“COMPLETE IGNORANCE”

Evening Star, Issue 21718, 12 May 1934, Page 21

“COMPLETE IGNORANCE”

WOMEN'S SOCIETY REPLIES TO PROFESSOR " UNBECOMING REMARKS " ON WOMEN POLICE AND JURORS [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, May 11. At a meeting to-day of the Wellington branch of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children, the following resolutions were passed in reply to the remarks made by Professor Algio. of Auckland, concerning the appointment of women police: “ (1) Tii at tho Society for the Protection of Women and Children enters an emphatic protest against the remarks of Professor Algic on the subject of women police as coming from one who is not a social service worker, and as showing that he is in complete ignorance of the subject. “ (2) That the demand for the appointment of those women in New Zealand be reasserted on the following grounds: “ (a) That the women social service workers of the dominion, through their national council (representing several thousands of wonlen), have asked for years for the assistance of trained women police to assist in both preventive and remedial work among young people and children. The people who make this request are those who for mainyears have worked in a voluntary capacity among the unfortunate and erring ones, and are well aware of their necessities. “ (h) That women police in London and other cities in England and abroad are being steadily increased ns finances permit, and that modern thought on the part of men as well as women is in the direction of that protection, which can only he afforded by women. The protection society wishes to pay tribute »to the police force of the dominion, hut in common with other practical societies, it knows that there are certain branches of the work which can only be done by women. The society deprecates the unbecoming remarks of Professor Algie regarding the motives which actuate women in asking for women police or for the power of sitting on juries, as the motives which inspire these requests arc of the highest and involve a great degree oi self-sacrifice.” [Amongst other things, Professor Algie, addressing the Lyceum Club at Auckland, asked; “ Are you quite satisfied as womenfolk that discipline in your own homes is such as to entitle you to go out in the world and say you are going to discipline -young people you find in the streets? I doubt it.” The professor said that while he believed that a great percentage of women did not want to be jurors, there were many others who did. “ Why do they want to get into this?” he asked. “ Many of you who do are actuated by motive’s of restlessness, _ a desire for novelty, possibly curiosity, and any motives other than the desire to sec a due administration of justice. You sav you can handle better than men cases dealing with young women and children, but as long as you yourselves continue to command as you do the sympathy and respect of men, you need not worry that your children and your fellow-women will suffer at the hands of any common British jury.”]