TOPICS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 131, 6 June 1925, Page 15

TOPICS OF THE DAY

(By "M.H.C.!')

New Zealand women who have taken the trouble to follow the reports of the recent Commission which inquired into the affairs' of the feeble-minded and sexual perverts, and then the announcements made in connection with the mental hospitals, must feel that at last there is a sensible, organised, and wellconsidered movement from the Government in regard to the sad concerns of a iiection of people who have come largely into the realms of punishment only. There is a good prospect of many a "sore place" in social life being healed up, with prevention following, as a result of the efforts of the Minister of Health. Jib one could follow the abovementioned affairs without realising that someone in authority must have put in a tremendous amount -of sympathetic work and study for these; results to follow. Already they have had good effect. The first-named Commission has cleared a huge amount of ground of misunderstandings and wrongs, with very clear iSiigc;estions as to the right methods to be taken. These suggestions can be regarded with respect, as they come after investigation, and not with half-know-ledge, which is often so. inadequate and mischievous. With regard to the mental invalids, almost for the first time there is full hope that their troubles will be fully and properly dealt with. The subject has been largely shelved as unpleasant and concerning people of no influence, the effect being that not nearly enough money has been voted year by 'year for those in authority to deal adequately with their cases. There has been &a urgent call for "halfway houses" without much result, but there is full hope now,-with such an interested and energetic head, that a return to full health and joy of life may be looked for by a number of people who otherwise must have languished in the oldfashioned way. _ Hearty commendations and congratulations to the Ministry of Health. :." :

The news of the election of.Miss Pres-ton-Stanley for Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, a very important electorate, should encourage the women in other places to hope for the inclusion of women members of Parliament, and in the-near future. Miss Preston-Stanley ■ -will, no doubt, have a great deal of '.'limelight," being the first and only woman in tho New South Wales Parliament, and she can be thoroughly relied upon to uphold the honour and credit of women. She is a tried social worker, with many years of good work to her credit. A message to her electorate from tha Rt Hon. W. M." Hughes, P. 0., K.C., M.P., ■will strike a chord of sympathy in the hearts of many New Zealandera, and runs as follows:—"It would be idle to deny that*, there ia a prejudice against women candidates. They, are rejected, not because they lack merit";' or "that their platform does meet with the approval of the electors, but because they are women. , This; is quite wrong, and bad for society. Consider the position for a moment. This is a democratic country: the laws are made by the people, for the people. Op electoral laws are so devised as to give every section an opportunity for direct representation. Majorities rule, minorities are represented. Yet one-half of the community is without direct representation. It . is said that women look at life from a, different angle to men., -No doubt they do. But this is an additional reason why their views should be put directly before the Legislature. Women have as much .right in Parliament as men. When they seek election they should.be judged on their merits." When a' man of Mr. Hughes's experience makes a written declaration of the kind crnoted it is time that other lesser politicians: gave tha matter of the direct representation _ of women some further consideration.

It is stated that the 'Auckland City Council is taking measures to abate the nuisance in the streets caused by the presence of children rushing heedlosslv about on trolleys. The'traffio inspector had been asked to report on the matter and brought in the names of seventeen Imys found on one road where the.traffic was already congested. There is little doubt that many children endanger their Jives by their carelessness in this direction. But another point is the danger caused to other people, who struggle to avoid driving over them. There is another risk to the older people,, and that 3s from the riders 6i tricycles. Just' recently, a small child-was taken by his mother to-make" one of a crowd looking on at a fashionable wedding, and when the people were moving away quite a number narrowly escaped accident from the boy wheeling himself through the people, catching them by the legs or .skirts. These things need checking by those appointed to look after and regulate traffic, for that on the footpaths needs attention almost as much as that on the roads. The point of the latter Ku* vhs selfishnes S of the mother and the bad training of the child

A most extraordinary and, if true t. e7"ble story of the ill-treatnisnt of a little boy who was placed in the can, of a person while his mother was obliged to go out to earn her living, comes irom Auckland. The child was made to sit out m the rain for some hours and beaten cruelly at the end of tho' time as an obvious misfortune happened to liim as the result of not being allowed fo move from the. one place. Other things of the sort were reported, and the correspondent urges that no children should be allowed to be left in the cure of people who are not subject to Ooyeruinenfc or other authorised supervision. .These sad stories—which are vouched for as quite true—show the need for tho properly constituted nurseries such as exist in Wellington, where tho J;t.-is ones can be left in safety, deanji't'cs--, and happiness. About the poor I'J-He ante m Auckland tho writer says: . I-his state of affairs could not exist Z„n , lnstltf on "h<*° the children Jhn" w™ l^ flr Pr°PCr sllW™<™, and tliat would turn out a useful citizen instead of a boy who is inwardly seeth-' in ? against the unfair treatment },c receives, but ono who i s too cowed to openly resent such and whoso usefulness to the community i 3 considerably l- es«ened by this treatment, it having a bad influence on his outlook on l"? e " Ihore is no doubt that a section of people are quite unfit to take charijo of nnythmg helpless such ;lsmallch f, d °f -^o^liigh degree is not