PROTECTION OF WOMEN ADDRESS BY MRS. FIELD.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 73, 27 March 1914, Page 3

PROTECTION OF WOMEN ADDRESS BY MRS. FIELD.

Mrs. Field, of Nelson, delivered an address on the "White Slave Traffic" last evening at the rooms of the Women's Moral and Physical Health Society. Dr. Platts-Mills presided. The address was practically the same as that delivered by Mrs. Field recently at the W.C.T.U. Conference at Gisborne, very full reports of which were published throughout New Zealand at the time. After her main address, Mrs. Field said the existence of the white slave traffic was on© of the reasons why many women at Home were so determinedly demanding women's suffrage. Two other reasons were the existence of the drink evil and sweated industries. Mrs. Field said that the existence of the white slave traffic in New Zealand and some' statements the speaker had made on the subject had been challenged by Superintendent Kiely, of the Auckland police, who denied the existence here of any such organisation. Mrs. Field explained that no reference was made to "organised traffic," but simply to the fact that traffic of this kind did exist in these islands. Enquiries made by a reporter in Auckland showed that undoubtedly cases of a auspicious nature were frequently heard of. There was much disturbing evidence of procuration. Mrs. Field said that women could do much good by fostering ideals in young people. The meeting was briefly addressed by Miss Pullen-Burry, F.R.A.5.,-a visitor from England, by Lady Stout, and Dr. Platts-Mills, and it was decided that a deputation wait on the Hon. H. D. Bell, Minister of Immigration, to urge that more complete measures be taken for the protection of immigrant girls and women.