WOMAN'S WEEK—IN PARLIAMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23341, 5 November 1937, Page 15

WOMAN'S WEEK—IN PARLIAMENT

TO THE EDITOR Sir.—l would like to have advantage of Woman's Week in town to suggest some practical step on their part to take an opportune occasion, the occasion being a Government in power which might listen to women's organisations throughout the Dominion. I thought a week ago modestly to use the limelight of Miss Jean Battens unparalleled deed of competent heroism—especially as newspaper editors have made so little of the significance of her deed. She accomplished a deed of world-wide significance in modern advancement. She did not fly to glorify Jean Batten, but to show what woman can do. Would not you, good ladies, pass on your own request to any member of Parliament that Miss Jean Batten be given an adequate life pension in recognition of her deed? Both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition seem of that intention, but your move would make it done. In every profession in life woman has had to fight for entrance and adequate recognition. It is in keeping with her age-long experience to fight now for entrance into recognition on the air.

Well, taking advantage of the event, could not you ladies make some commonsense, practical suggestions or requests to liberal-minded men in power to-day? When the recent additions were made to the Legislative Council I was hopeful that the Prime Minister would open a welcome surprise by making these additions from the ranks of representative women gifted in social welfare and leadership. Well, even now, on your suggestion, would it not be possible for the Government to accomplish in a week what official writers and talkers will not evolve in a century? Could not the Government call for nominations from women's organisations or representative women to add, say, five women to the Legislative Council, not as representatives of any political party, but just of women? And would not common sense suggest that? the honourable ladies thus appointed would not require to attend all sittings of the Legislative Council, but only when social questions were discussed, and as they were able to attend or saw fit, the selection to be made, as in the case of men, by his Excellency on the advice, not dictation, of his Ministers —and -not to be a life appointment, but from every new Parliament? Women would not then be competing against men for a seat in Parliament, though that should still be open for them. From this initial step, we may be sure, women would have a seat provided on all local bodies, especially town councils, education and hospital boards and county councils. Why should not two ladies be on every one of these bodies? Only custom, not principle, says "No."

Should not women, in this young and progressive country have equality with men. not merely in advice but in some good measure of legislative nower, in helping forward and defending their native land? Was it not women, equally with men. who won the Great War? Could they not equally with men guide the life interest of our own little country, so well spoken of throughout the world?—l am. etc.. P. B. Fraser.