WOMEN’S COUNCIL

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 July 1933, Page 7

WOMEN’S COUNCIL

REQUESTS TO MINISTER. [I’EIJ I’BESS ASSOCIATION.] . AUCKLAND, July 1. Approval of a request that legislation be introduced to raise the marriage ago from 12 years for girls and 14 years for boys, to sixteen years was expressed by the Minister, Mr. Cobbe, to-day. The Dominion Treasurer of the National Council of Women, Mrs. McNair, said that, even in India the law was far ahead of New Zealand. Miss Melville said that it was no use talking about New Zealand being civilised while the . present marriage law remained on the Statute Book. The Minister said be entirely agreed with the proposal. The only obstacle to the amendemnt of tho law was the pressure brought to bear by pu-icni*, under certain circumstances. The same deputation made several other requests. The Minister agreed that a. woman ufiiccr should be present at public inquests of females. lie said that the appointment of women jurors presented many difficulties. There was a feeling that in certain cases, the/witneses would be reticent about giving full evidence if women were on the jury.

WOMEN POLICE. AUCKLAND. July 1. "I will go so far us to say that ;t number of Members of Parliament are inclined to think that the time is approaching and close at hand when women police in a few of the centi/s should be appointed,” said the Minister of Justice (the Hon. J. G. Cobbe) when ieplying to a. deputation representing the National Council of Women. Miss Carnaclian said that she had had many years’ experience with children’s courts, and lawyers bud volunteered the opinion, in many cases, that girls would never have appeared before the Court if there had been women police. She referrd to the unqualified success of women police in the United Kingdom and asked it’ they were appointed in Nov.Zealand. that they should be given an attested position in the service, with the same status and privilege:? as men. The Minister said that, to a large extent, the difficulty was one of livancc. The Commissioner ol Police bad informed him that it. would lie necessary to provide separate accommodation. Miss E. Melville: But police matrons stay at the barracks now. Mr Cobbe: That is so. The Minister added that he hud lie.cn pleased to hear the reports which Miss Carnachan had read about the United Kingdom. Inquiries in Englund on behalf of the Police Commissioner had produced opinions which were not too enthusiastic. However, he recognised that women police could do very good work, especially in relation to young girls.