REHABILITATION OF WOMEN

Grey River Argus, 27 August 1941, Page 7

REHABILITATION OF WOMEN

We give a further expression ct opinion of Miss Amy Kane, a member of the Wellington Hospital Poaid to quote: I am all in favour of fixed incomes for wives. If women can get alimony after they’re divorced, and this after all affects relatively few women, why shouldn't they enjoy the same financial benefits while they are still being virtuous wives and mothers ? “In England now,” says Miss Kane, “an effort has been made to assess the nation’s woman-power. All women are expected to fie doing what they are best suited for. After the war I feel that the business of readjustment will be difficult. Women will naturally want to continue the jobs they are doing at the moment. After the last war, the men who came back found it difficult to settle down to the work they had done before the war, particularly office work. In the same way women who have been performing vital and useful work, will find it difficult to settle to the trivial round of domestic tasks. Some of them may naturally enough refuse, and may therefore prove a “handful” to the authorities. However a recognised salary for wives would raise the status of the housewife, and would make the return to normal conditions easier. In England domestic help is more easily obtainable, than in New Zealand. This partially accounts for the fact that few women in New Zealand take an active part in political life. They have not sufficient leisure. In England after the war, many women will have realised that their household duties do not take the whole of their time, and will throw their energies into civic life. We may therefore expect to see a great political awakening among the women of Britain.” “New Zealand Listener.”