WOMEN'S WORK

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 139, 12 June 1918, Page 2

WOMEN'S WORK

TO THE EDITOK.

Sir,—ln your leader of yesterday you §ay, in dealing with the question of women on the Bench and in the jury-box, that public opinion and woman herself will need to he educated before that can take place. As to women on the Bench, have wo not many women passing through our university colleges, studying side by side with men, women, lawyers, women doctors, wemen teachers, women mathematicians, etc., who are even more fir. to become Justices of the Peace than are many of the men at the present day occupying those positions? We have only to look round us to see women who would honour those positions. As to women in the jury-box, do men have to .be trained for those duties? If not, why should it be necessary that women should be trained fcr them ?

Speaking as one who every day of her life comes in contact with both men and women, I long a-go camo to the, conclusion that women were innately more (logical than men, that they had more practical common-sense. lam sadly afraid that New Zealand is becoming a very reactionary country, altogether out of touch with modern life and currents of thought, and certainly with a reactionary Government and a reactionary press she has much to make her so.—l

am, etc,.

PROGRESS.

llth June.

TO MS EDITOR.

Sir,—May I correct a 6light error vhich occure in your account of Saturda.y'6 protest meeting? I am reported as describing the work of "policewomen in patrols in England." Policewomen in patrols and women health patrols are entirely distinct organisations from tho trained policewomen to whom I alluded, a.nd who now number almost 1000 in the English Women Police Service. They are more than patrols. Their training consists of drill; they attend at Police Courts to learn the procedure of the Court, and how to take and give evidence ; they have to pass examinations in first aid, and in civil and criminal law, with special knowledge of all Acts relating to women and children; they also do'domiciliary visiting and patrolling. The report of 1916-17 says that tho policewomen are trained to carry out their official duties in a responsible and effective manner, and that many women in trouble, who would not be induced to apply to the male police, come gladly to a fellow woman for help, and crime is frequently averted. The English policewomen<also engage in detective work with marked success. „

These duties are far more onerous than those attaching to "policewomen in patrols."—l am. etc.,.

L. A. HARVERSON.

10th June.

TO THE BDITOK.

Sir,—Being one of many women present at the meeting of protest 'on Saturday I would like, through your columns, to ask Mrs. Harverson, orie of the speakers, if she will give her definition of an "educated woman"? I quite agree with the idea of women police, but why tho clause "educated women"? Are we women of this country, to take that as a guarantee that there will then be no danger of not receiving justice? Are the educated women not just as likely to form wrong conclusions as well as their more unfortunate fellow (.women who have never had the chance of education, and yet can quite, understand what would be required of them to act as police women? I maintain it is. a clean-minded,^ conscientious woman that the country rbam'res.—-I run. or?. ,

justice to children; 11th June.