WOMEN, WAR AND POLITICS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 23, 22 October 1918, Page 3

WOMEN, WAR AND POLITICS

ADDKESS BY 511? S. KINETON PARKES. Yesterday afternoon Mrs. Kineton Parkes, an English visitor to New Zea-land,-was the guest of the Pioneer Club, and members and friends who were present had the pleasure of listening to a most interesting address given hy their guest upon women's war work at Home, the winning of the franchise, and other matters of interest to women. Lady Stout, the president of the club, received, and formally introduced Mrs. Parkes to her audience, stating ns sho did so that she had had the pleasure of speaking from the same platform as Mrs. Parkes several times. In tho organisation of the Women's Tax Posistance League, Mrs. Parkes had taken a very prominent part. The members 'of this league had not infrequently preferred going to nrison instead of paying their taxes, holding tho Englishman's doctrine that there should be no taxation without representation. Tt was, the wonderful organisation and knowledge that had been achieved in the fight for the suffrage thai had enabled the women to do wliat they had done for their country throughout the course of the war. Speaking of tho work of the Women's Emergency Corp." and the reason for its existence,' Mrs. Parkes told her hearers that it was formed three days after the declaration of war by the combined women's suffrage societies for the purpose of finding employment for tho innumerable women who had been thrown suddenly out. of employment, because of the war. Not for some time did the Government utilise the services of these women, and terrible hardships would have resulted had they been unable to find work. On the Friday after war had been declared. Mrs. Parkes continued, the Actresses' Franchise League rang her up to ask what she thought of their scheme, and at once the machinery was put in motion, with what result they all knew to-day. Two cardinal points about tho scheme, oxnlained tho speaker, wero the linking of work for the women thrown out of employment and the organisation of women's voluntary services. Experts in all walks of lifo were told off to find out for what particular 'form of work each woman was fitted, and to tell her just what to do and where to go. If the suffrage societies had not been organised up to tho hilt in their great fight for the franchise they could never have grappled as they did with the great emergencies thnt arose. Women in this country, continued Mrs. Parkes, could never understand the bitterness of soul that the women of Britain went through before the franchise was gained when they saw matters of vital interest to the welfare of women and children and to tho nation at large lost when brought before Parliament because they were powerless, not having the voto. Bitter though the struggle had been there was much gained, however, because they had learnt much, and, i what was a verv valuable asset, they had | learnt to bo politically acute. Referring to the statement that was frequently made that women at Home had won the franchise because of their war work, Mrs. Parkes said that such a statement was resented. They wanted it, and had worked for it as a mere matter of justice, and their war work was not done with such an end in view. The suffrage societies did not hesitate wjien, war broke out. but all shouldered the citizen's duty of doing all that was possible to help their country in time of need without thought of reward. What was realised was that the war gave the opportunity of showing that tho reason they wanted the vote was that they might serve to their fullest extent. Although the right to vote was limited to women of thirty years of age and over it meant that six millions of women were enfranchised. As a result of her observations while in this country, Mrs. Parkes had come to tho conclusion that although New Zealand women had had the voto for 25 years, yet thov wore not politically minded! At Home the suffrage socielies wero not »oiiiß to stop their activities, although the vote was won. As a matter of fact, it was considered that there was almost more need for them than ever with six millions of women who had never before voled at last given tho franchise. In reconstruction problems the women's voice must be heard, and even in New Zealand these problems were facing the people already. At the conclusion of her speech, a hearty vote of thanks was proposed to Mrs. Parkes and carried with acclamation, following which came afternoon tea. Tho singing of ,r ßule Britannia" fin honour of' Nelson T) ay ) nnd t.ho National Anthem concluded a very pleasant and interesting afternoon.