CHANCE FOR WOMEN

Evening Star, Issue 15985, 13 December 1915, Page 1

CHANCE FOR WOMEN

I TO HELP WSX THI-: DAY. | OTAGO Ri'SKnYK FORMKT). j Xi:i:i) FOR ORGAX7SATTOX. ! STRKTKT TALK BY DR. COLQTTHOUN. i ft I!'.e Kinpire fails we mav become | su'-jerts of Germany—the slaves of the j German autocracy." How can v:e pre- | vent this? My 'own strong belief is | thai it is by organising and by organis- ! ing a'one Organisations of ■ '-ins sort may be the means of bringing ! -ipon _ the leaders the necessity of of- | gumsmg from the top.—Dr Colquhoun. I file main object is . . . that the i eigamsation such as it is proposed t-o establish now will bo able to sot to i v.xrk to find women who will take the ; places or' men. . . . But it is not ; au or-nmsation that is going to be | hroughi nito existence for'the°purpose j oi providing cheap labor and to oust I ire;: out of their work in order that ! employers might get cheap labor and i rean ■■■iihaneed profits.—Tho Mayor. j You are taking time by the 'forelock j and preparing for events which roußt | inevitably arise when men will have to j <:■> out. if they don't go of their own I -'coord, prompted by the highest human i passion known to men-love of countrv. ! Hev. W. A. Hay. ihe •il-.ove arc striking sentences from [ very lino addresses delivered to a capaeitv jh./c-r 3 ! the King's Theatre on Saturday I even;::;;, when the movement to inaugurate i a _ women's branch of the National Reserve of -\"w Zealand, with tho object of aiding reenuUeg by securing women to fill t-cm- | poranly any vacancies that mav be created by reason of the demands I Tf.r vob.mteu-s for active service, eulmij rater] in an enthusiastic declaration that ■ th•• women \xor... prepared to do all that : lay in their power to assist in securing jfuiljind complete victory. j While it was a meeting for women onlv. ; the inam sneakers were, men. and their j remarks frequently drew outbursts of np- ! plaiise : The Mayor, who outlined clearly ! the main objects of the association; the | Rev. W. A. iiay. who. in am eloquent address, heartily supported the proposals, I pointing out that a woman's highest inj stiricr- tirst appreciated any possible dan<™r_ which might arise in any time of stress an-i in.-!!: and Dr Colquhonn, who, in what was perhaps the speech of the even'H». _drmv attention to facts that had to oe laced, and emphasised in unmistakable UKiiiou the clamant need for effective organisation. The. Mayor ,-ai'! he understood that th.--m.vf.ng had been called for the purpose of enrleavoniif' to organise the women of tins City so that they might be ready to take the place of men, should there be a shortage ot labor, thus enabling the. men t-o volunteer for active service." The war was a struggle of life end death, and the ouiy which it conk! bo brought to a successful is ; iie was by universarVacrifice. All had io be prepared to give of their very best in the cause of Kmpire. or otherwise we could not succeed, and it was with a view to endeavoring to secure some c-anisate u among lire women. so as to be prepared for emergencies, that the meeting was calhd. Undoubtedly the w ir Uad liad its effect on women 'more than anyone else. Tb.y had been called ur».e to th-ike u'i'eater than had '-'■''- ■■■•■■• ; '-'(i the old sa\ing that ne-n " I! .et work wn.ie woeee must worp was iio loiig-i- true. All would acknowledge the cause of Km ; 'Applause.) In this i ! uy :t was !!i!!;o.-.-ib!e. to find words glow- i :ug enough to express our appreciation of tho wonderful work th.it had' Gvu done. Wei! J)o i; e, Otago '.- \ The Ota-n Women's Patriotic Association had done n> i jiiilicem work. ; Appiau.-c. i IF" knew iKuu 'tiers received from men in the Otago Battalion that tliev recognued that they i.v.ui a great deal to the kindness of the women of Otago. for the things they had received made them the envy or the whole of the Xew ZeaTar,;! men. lApolar.s-O That wa : the spirit that was wanted to animate everyone. All were proud of the.-; work the Women's As-sociatiou had done. \App!au.-e.;- He was told that- the present meeting was to form an nsso-.-i .moi! which would in no way conflict with any association in existence at present. It was to undertake entirely new work—to break unbroken ground. —Defining the Position.— "The main obje.-t, 1 take it," continued His W-r.-bip, -i. s that- the call tor m-.-n may be so great thai it will be impossp k to carry on the industries of this Dominion by men only, and it is su.h a. case as that thai, the or./.inis.itie-e Mich as it. i s propose<l to establish ■;,■.»