WOMEN IN POLITICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20105, 16 November 1928, Page 16

WOMEN IN POLITICS.

LIVELY MEETING IN SYDNEY.

MR. BRUCE AND THE LADIES

INTERJECTIONS AND QUESTIONS

Mr. Bruce, addressing several hundred women in Hie stuffy, overheated hall in Sydney last week, stopped for a moment and looked worried. A stout lady was climbing up the hack ol' a chair and making a terrible grimace.

Mr. Bruce started again. "We want Australia to belong to the Australians," ho said.

Tho Ludy: You're Handing it to the Italians.

'Mr. Bruce: Hullo, hullo! 1 had one women's meeting a week ago. If you're going to have a riot hero, then, frankly. I'm a bit frightened." I'eople wero telling the interjector to sit down. She refused. Suddenly her legs gave way and she disappeared. Mr. Bruce had been talking about maternal mortality and how the Federal Government proposed to reduce it. Australia needed a wide national health policy, ho explained, and this she could achieve only through the enthusiastic co-operation of tho States and the Commonwealth.

"Tho peoplo of Australia are beginning to realise this," Mr. Bruce said. "Wo have to-ilay a better health sense and on tho National Health Council the various States and tho Federal Government are meeting to improve the health of the people. Now I think wo can move forward on tho work of maternal hygiene. As a first step wo proposo to establish in tho Commonwealth a division of maternal hygiene. Wo will try to appoint as a director of this work a man whoso prestige and ability will impress every State in Australia. Wo want to keep politics and politicians out of it, and to leave to this man the task of evolving a schemo in which tho Commonwealth and the States can co-operate. Maternal Mortality. "Our maternal mortality is appalling," Mr. Bruce continued. "Though we have lowered tho number of deaths among children over 12 months, the rate at which we loso children less than 12 months and mothers who have just given birth i:i simply disgraceful. On this we must concentrate our attention."

Mr. Bruce allowed himself to drift away on to political topics—although one or two fierce spirits at tho back indicated that they wanted to hear something moro definite of the Government's plans for improving tho maternal mortality rate—and spoke of migration. In his policy speech he said, the Labour leader, Mr. Sen 11 in, had perpetrated (he old error that the Federal Government had spent £1,700,000 in bringing out 70,000 migrants. During the five years, when that sum was spent, Labour Governments controlled practically all the. States, and the Federal Government depended upon the State Governments in the bringing out of assisted migrants.

A Voice: If Sciilliii s;ii<i it, it was right.

Mr. Bruce: I wish to heaven my followers showed the same blind belief in me. (Loud laughter.) When Lady Cook, the chairwoman, called for questions, one woman leapt out upon Mr. Bruce with groat ferocity and asked, "Will Mr. Bruce tell us what specifically he intends to do to alleviate maternal mortality? He has only generalised about it so far. And what is he going to do with the housing scheme? So far he has only built- a house for himself."

"This Looks Terribly Bad."

Cries of "Shame

Lady Cook suggested that it was hardly tho kind of question one ought to ask a Prime Minister.

Mr. Bruce started to explain, but there were moans from the back of the hall. Lady Cook: The Prime Minister is prepared tn answer any questions, but there is no reason why they should not be asked in a ladvlike manner.

The Questioner: I was not unladylike. Let me tell you Mr. Bruce went on (o explain again how tho Commonwealth Government would set about organising a scheme of maternal hygiene by engaging the very best man available.

A Voice: Why a man? This isn't a man's business. What would he know about it ? Mr. Bruce: You know, this looks terribly bad. Those brutes of men outside will bo delighted. They'll bo saying, "Look at the self-restraint of women, who want to have a hand in tho affairs of the country.