TOPICS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 103, 1 May 1926, Page 15

TOPICS OF THE DAY

;■ , (By M.H.C.)

An English'"writer,fears that if the franchise is extended in-Great Britain^ finance /and commerce may be injuriously affected. It is rather difficult to understand 'the reason* and the writer does -not-make that clear, except to say that iij general the.knowledge of public affairs is greater, among men than among women. This is open to argument nowadays; for when there'is-pub-lie : /opportunity;/'of ' hearing about •'worth while" matters, women appear totake-.the/change of hearingithe best in/great numbers, and at times the ether sex is conspicuously absent. But where/women "are.,likely to assist the world most- isV in humanitarian directions, health, v education, domestic science, social service, all are their ■übjects, arid mean a lessening of the burden ■of taxation when the reforms for which, the best-informed are work-. ing' become accomplished facts. Therefore, although the higher finance is. not often r studied bywomen,' they have a common-sense view of social matters, and understand the everyday small finance ' which' leads tp the building; utv of prosperity. A' person of wide vision' «ees that the more women are* nterested: and encouraged to ■ study .big matters,* the better helpers they will' be to.the well-being/of any country. Dr.' Mptt, who is a'• man of travel and experience, quoted Benjamin Kidd the other- evening,, and urged • that women must take a large part in the upbuilding, of the world, not limiting his remarks to one place or • other, but giving/the impression' that the finer a woman: is, and the broader-minded, the better she will do her part in the world of ■ home or outside. The speech" was fnll of encouragement.. '.'

A .pleasant hearing from Auckland is that a traffic inspector says tha' ''the men motorists gave as little trouble as the-women there would be far less risk and' bother. "With a greatly increased number of women drivers it is remarkable how few prosecutions . there are against them. H> goes on to recall all the dismal prognostications ar.d dire prophecies that were made about the terrible things that were to happ i on account of their timidity, carelessness, and Want of v strength of, body and mind. ,He mentions the war service, and the thousands of cars! driven on bad roads and under war condit; -. by women. Against these, remarks he finds that irresponsible flapper drivers are;, met with, but they are few alid "their luck is marvellous." .■ Another found that women managed their cars less well and certainly, but they were more, careful, and certainly took far more care of the lives of the pedestrians, and never at any time were wilfully careless or annoying to vth i traffic controllers'. So much to the good.for Women. , '

■>-„ A good many people, women in particular, will be quite interested to,hear of the marriage of .A. S. M. Hutchinson, who,; in "It Winter Comes. and further in "This Freedom," expressed his bachelor opinions as to the upbringing of families, and the conduct of women in general. He ■was.married, '"'•tinder- circumstances "of great secrecy, ■ . 7 and.- he and his bride, Miss., Rosamond ' 'Bri'stow-6apper,-'6f Bristol, left England as goon as the news leaked out; Miss Gapper appears to have written to ..Mr.'-Hutchison atout some point in one of Ms -«iov.cls, and .their acquaintance is'flaid-to have begun thus. The lady is young, charming, and gifted, and handwritten; jhot^ -songs and music, and - ■assisted in producing some musical plays. It is a matter for speculation if she. will retire fron^ all such work and devote-herself to housekeeping, and her home, of if she wilt induce her hus.band to see, that a woman is sufficiently gifted to do some kind of work outside.without being a failure in : both directions'. v.

:A' woman .speaker in Christchurch the other day rcmai'ked with some severity on; the number of incapable wives who do not know how to cook, and who •pend- tK,eir: time dressing aiu! going "out; What everybody knows is that this is.true .in. quite,a number of cases. But the puzzling thing about it is why is there such a demand for these girls in'marriage? The girl of the day is quite .an, outspoken person, and would iiot pretend to be' a domestic angel, and probably "throws" off" amusingly about such, girls—rbut she gets married all the same. Now who .chooses the wives?' Who, then, is to be.,pitied, bl^mea, congratulated, or . condoled TrithV Comrhorisense gives the answer, and Tvhen the really domesticated girl is shown .to be a prime favourite with the young men, there is little doubt that the gayest girls ; - I'take the trouble to make a study; of domestic scier c in: order, to make a decently, comfortable home for the future. „ :.; .; '