■ wai be able to set to work to find women who will take the pla.es of >he men. That is tue. ij,-s----objeci of the association. Hut llure arc rertain points which. I think, wan; to be made quite ilea,. The first is that it is not an ormoiisntion that is tiling to be brought into exist, it e for the purpose of providing cheap labor and on-: m ■,-, out of their worlc—'apidansei—in order ;hil Mi i'-". v,, ' ; ■••"'■-.'' i L--.t < heap iahov and reap '■nl-iav i profits. Ikic wed anp!au-e.< Let all understand that is not tho- object ef tins .•]>-.. :::Gon. Another noin; is-—and 1 thhak ail are of im , ? a-ceord- thai --i long as there is on-- returned soldier able ard io in de.i d.e ;h ■ ■,,-,„-]; t],,,,, l,r- shall lie given prefev.-n.,-. Applaa-c.i And next, J say th d in tiic ca-e of ; )a .,, work—and all should pay for the work iv women -the ones who " mn ■■ hav, firs', cuiim are the- widows and dependents of the men who are either fighting for u.- or v ho have already fallen in battle. (Applause.) They mus-t have first claim, it, will be admitted thai- it is impossible for any of us to forecast when this war is to end, arid it may be that we may be orougiit to aire stmits even in this'dear I land of ours. I —Yoluut-eer Workers.— ! It is to adopt Baden-Powell's motto "Re prepared," and it is in order to be j prepared lor emergencies that this meot- | mg is called. It will be an organisation [ wiiicii will be aide, .-houid necessity a use. to provide workers for the com]pc!vial._ manufacturing, and industrial fields of our colony. (Applause.) And 1_ understand that the proposal is that if n volunteer worker takes "a place, then tut employer shall pay her the full rate of wages. (Applause.) It is, however, eulueiy optional what is done with the money : whether the worker gets it or whether she will pay some or all to the dependents of the men who are away fighting. ! Apply use.) That is left entirely t-o her; but there is one thing that will be insisted upon, and that is that there is not- going to be cheap work for the benefit oi employers. (Applause.; He wanted to say, in conclusion, how ccplr-nchd if wa-s to find that the women of this City were so intensely interested in our patriotic work, a,ud were' ever prepared to ra-lly round and see what they could do m order to help the Empire in its time, of stress and trial. (Applause.) —The. Movement Justified.— j Tho Rev. W. A. Hay declared at. the outset that it had been said-in some quarters that a. movement such as they were inaugurating was somewhat premature, but he did not think that, there was anv more decisive proof of the falsity of that statement than the presence in such large numbers of the women of this City. The highest instinct of a women not only discovered what was the important point at issne in any question; not onlv did that instinct urge her to the subject unerringly,

but it first appreciated any possible dauRcr or any possible contingency which might arise in any time of stress and trial. It had been made quite clear during all these days- of war that in this Dominion and in all the lands of the allied forces onr women had discovered the great vital points which were necessary for the 'successful carrying on of those depart incuts of the war not directly connected with the fighting, and the reason was notfar to_seek. As had been said already, it wa-s the women who had to suffer most. | No ■One. had felt denial, no one had felt loss, no one had experienced that sense or' peisoual darkness more than the woman who had sent out her man or boy to the front and who had stayed at home alone to pray for him. And her womanly instinct, prompted bv love, had led her unerringly to work for him. —What We Are Up Against.