THE ADVANCED ,WOMAN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2104, 21 June 1894, Page 47

THE ADVANCED , WOMAN.

" The proper sphere ol woman " is a subject that has already been widely discussed and about which there still remains mnch to be said. From a woman's standpoint I venture to say that the sphere of the futnre woman must be a wide one if she would retain her privileges and at the same time enjoy her rights. By the advanced woman of the future I do not mean what is termed "the wild woman," who storms the posts that have been assigned to men for ages past, and who, making a deal of clamour, advances her cause but little. Nor do I refer fco the woman who, befrizzled, bef rilled, and tightly corseted, wastes her time and energy for the most part in useless gaiety, selfishly allowing others to take the burden of life while she contentedly reaps the harvest of their toil.

What we really want in this the last decalie of the nineteenth century is a woman advanced in more than one direction — one who can manage aright her household or other duties, look her best, as well as understand and help to solve the deeper and weightier questions of the day, be they political, religious, or social. To be such a woman she must have a thoughtful and cultivated intellect, and her mind culture need not be that of the " blue stocking " nor yet a superficial, booky smattering of other people's ideas, but a good sound knowledge of things in general, got by observing and studying life as it reveals itself, combined with the higher oulture gleaned from books which contain the expression of the best thoughts of the brightest and wisest thinkers of the past and present. A woman so educated will be fitted to go side by side with man in the race of life, and be — what she was ever intended to be — his complement, helpmate, and companion — intelligent, sympathetic, and diligent. Woman in the past has been sadly handicapped, being for the most part banished to the darkness of an intellectual night.

Woman was never meant to take the place of man in politics .or anywhere else, as any sensible woman knows; nor was she ever intended to be a mere household machine for sewing, cooking, and so on, inferior in mindculture to her husband and brother?, whose prerogative it seemed to have all the learning while she remained in darkness. I do not see why woman oannot take an interest in the world's progress and be womanly, and as a New Zealand woman I see very plainly that the "right " — so long clamoured for and evidently so reluctantly granted — calls us to our sense of duty in considering the more important questions in our politics. To be sufficiently enlightened in politics to use our vote judiciously, there is no necessity to study "The Wealth of Nations," as the parliamentary news will be all-sufficient. Our men folk need not, therefore, be put to the slightest inconvenience; but some of them have the absurd notion that if their wives and sisters can reasonably discuss the New Zealand Land Act it must necessarily follow that the apple tart is ill-cooked. Again, it is a very narrow view of man to think that we wish to exchange places with him because we accept and appreciate our rights. Now, why cannot men face the inevitable, swallow the bitter pill — it will do them good— and look cheerfully forward to the assistance they are likely to get from their sisters in politics ? The projects resulting from an interchange of thought between man and woman should be greater and sounder than the sometimes overhatched and often crippled schemes that have slowly issued from the male brain solely.

It is not the sole right of man to do and think great things. Women have in the past done much that man could never do for the benefit of their fellows, and it remains for women to do more in the future ; but that is no reason why men should sulkily withdraw their efforts and stand idly by, calmly watching the progress of the world without them.

The oleverest in both sexes will be the leaders and planners, but of such there will be fewer women than men — woman having a common vooation apart from public life ; and it is she who, cheerful and helpful, walks with her husband through " life's rough way," who, by example, teaches her boys and girls to lead good and useful lives, and who does her

best to lighten the burdens and brighten the paths of the needful, outside her own family circle as well as in it, best fulfils the ends for which she was created and is indeed the advanced woman.

OT7* [OeMriptlom of balli, fta., must be (indorsed by either ho Witness oorreipondent for tho di.trlct or by the »eoretary to the ball jommittea. Tho US. of any oorrespondenU who do not comply rlth tbii nils will bo lont to the i eoretary for endorsement pilot to appearing.— EMMELlNß.3 To enmre vnblloatton In the ferthoomlng time letten ibonld reaoh the Witneii ofßoe if possible on Saturday night, but on no account later than Monday nlcht.

MARRIAGE AT WINTON.

Two old families of the same name in the Winton district had their friendship further cemented by a wedding between two of the young people a few days ago. The bride was the eldest daughter of Mr John Thomson, of Newfield, and the bridegroom was the youngest son of Mrs John Thomson, of Winton Plains. The ceremony was performed at the house of the former by the Rev. James Baird, assisted by Mr M'Caw. After the all-important ceremony had been duly performed, the guests adjourned to the dining room, where two large tables had been laid with a most bountiful supply of th« good things of this life, to which, needless to say, ample justice was done. In the evening the young people assembled from far and near, many couples coming all the way from Invercargill,, a distance of 20 miles, to be present. The barn was nicely decorated in honour of the occasion, and about 70 couples footed it right merrily till morning to the strains of a ban.d consisting of Miss Gilmore (piano), and Messrs H. Coup (violin) and P. Blyth (cornet). Mr R. Swale acted as M.C. During the evening songa and recitations were given by Mrs Wilson, Miss Gilmore, and Messrs Coup, Wilson, and Mathieson. The costume of the bride was of grey silk, with the indispensable veil and orange blossoms, and she carried a bouquet of white enrsyanthemums. Being tall and graceful she looked remarkably "well. The presents were both numerous and costly, and wera much admired by the guests. Mr and Mrs Thomson were untiring in their efforts to make everyone happy and comfortable, and the gathering was one of the largest and moat enjoyable that has been held in the district, and will be remembered with feelings of pleasure by the young people for many a day to come.