WOMEN IN POLITICS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10416, 21 March 1912, Page 3

WOMEN IN POLITICS.

SOCIAL AND POLITICAL LEAGUE

ADDRESSED BY PUBLIC .MEN

The Women's Social and Political League convened n public meeting today of women interested in public altairs, and (there wa« a fairly large attendance in the Chamber ol Commerce Hall at the time appointed. The bait held out to the ladies was the promise ot addresses by tho Mayor (Mr J. J. Dougull). Dr Thaeker and Mr J. D. Hall. Airs Morton presided, in the absence ol tho president (Mrs Ilaslnni), who was absent in Geraldino forming a new branch of the League there. The Mayor was received with applause. Ho said that he could compliment the League on its activity. There much work for women in the social and political field, for they possessed qualities not common in men, and had a refining and ennobling influence which must react for good on everything that thev touched. He •'•uggested that the League might profitably consider tho best means of advancing the interests of ( hristcliureh and Canterbury. Northern communities were walking away from _ Christ-church, which was only maintaining its natural increase. Ho had been asked to speak on the subject of roads, and ho desired to say, first of all, that the city had little to complain of in the matter of roads, and possessed in its engineer a past master in tho art of road making, who was not surpassed, he believed, in Australasia. (load-making was now totally different from the pre-motor-car (lays, for thru the old macadam road had been unite su/ficicient for.ordinary traffic. To-day better and more co.stlv methods were taking its place, notably wood-blocking and neuchatel asphalt, but they were too e\]>en.sive, and the efforts of the leading engineers hud b'jen directed towards the discovery of ;v less expensive method, and their research had resulted in the establishment of tarred macadam as an impojivious road surface of such a quality as could not be competed with except at enormous cost. An example of this class of road was seen in Worcester Street between Cathedral Square and the bridge, although in that caise distilled tar had not been used and the metal had not been mechanically mixed, and the human element entered largely into the contract. In his scheme propounded to the City Council it was proposed to use tarred concrete covered with tarred screenings. There would be no necessity to interfere with tho tramlines, and a heavy cost would thus he obviated. Generally the question of tar had been considered by the City Council for many years, and the City bad to tlmnk the lute Mr T. E. Taylor for putting the matter into concrete form, and. placing it beforo the people in a manner in which they could understand it. Mr Taylor's proposal had been defeated although he did not think it would have, been defeated if the people had understood it, and realised the of tar. Tho proposal to use tarred macadam to remake the roads was economically sound, as it would reduce the cost of maintenance by 50 per cent. It, was for tho citizens to say whether thoy would authorise the expenditure of £IOO,OOO for the change. It had been said that the scheme was not reconstruction, but maintenance. He held that it wa.s no more maintenance than the scrapping of old machinery for new. The scheme proposed a new method of road-making with new formula and maehiuerv It bad been said that Hie foundations in Chrmtchiirch were weak, bu)t! he wa.s persuaded that thev were sound The fact remained that the foundations stood romarkaoly well, and wherever tar had been used the roads were „s pond as on the day the tar was applied. On the genera) quest,on of tarred ninc.idain ho was emphatically of opinion -tm I?'" Avas ""tli'ng to fear. he Mayor answered one or two questions on the subject of roads. He r Jn'id tL'r'Ti 0 ' 1 K ° m ' ral '"atters. thincr 'i„ r' ' A , mnst desirable ttnng in Christclnircli was reeul-i tmn of the street traffic, bv ufe ns Round-cor he rod streets would >f great advantage in Christehureh The school teachers should give nricti'l childn n to if on"''^ Sre Itld'if WS , on Hi lie serious neeideiiK. ij„ *•'««£?%»% 1 niol toi local mid g ollora j olcotion and he would educate the adults hv poll If there was a neualtv of Is „r 'T'T,/' 01 h " Ui> "waning" about wealthy men and their motor-