WOMEN POLICE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21995, 3 July 1933, Page 10

WOMEN POLICE

APPOINTMENT IN DOMINION FURTHER REQUEST PREFERRED. (Peb United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, July 1. “ I will go so far as to say that -a number of members of Parliament are inclined to think that the time is approaching close at hand when women police in a few of the centres should be appointed,” said the Minister Justice (Mr Cobbe) when replying to a deputation representing the National Council of Women. Miss Carnachan said that she had had many years of experience with children's courts, and lawyers had volunteered the opinion that in many cases girls would never have appeared before the court if there had been women police. She referred to the unqualified success of women police in the United Kingdom, and asked that if they were appointed in New Zealand they should be given an attested position in the service with the same status and privileges as men. The Minister said that to a large extent the difficulty was one of finance. The Commissioner of Police (Mr W. G. Wohlmann) had informed him that it would be necessary to provide separate accommodation.

Miss E. Melville: But the police matrons stay at the barracks now.

Mr Cobbe: That is so. He added that he was pleased to hear the reports which Miss Carnachan had read about the United Kingdom, Inquiries in England recently made on behalf of the Commissioner of Police had produced opinions which were not too enthusiastic. He recognised, however, that women police could do very good work, especially in relation to young girls. '