NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2955, 15 December 1916, Page 3

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN

TO LINK UP VARIOUS WOMEN'S SOCIETIES.. ( The organisation of a National Council of Women was discussed at a meeting of the Women's Social Investigation League, which was held last night. Mrs. A. It. Atkinson presided, and said that there had been a Natioual Council of Women in existence some years ogo, but it had been for many reasons, excellent at the time, •suspended. Now. she thought it would be very advisable to reorganise it on more modern lines. Had there been such a council in existence, it could have made itself felt in many necessary ways, as, for existence, the drawing up of the war regulations. One -of the items of tiiese regulations must have been evolved from the brain of a humorist—that which denied to all. women the right to enter a public house after 6 o'clock, and this in the face of tho women's movement to have the hotels closed altogether at 6 o'clock. Tho proposed National Council for' Women would unite all organised societies of women for mutual council, - and co-operation, and in the atainment of justice and freedom for women, and for all that made for the good of humanity. To encourage the formation of societies f women employed in trades and professions, and in social and political work, in connection with which no organised union at present exsts. The council would bo organised in the interests of no one propaganda, and would liavo no power over the organisations which .constitute it. No society voting to enter the council would render itself liable to he interfered with in respect to its complete organic unity, independence, or methods of.work; or would be committed to any prineiplo or method of any other society or to any act or utterance of the council itselfj" beyond compliance with the terms of its constitution.

A largo number of representatives from various societies were present, amongst whom were: Miss Knglan dand Mrs. Anderson (the Freo Kindergarten}. ])r. E. Huntlev (Moral and Physical Health Society). Mrs. Houk'er (W.C.T.U.), the Misses Myers, Hetherington, Coad, and Williams (Women Teachers' Association), Mrs. Snow nul Mrs. Edmondson (Housewives' Assoviation), the Women' Students' Hostel (Mrs. T. H. Gill, Mrs. Salmond, and Mrs. Coleridge). and the Girls' Friendly Society (the Misses Rawnsley, Humphries, mid Jenkins).

An animated discussion followed Mrs. Atkinson's speech, the majority of those present beinc; in favour of the council being formed.