NOTES FOR. WOMEN. IN THE EVENT OP PROHIBITION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18725, 1 December 1922, Page 10

NOTES FOR. WOMEN.

IN THE EVENT OP PROHIBITION.

WOMEN'S RIGHTS THE, CAMBRIDGE CONFERENCE. OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE. IN| COMPARISON. APPRECIATION OF WOMEN POLICE. (Feom Ode Own Coeeesfondent.) LONDON, September 29A discussion at tho Women's Parliament, in session at Cambridge, upon the exclusion of women from membership of Cambridge University drew from Mrs Heitland 1 , wife of a' Cambridge don, the comment that the TJnivernity authorities were bitterly opposed to the admission of women because they were alarmed by their successes. "It is an appalling instance of tho kind of selfishness which even the highest education seems powerless to uproot," added Mrs Heitland. Tho attack upon the University for, excluding women was led by Miss Clough (Principal of Newnham), who moved! a resolution urging the Government to take steps in Parliament to secure the admission of women. Miss Clough said 1 that there hud teen women students in Cambridge for 50 years. Forty years ago the University con-1 ferred ui>on them the right of taking ex- ' uroinations but not degrees. Since then i every, university in the United Kingdom had admitted women students on the same terms as men, but women's relations Cambridge remained unchanged. Twice in the ■«>a.sfc four year 3 proposals to admit women to membership had been brought forward, but each time they were rejected. Women were-" at Cambridge but they were not of Cambridge. Thev were aliens and outBiaers. They enjoyed the facilities of lecture, rooms and laboratories through the individual courtesy of professors, and if preference had to be given it was given to the men. • The position of teachers was even worse than of students, and they could not hope in futivre to get the best teachers or keep up the highest standard of education. POSITION AT OXFORD. Miss Grier (principal of Lady Margaret Hall), seconding, contrasted the position ot women at Oxford with those in the- two Cambridge colleges. At Oxford, she said, women were now taking their share in the examination work for tho final schools, thus gaining a knowledge of the standards ot •those examinations which was invaluable to them in teaching their students. the libraries and laboratories there were open to women as a matter of course, and not as a matter of- favour. It was an enormous advantage and stimulus to the students to feel that they were part of the university as well as part of the college. It would be a calamity if those pioneer colleges "J Cambridge experienced any difficulty in seccuring the very best services available. J.nai had not yet happened, but there was a fear for the future, and if that fear was realised it would be a terrible calamity for tne students. THE OFFICIAL. ATTITUDE. Mrs Adam (Girton College) said the. present position was an anomaly. Unomciauy, Cambridge showed the women students every kindness and courtesy; but the official attitude was "Depart, I know you not. One very serious argument used by those who opposed the admission of women to the tun privileges was, "Let there be ono university in the British Empire for men only. lhat had an immense effect upon people who dia not live in Cambridge, and upon memberß of Parliament; and no doubt many present would remember a letter in the press some time : ago from a gentleman who was sun young, who went down in 191 Q, vn which, he wrote: "The great charm of Cambridge to me Was that there were no- women there. It was due to the pioneer work of the Cambridge women's Colleges, which started M years ago, to achieve the impossible—and did actually achieve it—so that the world looked on in admiration that one after another the universities opened their dloors to women on equal terms. "Everyone has reaped the reward except ourselves," concluded Mrs Adam. Tho resolution was carried by an overwhelming majority. WOMEN POLICE. The position of women police was introduced on a resolution urging their re-estab-lishment on a permanent basis in accordance with the recommendation of the committee on the employment of women on police duties. Miss Tancred (Scottish Standing Committee) referred to the recent treatment of the Metropolitan Policewomen patrols, about which she said it was difficult to speak with any degree of calmness. "The women of the whole country," she added, "have been insulted by the treatment they have received. We have always laid down, as our bedrock principle, that women who come within the scope of the law shall be dealt with by women and) not by men. The indignities to which women are subjected in their contact with the police had, we believed, begun to give place to a reign of justice and decency, when, with a stroke of the: pen, the Geddes Committee, on the solo evidence of Mr Shorttand the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, proposed to abolish all wbmen police officers in London: and throughout England. This abolition! of all women police was undoubtedly the intention of the Home Secretary, but his . glaring inconsistency in attempting to disband the force he had himself created, and described last year as 'exceedingly valu able'—the Metropolitan Policewomen patrols ■ —overshadowed the larger question, and the women's organisations and the House of Commons concentrated on retaining the Metropolitan Policewomen who have served a 3 an object lesson for the whole country." They'must not cease their efforts Until the Metropolitan Policewomen were back at work, up to and above their original strength, and also given the full authority pertaining to the power of arrest. Mrs Wilson Potter said they must make the authorities realise that women, having experienced the value of polioe duty, would never rest content until the whole of the recommendations of the Home Office Committee were carried out. Miss Miller (Edinburgh), pointing to the increase, since the war, in offences against young girls and children, said the heed for women police was greater than ever. Thd resolution was carried unanimously, and it was agreed that copies should be sent to the Prim© Minister and the Home Secretary. EVENING HEAD DRESS. Not the least interesting of the accessories' to many of th>? beautiful toilettes seen at evening festivities during the carnival season in Melbourne were (says the Argus) the head-dress worn by girls and matrons, both young and old. Some of these b«ve been very elaborate, others have been narrow jewelled snoods, or narrow ribbon bands, finished with a bunch of handmade flowers over the ear. Again tho only ornaments have been a diamond pin or two set iii tresses black or brown, and gaining distinction by their difference. But most distinguished of all appeared the head without a crown. Undoubtedly the most popular type of head-dress at the moment with younger folk is the tiara-like band of lacquered loaves, more frequently in colours contrasting with the gown. Bandeaux of tissue in gold or silver or shot with delicate green, blue, or rose, prove very effective, and tiaras of black jet look very handsome on a head of grey hair. Ono head-dress that has attracted much admiration consisted of a wide band of white flowers, very beautifully made of tiny beads, which -had a frosted appearance, as though they had been frozen in ice, and glistened wonderfully under artificial light. Some beautiful ivory and tortoiseshell cofcibs have been noticed, but very few feather-trimmed combs. : which havo been described as fashionable overseas. One of tho few seen waa made in a fan. shupe, with feathers in orange colouripgs. It was very handsome, but not really attractive. It is to bo hoped that tie fashion of almost covering the hair with elaborate head-dresses in tho evening will never gain popularity here. There .is nothing more beautiful than a well-dressed head of glossy hair entirely unadorned, or with a not too obtrusive hoad-dress. But it must bo confessed th.-tt present fashions in huirdressing require the support, of some artificial aid to beauty. VICTORIA LEAGUE IN LONDON. Enthusiastic reference to the interest the Victoria League in London shows in visitors; from overseas was made by Mrs Dunbar Hooper, a Victorian resident, who, during her recent visit had pergonal experience of it. As soon as she arrived in London she received a great many invitations through the league, the majority of which time did not permit her to accept. She met a number of Australians who had hao' the same experience, and she learnt of the great assistance given by the league to students and others interested in special subjects or places. One young friend, an architect to whom she gave a letter of introduction, received all the facilities ho wanted, and told her that nothing more could have been done to assist him. Mrs Hooper thinks that Victorians, as a rule, do not understand what a very great benefit the league could be to them on their traveli in England,