— It they could enter Germany they would find thai- every department of her "national and individual concerns wa-s beine; supported and in a piactical manner assisted by women folk, which led him to this point : that every citizen-—man or woman —who failed to realise the importance of organisation was blind to the demand of the hour. (Applause.i It had been said over and over again—it had almost become a platitude now—that we did not yet realise that- we were at war. But 'he thought we were beginning to realise it now, and he ventured to assert that as time went on we woidd realise, it, increasingly, and for no other reason than that we were rinding it harder ewry day to fill the ranks of men going to the front. Ho took it that the object of the meeting was to leave no stone unturned to secure full anl complete representation of their patriotism. They were talcing time by the forelock, and preparing for events which must. hr;-. iuidy aik-e when men would have to ,-o out' if they did not qo j of their own accord prompted by tho highest human passion " known to man Jove of country. We wee- lighting the most perfect -war machine ever produced by tile mind of man —a. war machine which knew no mercy: ruthless, nice.;... ;- eally ruthless in its effects upon all that wa held dearest and highest h/our < ivtlisactiou to-day. Our utmost, smious need was men. —Women .ire the (luaianlee.— - One of the great excuses of the man today wns that lie .had no guarantee that he would get back the position lie might leave, jt.-. wa- not ipdte sure that that rea:-o;i was altogether sincere in cvery casc. Timy wenied to know what -inrantoe the;, had of their positions being secure for them on their rot-urn. The women in the a;id:encc were the guarantee. .Appiau«e.i The women had come I togi.ih.-r to divide to remove that excuse ! once and for all from the men who at | present, had not seen tit to answer the ical! of country. Applause.! He wanted them to roincmher that the present voluntary s\.oein had \et to he exhausted. He ilia; there were methods which might be used by which, men might be. so wi-ou-ht ni-iii without i.eir..' unfairly dealt bv that lii•"••.- woahi I:,- prc\-a>'Vd upon to enlist. There were. ;i , ,-ordiro; to the i. A -n- dis losnj hy the National"Register, 20.000 met hi i)'.igi w: : o had d.-hired th-air wiihnj-ess u, snve their country wlin, reqio„d. a,id he believed it was ah?obiteiy iin]!Civ,•'-•.- leal those men must "" ''"'■ '■' '"■■' ton ttiat if a commit !'.•■■ of tactful, intelligent women were eho- i c ■ il-.-n.ev.- -■!':.-■ ,:, :-. they would -■<■■■■ :ire then ; ,-nc:! -.-"•'c-'s 'wiihoei :. • rt to , oni;ul.--;o]o Vv'ith tile f •■ ;,-. put iiefore them, their pr-siticn \, :,:iM :, ,-, ;;ie to remain at home. Lot he did not meaa that, they w-n,-,-. , 0 „o ; : o|.c; -,:(.; ]:.,.,-. thing musi he uiidene ~■!-, ,n :: |;c -ful nii.nnor. liiit he iclicvcd it .■•i,i:;d o,- douo ! with good re-nits. He iru-ted that i::e outcoti:. e' the niecliiig woedd hj- a practical movement ;,.r the helpii , : of men to go to tit-- *v<-:\-\. It w<v;!d i,>move one of the great excuses w'tich men otfcre-1 for staying ivhiud. lApplausc.i Hr Colquho'in said he would like to cxpr.se-. his -.Ldmiraiion for the work the women had Juno in the matt.--;- of this war. V *.. lie thought many men and many won;-e, h,,d not fullv '-;ra.-[ied the senoie-ncss of the situation.' He ihoia-ki we w, r all ;n,-lined to ssv thai of .■-■)<. r i-'.|!e as if vc ah-ne had grasped the r,riot!siie--s ■■' the- .-itttation. He was inclined t.-, think thai more women than men reio-iiisod the t; rrihie clou.; haniM--; over i"-, the tin eat hautiitiL"; over onr eivilisa'.W. our !'r -do;;,.' aLd ev. rvtliin- I '.;;". we va!u-. d in n i- life We », ■■ , ' --' -. - le,,no'i;_- .iay i,\- .] ;iV the rtivegth of the '"•■ciuv we h.ad to ligiit, and it. might b* t';0i.....!i- ! crh . j--.- r.o at i:-.y w • ■ c- ■■;,; t-' "Nci.-eiu that we must wi::. -|-,o «e I were in the right, and such savings. ■--T :--e the F:i.-ts Fairly. " !'>"! hj ' i; : ai!nii'i-.T 11-;.'I 1 -;.' gr-a; em piia s h:,M- !:,!!:--n b, : o ; -e n-.-w. o d ■.. i ■ ■ ' has t.-i.nnpa.o over ; i-h» h-f-v ■•.-,„ - i sac! l)r t'oiouiioim. '- \nd." I c <-:-.. : the trcrnendeas dangers ',-,-:'or<- ; - : lOC .VI IV .:,:!; ," : | un]l|;| :! 1 hroil-icai! 1',,-, ; En-pi:- ; . ;:;u i*.a-!\ •.. -iv- ferviei- v.'.rt'. I this world is ('-. fmd ;,,hl: A gn-a; .i.-.-.i : of the C'.it.'.i i.-i: !• Veiled a jairr-t our l-Cid.-., is uui'.e idie. We have ;d ; ma : ■ nv-.J; -s. f);;i riilr-.- ; : ..w mr!- rostaie-s. L- ■-.■■■ ; ;;.'. : .; svi; a, heivtible roncpiraey again -t : edoui a;;d dcaiaie; \ - - ; tiv c,..;..,•. j.':>.j-.|.e. N"e,w w"e have ;o a,-. ; I'ta.i t inn ;s ; ■ ' ;■ ■ y .' i e. We ;o\'. .- ,o !ft'<'i:L. : --.-ir.;::;.'!. ; ■■-hap-, than we tiv'd; j Zealand rev I it. n .-■ a Oennan colony. j 1 ' 1 wish that ] had nr.0.l ;h;.r j we can he niieoi . '-!y i v a. .■.•;:-■. ..i d ■ j per to onrselvi . ie;; t i'- : • is I ha! da- ! g-;r and if the Kicp ie tad.- v.- mac I - j come suhj.-.-t.. of II- tn.ai.v. the .- '..v'. ■• -..: j the German autocr.cy. What 'ww ve d-. | in lireve-.tt this': My own strong b.