WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 1, 1 July 1922, Page 12

WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT

A movement towards the granting of opportunities for >vdmen to become members of Parliament is gaining ground in Victoria, and in this corinectioti a deputation from the National Council of Women has recently placed before ,a representative of the Cabinet reasons why women fehould be made eligible to sit in the Victorian Parliament.

It was claimed by the delegates that it was time that women were fully, recognised.. The war had proved their capacity, and there had been .nothing but 'praise for their work. Two and a-quarter per cent, more women had voted at the last election than previously.

Instances were given of a number, of questions on which women's advice in Parliament would be helpful... Baby health centres, for instance', were' now rightly recognised as the concern of the State, and also the prevention of destitution, public health, housing-, public morals,. protection of adolescents, and general and domestic education, promoting the efficiency of women in their homes and industries. ■'

It was claimed that women were always being called npoi> to untie tangles which men were powerless to prevent, because they represented orie view only. ' The bfriiii of man had proved inadequate, and it required women to cater for the interests' of women and children. Women had more to'do in the way of social service than men. No man could -fjossibly get a woman's viewpoint, but a woman could sometimes get a man's viewpoint. ■'

The Minister receiving the deputation was ■ungflllant' enough t-d iay that he did not think that woman's c|ualiflcationa were eqital tb those of ineri. However, he'was not opposed to the- suggestion,l and would see what cduld be done.

Dr.- Eridtjof Nansen, who is ■ active in Russian famine relief, is the hero of "Farthest North," setting crab at 32 to reach the North Pole. He was honoured for his." Arctic exploration by the whole .world, including the Universities of Oxford) and C'alnbrictge, and distinctions from, tho British Government were conferred oh him. He..was active in the separation of Norway and Sweden, and. was first . Norwegian Minister in London. He is Norwegian member of the League of Nations and High Commissioner of the International Pi-ed Cross. Before setting out for the Pole, he said : "Even if one reached the Pole, it would' be. very uncertain whether one could find the ship again oh:returning.. I am. however, of opinion that this is of small import. It is not to seek for tho1 exact mathematical point that forma the northern- extremity of the earth's axis that.we set.out, for to reach this point is .intrinsically of small moment. Our object is to investigate the great unknown region that surrounds the Poje, and t-lieee investigations will be equally important from a scientific point of view, whether the expedition passes over tho Polar point itself or at some distance from' it." ' . • ■-.