SOCIAL SECURITY WOMEN’S MEETING.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4814, 24 July 1939, Page 5

SOCIAL SECURITY WOMEN’S MEETING.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —At the meeting of countrywomen held last Friday for Mrs. Irvine to discuss the Social Security Act, a procedure, most unusual for a public meeting, was adopted. In her opening remarks the chairwoman said that after the address each person would be allowed to ask one question only. A chairman should restrain monopolist, discourteous, or irrelevant questions, but when these shackles were imposed no difficulties had ax’isen. Whatever the intention of this edict, the effect of it was to stifle helpful discussion. Women have been accused by the Minister of Health of criticising at these meetings an act which they have not read. To avoid this soft impeachment. I had acquired, from a medical practitioner working unddr the scheme, and carefully studied, a copy of the Act, the necessary forms and records,’ and other material, including a letter discussing the main objections being raised. I craved, and was graciously granted, permission to read the letter; but, after that, having spoken once, was forced to listen to statements distorting the Act, and hot allowed to read from the Act itself clauses in direct rebuttal. Mrs. Irvine exhorted women to think for themselves. One cordially agrees and would further urge them on this matter to study the Act itself, and not passively to accept another’s version. It is most desirable that women should take a keen interest in, and meet to discuss their own, or the public welfare. But such meetings should surely, by open and friendly discussion, aim to discover truth, not to maintain a particular point of view.

It would be surprising if any new Act did not contain anomalies, but this one is innocent of most of those deplored at this meeting. If, in practice, flaws are discovered, by every means let us organise to bring pressure upon the Government for their removal, but let us not make ourselves a little ridiculous, and our motives suspect, by urging the Minister to remove bogeys of our own creation.—l am, etc., M. R. WILSON. Te Kuiti, 24/7/39.

The thrifty old housewife entered an outfitter’s shop and asked the assistant for a linen collar for her husband. “Just one?’ queried the assistant. The old lady drew herself up and snapped: “Young man, are you insinuating that I have more than one husband?’