-ii ■■ I is tltat it is bv organism- and by or-ar. ' itdng alone. '!'! i.-> w men in W<diiue/o ;■ I have taken up the idia. 1 b.-iieve ■}•. ■.•, | the resu't ofl a niectiej- <f this kiii.i. . • j genisatiotin of this sort, may hj the m'.-.re,-. of bringimr upon the leader.-, the rirs-cs.-i' ■- of or-ani'ine' front the top. ! '"But is il f-dr that women oul; ; ; . '■ i make every man "eel that he is disor;., -d if he does not otter his services. ! think " I enirl the doctor, atnids*. applniß.-. that i; "-, la tvranny worse t'i-an eonserimion. (Apn la use.) It vould be a social tvranny. Many have excellent reasons for not volue tcering, and to attack them unjust!v i far worse than if the Government were to say ' w-i will take measures; to take the men wanted.' There are v---rv iv:ro- ni--m who for very many reasons co'enot go. and they heartily regtet it. and f ■• ! di?^i- a ,,v] in "the eve- 'of their fellow--, h\- not coht". Probnblv ir. is harder fr;- them to" st.nv at homo doing their duty than to eo en active service 'Annuause.) - "A God Called Voluntarism."— Trie time has come to discard that fetish which has cursed the British Empire and left, us to fight with one hend behind . our backs. Forsooth, because some people in times- past have raised up a cod calied 'voluntarism." ihc-v are doim.: all in their power to prevent a reasonable system for protection of ■the count iv bsit.g carried into effect. "I hone," he said in conclusion, "that one effect of the association when formed will; be to earn- conviction to tho minds of the rulers that it in tinw to go in and

organise. Let tbmi forget that there are votes to be won, sea.ts to be lost. (Loud applause.) Let them bo Britons of the Britons, .-.-ml put first and foremost the welfare of onr country and the great Empne of which m- are ■. ye.y small part." (1 "re longed n.nplausc.! —"' Women are Wiiiing."— In speaking to one of tho resolutions p>'oviding for tb.e e-tchiishmeiit of the association, .Mr? \V. R. Don said that personally die time had come -when such an organisation a., the;.- v ere going to establish would be a g-.-od thine; in" onr Citv. In Wellington the association there had now 2.0C0 member*. (Applause.) Surely if that could be done in Wellington, it could also U- done in Dunedui. (Applause ) In our crcirv countries they had wuinc.i in she wci k-hops. i,.clones. and ficids. and the la ten development was that they were now eie.roged constructing railways. (Applause, i ~'lT.at .proved ho\v willing; women weie to .Jo evervthi'.: g thev could in orde-• to nH»---.-- evmV possible !f,an to go to the fiorn. She' was told that the Wellington n-;:;s;ration cards provided for elrnkships. tor women ;:.;•, i'dug and picking fitn't. professional work, work in the factories, and domestic duties. Anything t.h;it women could do to relievo men it was hoped tlmy would willingly do. She hoped it would come about that women wouldi take 0:1 the delivery of miik and so allow some very strapping young men who bv their aimearaiices (Laughter and' appl.u:.-vO Mis Don remarked that, she was glad they had expressed (heir wi!iitignc~S to do that. Rut she wished to make it rhin that women were not. wishing to si;, m judgment on any man who did not volunteer for the front. (Bear, hear.) Women did not talk much about; their sorrows, hui when a womnn had given die r husband and bar son-, whatever" r-be -h- could do was as little compared uhh that greatest of sacrifices. Rut women would prove, too. thai they could, do good work and that (bey would leave the weonmg until th-? work was done. (Applause.) —Miss M'Lenn President.— The motion providing for the establishment of the as--nci;:', ion was carried enthusiastically. For the oiiiee of president Miss M'Lcan, Mrs Lindo Keigusoi!. Mi= s LVvnio .Vi"w;m. and Mrs were nominated. Mrs IVm declined nomination, so did -Mrs Lindo Fergus.,!], and when Miss Stewart, wim was not pteseni. was communicated with she also declined. .Miss -M'Lean was therefore elected amidst applause. Nominations were then taken for a preliminary committee to ballot for 13 names. Twenty-eighy nominations were received, and nein this number the following comwas elected : .Mesdames Stoneham. .Marshall, L. Ferguson, A. Fcnwic'.1. Hutchison. .]. B. (': a l!an. jam, B C Ha,ggitt, C. ]■:. Statham, E. C. Reynolds, d. i\. -Maefie, blisses Hoonor. Run'cimro K. Ceerin. The three vice-presidents will be selected by ilie executive.