WE FOLLOW, OTHERS LEAD.

Manawatu Times, Volume XL, Issue 13925, 29 June 1918, Page 4

WE FOLLOW, OTHERS LEAD.

The Hon. T. M. Wilford is as reactionary in his way as was his predecessor. ’Speaking to an influential deputation of Dunedin women during the week, he said: “I will not move a single finger while I am head of the department to help you to get women police.” This attitude is in keeping with that which has exhausted itself in denying women entrance to the legal, civil and educalional professions, which has stood in the way of allowing the sox entrance into Parliament, and which has even denied the franchise to the mothers of the race. In less professedly enlightened countries than Now Zealand the aid of women has been invoked to help the superior sex in a variety of administrative functions. In Great Britain, for instance, there arc 3000 women patrols working in 90 different centres, and sjde side with them are 570 women police in uniform, 20 at Scotland Yard. In America, policewomen arc an institution, They are in 50 towns, and in New York Miss Catherine Davis is the Commissioner of Correction and in charge of New York’s largest prison. It has remained for the war to demonstrate the aptitude of women as workers and administrators, and the manner In which they har 0 answered the call to national service has manifested the illogicality and plain stupidity of those who have hitherto regarded womankind as having inferior mental and moral status. If Mr Wilford were not the victim of an inveterate parochialism he would realise the incongruity of setting up his little linger against the organised will of an influential section of the. community. Recent events have demonstrated that the women of New Zealand are entitled to the protection of their own police. It is not sufficient that the victims of our social system should be punished when they sin against man-mado laws. What is needed is that they should have the advantage of helpful and preventive agencies such as would be provided by the employment of women police and patrols.