PLACE OF WOMEN IN PUBLIC LIFE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18629, 5 December 1928, Page 6

PLACE OF WOMEN IN PUBLIC LIFE.

SPEAKERS TELL OF WORK THAT AWAITS COMBINED EFFORTS.

The part that women should play in public life was placed before the Women’s .Branch of the Citizens’ Association last evening by two women speakers. The first speaker, Mrs C. Young, dealt with the subject largely from the theoretical point. The second speaker, Mrs T. E. Taylor, spoke more on the practical aspect of the question. MIND AND SPIRIT.

Mrs Young said that she recently had read of the work done in Arabia, Persia and other countries by Gertrude Bell. The lady travelled in the countries in which her work lay, familiarised herself with the people there. They on their part were charmed with her, placed their confidence in her and regarded her as their friend. After the war, it was decided that Mesopotamia should become an independent nation, and Gertrude Bell was consulted as to what should be done. She then saw the consummation of her work. She could not have done it if she had not prepared herself for it, and if she had not loved the people and taken an interest in them. Women here were in much the same position as Gertrude Bell was in there. They had the power to build their cities, in the same way as she had been a nation-builder.

They were met by two difficulties. One of these was the attitude of some men; the other was the attitude of some women. The position brought to mind the obstacles offered years ago to women who wanted to become doctors and to attend medical lectures. Women, perhaps, did not have behind them the same traditions of the ordinary way of doing jobs that men had In some cases, they did some jobs be cause they liked the positions and liked the power. The only incentive should be love of the work and love of the people, and a desire to get the proper relationship between men and women. They should aim at bringing about a human relationship between men and women between those in authority and those who were under them. Gertrude Bell had spent years in preparation and in getting a statesmanlike attitude to the work she intended to take up. Women here, in the same way, should prepare for their public work arid should study and learn to take up a wide view of all public questions that affected them. In this new country, there was a tendency to emphasise material advantages, rather than mental and spiritual things. In many countries, the material aspect was stressed too much by women. The speaker did not think that in that respect the women of New Zealand were different from women in other countries. In some ways, perhaps, they were somewhat worse. If they looked at the problem seriotislv, she thought, they would have. an idea as to how to put things right. It was .said that women's instinct was to preserve life. If they set to work outside their homes there would be a great preservation of life, and to live meant not only physical life, but also mental and spiritual life. The physical side of life should be supplemented by recognition of the mental and spiritual values. The human touch should be considered, as against the institutional aspect. They should get a more definite knowledge of the play of mind upon mind and of the working of their own minds and the working of other people’s minds. There was too much neglect of the mental aspect. They should read all they could about psychology, and give more consideration to education of the young. The conduct of future citizens of the country was a very important question. If women got to know teachers in the schools and supported them, they would do something of great value. A great deal would be done for the future citizens if women helped teachers who were working on real educational lines. The relationship between the boys and girls of a city was a vital question. The women should hold against the creation of a foolish, artificial atmosphere. They

should help to develop the mind and the spirit of the boys and girls with their advice and sympathy. They should encourage a spirit of reverence in public life.

THE SPIRIT OF SERVICE. Mrs Taylor said that the purpose of every woman taking up public life should be dictated by the spirit of service. If that spirit was not present they should not go into public life. She wished to speak particularly of the use of the women’s franchise. The subject had occupied much of her attention since she returned from the Honolulu conference. When she came back to New Zealand she was almost chilled with a realisation of how little the women w'ho had had the privilege so long valued it. New Zealand women had had the franchise for thirty-five years. Most of the other women who enjoyed the privilege had had it for only ten, twelve or fifteen years. She was beginning to feel that unless the women of New Zealand aroused themselves they might as well—indeed, better —have done without the franchise. There was an impression that nothing had been done to win that privilege for the women of New Zealand. The truth was that much work was done for many years, and there was an uphill struggle, before the women were enfranchised. They did not merely wake up one fine morning to find themselves with the privilege. It was amazing to find how the voung people of the present generation, girls in particular, took their educational advantages, for instance, as a matter of course. If they looked back they would see how difficult it was for the pioneer women to gain the privileges now enjoyed. New Zealand women should awake to their privileges and to the responsibilities those privileges brought w’ith them. They must approach their civic responsibilities in the spirit of service, and in that spirit alone, if they were to accomplish anything. There was plenty of room for the women’s point of view. When she said that, she did not mean that women should be antagonistic to men. The proper attitude was that, as the spirit of the father and the spirit of the mother, the work of the father and the work of the mother, were necessary to make a complete home, a happy home, and a proper place for the training of children, so were they necessary in civic affairs, national affairs and international or -world affairs. That was the attitude women should take. They should try to help one another as far as possible. Women were more inclined than men to see the moral and spiritual side of the childlife of the nation. The main thing wfts to build up the manhood and the womanhood of the nation. They should make the conditions I>etter, and should prepare the lives of the citizens who would follow them. They must; try to look at things apart, from the' party point of view. They should try

