REHABILITATION OF WOMEN

Grey River Argus, 23 July 1941, Page 8

REHABILITATION OF WOMEN

In recent and various New. Zealand papers and periodicals some infering articles have appeared, dealing with what may be termed the rehabilitation of women after the war. In the meantime, there services in the war effort are recognished as invaluable. But the question is being asked as to what their social status will be when the war is over. We must realise that war has the _ tendency to change woman’s political outlook as much as man’s; and one wonders how great the change is go-, ing to be. / Let us look at the economic Side of the question. At the present time women are engaged in almost every capacity that was formerly the prerogative of men, and, according to reports, are doing the job just as efficiently as men. For this they are receiving, in many instances, less pay than men, but enough to make themselves independent.

The question is: Will women, after this war, settle down to the pre-war humdrum existence, after having enjoyed such new experiences as these? We give the opinions of one or ’. two prominent political women. To quote Mrs Knox Gilmer:— “Woman’s place is in the home. '■ It is as a home-maker that she most nearly fulfils herself, and it is important that this should be given official and statutory recognition. I am, therefore, completly in favour Of the suggestion that wives should be given definite incomes of their own. When I was a girl, most women were dependent on their husbands’ Whim for any money they might require. Admittedly the position is much better now, but even if a wife is giveft a household allowance by her husband, she still feels that she is spend* ing money earned by another person, and therefore feels compelled to account for her spending. Since a wife puts into her job as much time as a man, if not more, she should be put upon the same financial basis as her single sister. Then woman should cease to be merely a housekeeper, and marriage would be a true partnership. Mrs Knox Gilmer goes on to. say that women will not demand changes. They will expect them, and they will get them because men will have learned to realise their true, value. They will want complete _ equality with men in all spheres of life. There are still several kinds of activity from which women are barred. There are women barristers, but no women judges; there are headmistresses of girls’ schools, but no headmistresses of mixed schools., These changes will all come naturally now. Asked if she thought that women would prove a handful. Mi's Knox Gil** mer said: — “Certainly not. After the last War women were content to go back .to their homes and relinquish their .wartime jobs. Women were too big; to add to the difficulties of peace-time readjustment by making nuisances of themselves.” ‘ A further contribution on this subject will appear in next week’s ' “Magazine Page.” Readers are respectfully requested to send in expressions of opinion on the matter.