions of women ! with drunken husbands, earning good .1 wages and doling out a starvation pit- f tanco each week, and spending (he rfat t upon self-indulgence. Again, the vexed ( question of equal pay for equal work is .- one that should be definitely settled, and there are many other things worthy of women's serious consideration. 1 trust ] we shall continue lo work Joy,illy together, c always remembering that woman's natural' ally is woman. (Loud and sustained c apnlause.) The balance-sheet showed a healthy sum to credit, Other Business. A letter of acknowledgment to con- r gnitulations t Ifored by the league was receivcd from the Prime Minister l ami Mrs. Massey. the reading of which induced another outburst of applause. A I new constitution and set of rules were .'

adopted. 1 Til? Mbwinir ofTirpi's vw eU'clwl fur n l-lip purlins ypiir:—rrp-iilnnt, Mrs. Now. man; vioi'-iin'Milputs, Mo-damcs Guvnior. i. l'pat. C. Karle. I!. llaiUiild unci t| K. K. Hammoml; cpininiltfc. M«?c!atnes </ iVmnan, JlnovMiousp, Tolled!, Kpai'p, itaH'.-on, mid M'Viear. Mrs. was >|pct«l wrplni'.y, mid Miss Fitzherbm ( treasurer. ' During Hip ovi'iiinsr pifflilppn new momkm'? wpi'p plccloil. Several dp'.cgalcs from 1 jllier 'part? nt' tlio Dominion wen; pro ? is(, amoiiK ll'cm Mm. Fisher. «l' lllonleini. who save r.n outline <~V (lie Bloti- •' icim branch. nliir.h boasted ;i nipinboriliij) of 50. f( Vote? of thanks wore passed to Mrs. p, llio retiring s-ecrotary (Mits T Iotas:), and retiring officers, t<