to understand the real principle behir.fi all the questions that came up, what those questions really meant in regard to the best interests of men and women, and what was involved. They should get under the surface of the problems, ar.d see how they actually affected men, women and children. By doing that, they would know where they were, and

how they should proceed. She always had felt that, for women who were entering civic life, that was the first thing to do. As Mrs Young had stated, they must be willing to do hard thinking and hard work. They could not accomplish anything by sitting down. It was not sufficient just to think a little on the surface of things. After all, they must make up their minds to study, and study hard, before they could hope to understand the problems that faced them. There always was a deep fundamental purpose underlying everything worth while doing. It was for them, before they began their work, to make up their minds to study and discuss and consider whether it was ‘worth while, whether it would bring about that which was best for the life of their city and of their country. Mrs Taylor spoke of what women in other countries are doing. She said that in many other countries women were doing a work of service for their nations. They did not seem to be afraid and sensitive about it, as the women in New Zealand were. There were seven women in the Imperial Parliament, led by Lady Astor. Parties in politics could not be done away with, but there were big questions that must be looked at from the point of view of their true values, not from the party view. Women should get together on all fundamental questions in which they were interested, and work together, independently of parties. Mrs Taylor mentioned particularly the women of Sweden and what they have done. She said that even the women of China were getting on; they were getting into high and responsible positions. The women of New Zealand were as capable as the women of China and Tapan. Women in India were doing wonderful things. The women of New Zealand should not pause at helping t(j make their cities' beautiful, healthy and delightful,

and guarding the health of their girls. They should—she felt that they would —want to take positions, not for the sake of the power, but for the possibility of service—such positions as on hospital boards and city councils, on which women already had seats. They then would find that their boundaries did not confine them to their cities. They would have to consider the peoples in nation.? close to them, and to take an interest in international questions. If the Citizens’ Association realised what the best in motherhood stood for, there would begin an era that would see New Zealand one of the most wonderful little countries in the world. If they went the right way about getting to the very foundation of their problems, there was nothing the women of New Zealand could not accomplish. They had every advantage and every facility. New Zealand had a splendid climate. It had no racial problem. Its people were almost pure stock. Its They could use it, to do what they would, if they only realised that they had the power, and if they used it not for personal or party purposes, but for the benefit of their cities and their nation. They should place women in positions. To do that, they should get behind women who offered their service, and .vote for them. They should be loyal to women who were willing to give their time and talents to public QUESTIONS DISCUSSED. Mrs Beauchamp Lane said that women in many other countries were interesting themselves in public questions and in beautifying the cities and similar schemes. Miss Trent said that the association should urge as many women as possible to exercise the privilege of Anting. Women should show their grati

tude for' 1 what had been done for th by registering on the rolls and vot at every opportunity. Replying to Mrs Roberts, Mrs Ta\ said that she hardly could go into tails of reforms that women sho strive for, but, generally, the women New Zealand should be more alive public questions. She might be spe ing too strongly, but they all kr that there was a slackening of moral fibre of the nation. There 1 amongst young people a lack of real tion of the spiritual side of their li" She referred to the effect of the use alcohol on unborn children, and on brain, and said that New Zeal, should try to discover why it had of the largest proportions of patie in mental hospitals. Miss Gibson said that a civic stt circle for women should be establisl “ An excellent idea.” Mrs Taylor s; “It is not a dry study, but a most teresting one to girls. It becomes fa natmg, almost an obsession.” It was decided, on the motion of Lane, seconded by Miss Trent, to commend the committee to discuss proposal at its next meeting. Mrs J. Montgomery, president of branch, who was in the chair, said t during Health Week the branch wo draw the attention of the Health C< mittee to the insanitary condition some rights-of-way in the city. It ] been suggested that the associat should recommend the City Council make all buildings in Cathedral Squ harmonise architecturally. Votes of thanks were passed to speakers. It. was announced that Mrs Ack had resigned from the position of v president. Mrs Fraer was the o member nominated for the position. Mrs Fraer said that an appeal 1 made to women citizens to subscribe a presentation to Dr Blaekmore, wh she descril>ed ns “ one of the heroes New Zealand.”