A MAN'S WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27041, 28 March 1949, Page 4

A MAN'S WORLD

Perhaps it should be flattering that overseas countries apparently take so much interest in New Zealand, but the manifestations of this are sometimes embarrassing or even annoying. Often the remarks are either too erroneous or too true. At the international level, this country has been made the subject of a Communist atrocity story in a Russian newspaper. In the United States a newspaper, which has its policy as rigidly established as does Trud in Soviet Russia, has more recently made scathing comment on New Zealand’s attempts at colonial government. The Federation of Labour was embarrassed by the Russian story; Mr Fraser has been indignant about the remarks in the Chicago Tribune. These attacks have only a passing interest for most people, but-the man in the street and the woman in—presumably—the kitchen are interested in what is said about them personally in the overseas press. On more than one occasion disappointed immigrants have come, have seen, and have gone away conquered by the stark realities of everyday life in this land. But now a native New Zealander, a woman journalist, has given her views. The return of this native was evidently not a happy one, but perhaps her words are worthy of some attention. She has lived with us, has seen how other people live, and coming again into our midst has found that conditions here are poor, especially for those of her own sex.

“ New Zealand,” Miss Gwen Robyns has told a Canadian newspaper, “is no place for women. There are practically no kitchen gadgets or domestic help and women all work like fury all the time to help their husbands.” With this forcefully expressed verdict there must be a measure of agreement. There is little doubt that in the planning of a socialistic economy for New Zealand little or no attention has been given to the place of women. The measures ,which shortened the working day and lengthened the week-end leisure of the trade union organised husband worked to’ the disadvantage of the wife. Industi'ies of mushroom growth were encouraged which removed domestic help from the labour market. So the work of the woman has been increased and to add to her discomfort the restriction of imports has prevented the competition which would have made *’ kitchen gadgets ” more generally available and less of a luxury. These conditions do reflect to the discredit of our man-made world. Not all Miss Robyns had to say can be approved, but on this one point she has said something which xequires to be said often for, in common fairness, the domestic lot of the average woman in this country must be improved.