WOMEN IN PUBLIC LIFE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21806, 22 May 1934, Page 13

WOMEN IN PUBLIC LIFE

Sir, —As a visitor to your delightful country may I add my quota to the discussion on the vexed question of women in public life. It is not considered quite the thing to criticise one's host, but it appears, to.my mind, that in this country there is vital need of women's influence in legislative affairs. As a mere man I would like to ask what would have happened in Britain during the war period had not women demonstrated their ability to fill the breach ? 1 do not think that in those days there were any motives of curiosity, restlessness or novelty. Up to that date women had not greativ entertained the idea of poaching on male preserves. But they rose nobly to the call of stern necessity. Tho men of tho British Empire fought and won, but the women made their victory possible. In my own family my father, answered the call early in 1917, leaving a business, myself, aged 13, and two younger sisters. My mother, by no means a woman of modern ideas, stepped in, and right nobly and well did she manage both business and children. To this day 1 take off iny hat to her and the many thousands who did likewise. And in the troubled after years of tho war, with socialism running riot and labour disputes galoro, many times did woman's influence weld together the warring factors. To-day the leaders of Great Britain freely acknowledge the fart; that it is largely duo to women's influence that Britain is pulling through. I think New Zealand will be a happier and more prosperous country when her womenfolk take a more prominent part in public afiairs. From what I have seen of this country women arc managing their homes' and families efficiently under the most difficult of conditions. Why, in the name of common sense, then deny them the right to use that fine intelligence in the interest of public service? New Zealand to-day is practically tho only English-speaking country that denies its women right of equal service with men. So all ye old and clever men comb the cobwebs from your grey matter. Women are no longer fireside ornaments. And what matter, Professor Algio, that they paint their faces if their grey matter needs not gilding i J A. D. CIIA3IBEKS.