CRITICISM RESENTED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 940, 9 December 1933, Page 14

CRITICISM RESENTED.

Attitude of Chairman of Advisory Committee.

That strong exception was taken to the attitude of the chairman of the Women’s Advisory Committee appointed by the Government to report on the Women’s Unemployment Centres was revealed at a recent meeting of the National Council of Women by Miss M. Trent, the council’s representative on the Christchurch Women’s Unemployment Committee. Members of the Advisory Committee which recently visited Christchurch were Mrs Marshall Macdonald (chairman), Mrs M» J. Forde and Miss B. E. Carnachan.

Miss Trent stated yesterday that the National Council, both at Dunedin and Christchurch, had protested as soon as the personnel of the Advisory Committee had been announced. Mrs Forde was the only member of the committee who had had any experience on women’s unemployment committees. She, and others with her, felt that those who had worked hard throughout the critical period were the ones who should be advising the Government. Five members had signed a letter which had been forwarded to the Minister, protesting against the attitude of the Advisory Committee. They had been told that they should be sewing for outside organisations, when they had on file a letter which confined their activities to women and girls. Also they had been informed that they,, had no right to forward dinners to necessitous families. Miss Trent pointed out that permission had been granted by the Unemployment Board,. What was most resented was that all criticisms had been made before the Advisory Committee had visited any of the centres. Miss Trent added that it looked like preconceived prejudice against the Christchurch Committee.