WOMEN'S POLITICAL REFORM LEAGUE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2503, 2 July 1915, Page 3

WOMEN'S POLITICAL REFORM LEAGUE

PARLIAMENTARY VIEWS OF WAR. A very largely-attended meeting of the Wellington Women's i'ouucal Relorm League was field m the 'i'neosopmcal rooms 111 bailance btreet last evening, and,was presuied over by vno president, iurs. C. Jiurle. 'i'lio personal losses which the war had brought to some or thu league members were spoiten or, and the replies to letters 01 conUoieueo wiiitn had been forwarded to these members on beualf of the league were read aloud to the meeting, among them being one trom the lion. James Allen, it was decideu that letters be sent to all members who had suffered losses through the war. . The iollowing resolution was proposed .by Mrs. J. Darling"That this meeting or the Wellington Women's l'olitical Reform League desires to extend its deepest sympathy to Mrs. L. O. Smith, who lias lest lier son, Sergeant Smith, iu action at the Dardanelles ; to the lion. James Alien, on the death of his son, and to Mrs. and Miss Howson, who mourn the loss of Sergeant B. B. Wood, all of. whom liave g*ren their lives to maintain the honour of their country and the freedom of the world.' 1 The resolution was carried in silence, members standing meanwhile.

An • interesting statement was made by a member to the eltect that the authorities in Australia were presenting a special metal badge which had been struck for the purpose to the women w'ho have near relatives either at the front or who are leaving for action. The meeting decided that it would be a good suggestion to bring before the authorities in New Zealand.

During the evening Messrs. Esoott, Downie Stewart, and Young, JVL.P.'s, addressed ohe league, and in introducing the speakers to the meeting the president made reference to 'the fact of Stewart leaving for the war, and wished him and his oolleague, Mr. T. Seddon, M.P., God-speed and a safe return. , ■ Mr. Hscott, Member for Pahiatua. Mr. member for Paiiiatua, in th(s course of an interesting address, spoke' of the topic that absorlis the uioughts and interests of all the world, that of the war. He pointed out that although unprepared for war, England had been able to send across to Franco approximately 150,000 men within a fortnight after war had been declared. iio referred to the services of the Overseas Dominions and to what India and South Africa had done, and were still doing with such splendid loyalty, as a magnificent demonstration of the unity of the British Empire. He was sure that people everywhere would rise to the occasion in the future as they had done in the past, and would cheerfully make whatever sacrifices they were called upon to make. Bad as war was, out of this great evil, out of this tremenuotre'fcapfSa of fire, good would come as' it nad done in the case of the, South African war and out of the Indian disaffection. Mr. 4 Escott, in concluding, congratulated the league upon its flourishing condition and expressed his thanks for the opportunity given him of speaking before members. Mr. Downie Stewart, M.P. Mr. Downie Stewart, member for Dunedin, referred to the resolution which had been passed earlier in the evening, and said that he would liko to speak of the late Lieutenant Jobn Allen. Ho' was one, of the men of greatest promise in .New Zealand. He had been personally acquainted with him, knowing him very intimately. Lieutenant Allen had passed his barrister's examinations in Mew Zealand, and then went Homo, where he was regarded as a most promising young man, so much ao that he was offered ai secretaryship by one of the AVliips of the Unionist Party in the English House of Commons. He was a man of whom great things were expected, and all that the league had said of him in their letter to the.Hon. James Allen had been perfectly correct. Mr. Stewart then proceeded to touch upon the economic side of the war. and the need of sinking all class prejudices. In answer to a question, he made passing reference to the political position, and repeated his belief that there .was no real division in the political platform of the two dominant parties in the House. Again, referring to'the war, he stated his belief that New Zealand, being a food-produc-ing country, would be one of the last to feel the. effects of the war. Mr. Young, M.P. Mr. Young, member for Waikato, who followed Mr. Stewart, remarked upon the interest which the league displayed in public matters, and said he felt it an inspiration to see that so large a gathering could be called together at such a time. He ventured to say that there was hardly any other place in New Zealand in which women displayed so great an interest in public affairs. In speaking of the war, he agreed with the other , speakers that the ultimate end would be victory for Britain and her Allies. While men were doing their part in fighting for their country, it was the duty of every man and woman left behind to <lo their share in self-sacrifice and in remembering that they too had a charge laid upon them. Special mention was made of the 16th Waikato Regiment, that had taken part in the landing at the Dardanelles and had suffered so severely. When the roll calWas answered two days after the lauding, out of 200 men only 28 answered. In spite of tlie fact that the Waikato Regiment had suffered so severely, the young men would still go to the front till they were exhausted, and then the older ones would go. Women could encourage men to enlist, and those who refused to let their husbands go to the war had this to remember—that they ran the risk of the nameless horrors happening to them that had so oruelly overwhelmed the women of Belgium. The . liberties of future generations were being fought for on the battlefields of Europe, and no patchedup peace should be tolerated until the freedom of the world was assured. A vote of. thanks, moved by Mrs. E. Hadfield in a charming little speech, was happily seconded by Mrs. A. Crawford, and was carried with the singing of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow," in reference to the fact that Mr. Downie Stewart was leaving for the front. _ At the close of the evening the president, referring to the fact that we were not yet on German soil, said that it must be remembered that Britain and her Allies were disposing of the enemy in hundreds of thousands, and she could not see that it mattered so very much on whose soil it took place so long as this was done. ~ „• „ The singing of "God Save the King brought the meeting to an end.

The "Telegraaf" learns from Poperiiighe that the asphyxiating gases used by the Germans liave even had an effect on the civilian population living as far from the fighting lino as ElverJingo. Boesinge, Vlaniertingo, and Buclen, where many people are suffering from liaomorrhage of the lungs, states an Amsterdam cable messago to the "Manchester Guardian." These villages are situated some Mirco or four miles west of Ypras.

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