Talking further of her own experiences Mrs Hooper said that she found the London of to-day a different place from the London she had. known in pre-war days. In Hyde Park, for instance, one sees quite a different set of people in Rotten Row, and it seemed to ho the same everywhere. Postwar France was very interesting. Her party broke the journey at Marseilles, arriving there on April 16, and travelled across Franco in leisurely fashion. As the train travelled through the country they noticed that not an inch of ground was uncultivated. The people were all working hard, and in Paris, as compared with later experience in London, thcx*e seemed to, be little unemployment. Living is still fairly high in Paris, and Mrs Hooper found a great many of her friends living in Normandy and Eire tat, where it is comparatively cheaper. A mantle of green covered the battle scars in many of the devastated areas, which it will be impossible for many years to put under cultivation, and only the gaunt spectres of trees and an occasional tablet marking the place where some celebrated building or monument had been destroyed, and would never be replaced, reminded one of the tragic days of war. After visiting Brussels, which they found a ghost of its former splendour, very dingy and poor looking, they wanted to go up the Rhine. But on going to Cook’s they were strongly advised not to do so. Tho prices for English people in hotels in Cologne, Mnyence, and such towns were said to be exorbitant, and the atmosphere not too genial towards tho English, so they wont direct to Basle, and left the Rhino for another occasion. In Paris theatres, Mrs Hooper says, the rule is being enforced that on three nights in tho week no one is allowed to enter tho theatre except in evening dress, as in prewar days, and the result is that on these nights the theatre presents a brilliant spectacle. On one occasion in tho Theatre Francais, which is a very beautiful building, she had an amusing experience. She was sitting in the middle of the front row of tho dress circle, and had' put her long white kid gloves on the edge in front of her. Presently an attendant came up to her, and very courteously requested her to remove them, as they “spoilt tho lino” of the circle. And as she loked around she realised that thev certainly did, and removed them hurriedly.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib,—Advocates of the liquor traffic state that if prohibition is carried tbe result will bo sly-grogging, illicit stills, increased drunkenness, drug taking, etc. . Does “the trade” realise the significance of this statement? It is proclaiming to the world that “it has generated an appetite so ■uncontrollable that to satisfy it the law of the land will be defied. If the people of this dominion have sunk so low in their morals (mark, this is “the trade’s” statement, not the prohibitionists’), then it’s a very sad indictment against “the trade" itself. If this be the product, of “the trade,” then in tho name of common sens© is it not' time to rid the land of such a blighting scourge ? “The trade” itself must own that it is parent of such an ill-gotten family as contempt for law, defiance of law, ucontrollable appetite, drug habit, sly-grog selling, illicit stills, etc. I confess I would not like to father such a family. It is a disgraceful progeny.—l am, etc., R. Raine. Methodist Parsonage, Mornington.