AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17151, 3 May 1919, Page 4 (Supplement)

AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW

An interesting visitor to Auckland in Mrs. Mauri* Hewlett, whose name is well known as England's first woman aviator, and whose husband's name is also widely known in the ranks of English literature. Mrs. Hewlett is a women of wide interests and her experience as an aviator have by no means limited her horizon to one particular channel. She is intensely interested in women's work of all descriptions, and has been closely associated with the numerous movement's that have followed the recent emancipation of women in England.

In an interview Mrs. Hewlett said the women of England had fully realised the power and responsibility that had been given them by the right to vole, and were now endeavouring to concentrate their efforts to make the best possible use of this power. A Womori's Indus-trial League had been formed with Lady Rhondda as president. The idea was to link together all working women in a common bond, to concentrate on a unity of interests, and ultimately to forward to Parliament remits setting forth proposals for reform in various matters affecting the' Community. The work of the league was assigned to numerous committees where the individual needs of the workers were discussed. Thus from the centralisation of small societies a far-reaching system would be' evolved. On the establishment of a training school in England for aviation work, Mrs. Hewlett was appointed superintendent, and in this capacity came in close contact with all classes of women. While those of professional training? particularly in mathematics and drawing, were" drafted into special departments. Mrs. Hewlett found that the women who had been in domestic employment were bv far the most adaptable. This no doubt, resulted from the fact that these women had undertake,! a diversity of duties and that they had a wide range of experience, particularly with regard to work that was accomplished by the hands.

On the subject of domestic labour in England. .Mrs. Hewlett spoke of the abnormal increase of demand over supply. No doubt, she paid, the cessation of warwork and the closing down of munition factories would throw a great many women out of employment, and in time these women would have to take what work they could get. Rut in the meantime the position of householders was most acute. The position was being met by central bureaux, which in other words were privote hotels, where domestics lodged and from which they went out to service for so many hours a day.