WOMAN'S WORLD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16946, 4 September 1918, Page 8

WOMAN'S WORLD.

WAR WORK IN BRITAIN. INDUSTRIAL PROBLEMS. Mavt points of interest were discussed, during an interview, by Mrs. Kincton Parkes, who is visiting Auckland. For some yeare Mrs. Parkes lias been very closely associated with the work of women in England, taking an active part in the suffrage campaign, and participating in various reform movements, to obtain bettor conditions for women in general. When the Women's Emergency Corps was formed Mrs. Parkes became financial secretary. Of the wonderful work of this corps, Mrs. Parkes gives a most interesting account. On the outbreak of war hundreds of women in England were thrown out of employment. Business firms curtailed their staffs, private houses dismissed their employees, and numerous official positions held by women were done away with—all with a view of cutting down expense*. With a keen grip of tho situation and by means- of thorough organisation, the women who had hitherto been leadens of the various feminist movements in England formed an emergency corps to provide employment for those who had been turned adrift. Huge working concerns were put into notion and women were employed in tho manufacture of articles that had formerly been imported. One of the largest industries taken up was that of making toys. As time went on and women were needed to fill the vacancies left by the men, the corps «as able to supply the factories with efficient women workers. It was then that the necessity for specialising and training was felt, and once more the institution rose to the occasion and gave these women the opportunity of receiving instruction in the various industries that were calling for workers. - On this point Mrs. Parkes spoke very strongly of the lack of foresight women had shown in not having a trade or profession to turn to. In most cases it was the parents' fault. Those in easy circumstances had taken it for granted that their daughters would never need to earn their own living and those of the poorer classes nad put their daughters in positions where they would immediately become wageearners, instead of making some sacrifice to give them an opportunity of acquiring knowledgo in some particular trade. One of the most insistent demands of tho feminist movements was for equal advantages for boys and girls in fitting them to gain a livelihood and make their way in life Another point touched on by Mrs. Parkes was the cheapening of women's labour. From this injustice the men would suffer as well as the women. Women, I because they worked for smaller salaries, j would fill positions formerly occu2'-ed by , men, and so long as women belittled their ! work by accepting a lower rate of pay, - this inequality in the scale of salaries *vould continue. But before women could i demand equal pay they would have to: become as competent and proficient as the , men whose work they undertake. I Regarding women's suffrage, Mrs. Parkes commented on the fact that i although the women of New Zealand had for 25 years held the right to vote, they evinced very little interest in politics. This was no doubt due to the fact that women ! here were in the numerical minority, and also, that women in tho colonies were much more fortunate than their sisters in the United Kingdom in regard to the conditions under which they lived and I worked.

WOMEN'S MUTUAL AID. Considerable intcrew is being taken in the estab ishment of a Returned Soldiers' Hostel in Auckland. For some I time past '.h need oi; such an institution j has been jealised snd the Women's; Mutual Aid Society jointly with the Re-1 turned Soldiers' Association started a movement in this direction. A Board of i Control was formed by leading citizens,! and a suitable building, formerly known 1 as the Abb. 71 was secured in Upper Queen Street " The hotel, which is to be opened on September 14, is to be under ' the manager tent of a matron with the! idea that sole iers who have passed through, the convalescent stage will still be able to receive the care and attention they could | not get away from their homes. It is intended that the charges will be as low | as possible, and the soldier?, who are not fitted to take up the work they were engaged in before the war, will be enabled ■ to occupy themselves in some lighter cm- I ployment. I The work of the Women's Mutual Aid in the establishment of this hostel has been most successful. The society was formed in the early days of the war with the idea of giving aid to the larger or-1 ganisations or help in individual cases' that came under its notice. The so- j ciety has now become an incorporated j body and its work with the Returned Soldiers' Association in the establishment! of a Soldiers' Hostel is its largest under- 1 taking. THE DUTY OP WOMEN. Men have freely given their lives, and others have shed their blood to guard : tlw safety of the women of the Empire. j That men may feel that they have not I paid too big a price, it is women's duty i to uphold honour by living purely and ! speaking truly. _ Such is tho context of a pledge that Nurse Chappell has issued for women and girls, and on which she bases her work among them. Much dis- ' cussion has lately arisen on the great social evils, and it is felt that the community at large will greatly benefit through wider knowledge on many subjects that have hitherto remained a closed book. With this end in view, Nurse Chappell is at present giving a series of lectures to women and girls. These lectures take the form of social evenings, and drawingroom "At Homes," and are given under two distinct headings. One series of addresses is for the mothers, when Nurso Chappell seeks to show of what immeasurable benefit they can be to their children i in training them from babyhood in the right direction, and later on, when the mind of the child is expanding, prepare the way for a wider and purer knowledge of the great problems of life. The second series of lectures is given for girb, and much information on subjects of vital interest is disseminated. Nurse Chappell, who was originally a Plunket Nurse, received her training at Home and came out here some years ago. For 3 years she was associated with the Plunkot Society in Central Otago, and there gave a course of lectures instructing mothers how to treat their children. Later, under the auspices of the Social Hygiene Society, she gave a series of addresses in Christchurch.

A GIRLS' LEAGUE. On Thursday evening the newly formed Girls' Branch of tin Auckland Women's P.P. League undertook the packing of the Dominion gift parcels for Egypt, when in a very short time between '50 and 60 girls packed 1033 parcels, and the venturo was *0 successful that, in future, the girls are to take part in the monthly despatching of parcels to the front. This newlyformed branch has been most successfully launched, a large number of nominations for membership having been received at its last meeting. It'has quickly found for itself a sphere of activity, and its programme of undertakings will keep the branch busy up till Christmas. They will prepare the tea-tree sprays for tJio Christmas Gifts packing, assist the parent league with its stalls on " Tribute to France" days, and are getting under way arrangements for a C'ln'i«tmas Tree Fair early iu December.