Says Women Must Play Bigger Role

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 48, 26 February 1943, Page 5

Says Women Must Play Bigger Role

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Feb. 2;

The address in reply debate was commenced in the House to-night by Mr. Ct W. Boswell (Bay of Islands). The galleries and benches oi the House itself were fairly well filled for the occasion. Mr. Boswell referred to tho years of travail which lay behind us, but he said the occasion brought forth the men and we had been thrice blessed in our leaders. He eulogised our own forces in all the spheres in which they had been engaged and paid tribute to the Government’s war effort in this connection. He referred to the heavy burden of work which had fallen on individual ministers and paid a special tribute to tho Prime Minister who, he said, had courage, insight, foresight and ability. He had won the respect of the nation. Then too, said Mr. Boswell, there were the men and women who worked on farms, in factories and workshops, and our industrialists, all of whom were contributing splendidly to our war effort. Dealing with the Government’s record since its occupation of the Treasury benches, he said there .were some people who were afraid that, because the Labour Party had sought peace, it would not be capable of defending the nation in time of w T ar. Actually when war came, perhaps no other British Dominion was as well prepared for it as was this Dominion. Mr. Boswell then moved the formal motion that the respectful address be sent to His Excellency in reply to his speech. Seconding the motion Miss M. Howard (Christchurch East) who was making her first speech in the House, was greeted with applause from both sides of the chamber. “We are leading the world to-day in Social Security,” she said. “I know from practical experience what Social Security means to the people of the country and I know what it was like in this Dominion both before and after it was placed on the Statute books.” Miss Howard said she had for some time been chairman of a committee dealing with relief in the city of Christchurch, and one had to go into the homes of tho poor and invalids as she had, to realise tho value of Social Security and the Invalidity pension. It was one of the greatest pieces of legislation that had ever been introduced in New Zealand or, in fact, anywhere in the world. She was proud to be a member of the Government that introduced Social Security. She did not think it was adequate in certain respects even now and there were certain aspects in which it could be improved, Miss Howard added. She said she was not an extreme feminist, but she did understand the woman’s point of view and she belonged to a Government which recognised that a woman had something to contribute to the legislation of the country. For instance, she said, she had been in the House only two days, but she had reached the conclusion that the women of the House would have to band together to get rid of some of the old customs which were outworn. She would suggest that the House committee be scrapped and the women of the House should replace them. Members would then receive a better service. She also had been told that no woman was allowed entrance to the distinguished stranger’s gallery on the floor of the House itself. Personally she did not see why women should not be given the same privileges there as men (cries of hear, hear). She said she believed women had lost their inferiority complex, but that they would and must play a tremendous part in post-war reconstruction. She also thought women should have a place in the planning of Houses. When Miss Howard concluded her speech, Mrs. C. Stewart (Wellington West) was the first to congratulate her and she later received congratulations from members on both sides of the House which rose at 8.50 until 2.30 on Wednesday.