CIVIC WELCOME.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20283, 18 April 1934, Page 7

CIVIC WELCOME.

j National Council of Women Delegates. SPHERE OF INFLUENCE. A plea that mere women should take a place in the political and social life of the community and help the men in the task of straightening out the tangle that world affairs had reached, and restoring the peace and prosperity there should be in a world that was producing enough and to spare, was made by the Mayor of Christchurch, Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P., when he welcomed the delegates to the annual conference of the National Council of Women at a civic reception this morning. Mr Sullivan paid a tribute to the ideals and the work of the National Council of Women. The delegates represented doctors and lawyers, and others who have done fine work in business, professional and social welfare spheres. Those ladies would find Christchurch of especial interest to them, for women had been in local political life in Christchurch for a long time, and Christchurch had produced the first woman to gain a place in the Parliament of New Zealand. “ I wonder,” said Mr Sullivan, “ whether women have exerted all the influence they can in public life? Some of them have done great things, but are all the women active in backing up the leaders? I don’t know that there is. any .great change in temper in the discussion of public questions. The influence of women should be felt more ; than it is. “ A Lack Somewhere.” ** In the depression of the present time the w r orst of the hardship and the suffering is falling on the women and children. Yet here we are in a country, indeed, a world, of plenty, capable of producing enough to make every family in every civilised community happy and prosperous; but there are millions in dire poverty and distress. That endures despite the power that has been exerted by the women of the world. There is a lack somewhere. We must re-create conditions so there shall not be distress in this world of plenty. Is there only a limited number of women taking an interest in the welfare of society?” The Mayor said he was very pleased that women were not beset by the vice of speechmaking to the same extent as were men. If a man had the power of speaking in public, then it was almost torture for him to sit through a meeting without getting on to his feet and indulging the passion. However, there were many women who worked hard and painstakingly, without thought of thanks or reward, whose names were never brought before the public. There were not many men of that sort. Women, he concluded, were now showing signs of being troubled by the failure of the men to solve the big problems of the time. He had noticed more women at important meetings, and he had noticed that they were of serious and intent mien, engaged wholly by the big issues at stake. Mrs E R M’Combs. M.P., who joined the Mayor in welcoming the delegates, said that Mr Sullivan was wrong when he said that women had not taken a big nart in the national life. But,”, she continued. “ women are now getting tired of taking care of the ambulance at the foot of the precipice. They have been doing that for a long time. The time has arrived when they should climb to trie top of the hill and prevent people from falling over the precipice.” Had the Mayor read a list of the legislative enactments since women were enfranchised, said Mrs M’Combs, he would realise the great influence that women had had on the legislature and on social life in the countrv. Women had not been encouraged to join in public life, even since they had the franchise. Value of P.R. “It is largely due to proportional representation,” she continued, “ that women were elected to the’ Christchurch City Council in the first place. I gained a seat thirteen years ago through proportional representation. I was re-elected on another system since then, but only because mv work on the council and on other bodies had brought my name before the electors. “I commend proportional representation to all the women’s organisations of New. Zealand It is the fair system of election, and the only one by which women will make any headway. My party has recently decided not to support it, but I can only express my regret at that decision.” Miss B. E. Carnachan, the Dominion president of the National Council of Women, said that her replv to the Mayor was that men had got the world into a mess, and women had to try to get it straight again We do not want to usurp the places of men,” she said, “ but we want to work in close co-ooeration with all the citizens of. New Zealand and their representatives. In the earlv days the pioneering women plaved a heroic part in the development of New Zealand a part essential to its success. The position was just the same to-day. The country relied on the establishment and the security of the home. The administration.” continued Miss Carnachan. “ cannot be fullv efficient and satisfactory till women are allowed to control those departments for which their gifts make them particularlv I suited. There are certain functions of government that can only be efficientlv handled by women.” Mr Sullivan explained that he had been taken up wrongly. He only wanted more women to rallv round and help the whole community.