BOROUGH ELECTIONS.

Wairarapa Age, 23 April 1927, Page 5

BOROUGH ELECTIONS.

MRS. FLETCHER’S CANDIDATURE. ADDRESS TO VOTERS. In furtherance of her candidature for a seat on the Masterton Borough Council, Mrs. Stanley Fletcher yesterday addressed a public meeting, giving her views on municipal administration and her reasons for consenting to stand. The meeting was held in the lecture room at the Municipal Buildings, which was well filled. The audience consisted predominantly of wqmien, but included a number of men. Mrs. W. H. Jackson presided, and in introducing the speaker, stated that Mrs. Fletcher had held important positions at Home in connection with Mrs. Fletchef said that she believed women should take their part in the public life of the community. Woman’s first duty was to her home, but the speaker held that the two were not incompatible and on that account she felt she could not decline the opportunity of assisting the town when she had been asked to stand. She agreed that a woman’s primary duty was within her own.home, but a woman could not do her duty to her home if she never left it. Schools, playgrounds, hospitals, etc., were just as important, and needed just as much attention, as highly polished linoleums. No woman, because she was busy cleaning her home, could afford to neglect such essentials. Referring to the Citizens’ Committee ticket, Mrs. Fletcher said she did not know who constituted the Citizens’ Committee. She did know that the committee was not an elected body, and on that account she warned the electors against attaching too much importance to the committee’s selection of candr dates. Women, said Mrs. Fletcher, comprised almost half of the electors, but she was sure that no women were members of the committee, nor had they ever been invited to be. All she asked was that voters should exercise their common sense and vote for those whom they thought would serve the town, irrespective of influential backing. As far as policy was concerned, said Mrs. Fletcher, she would, if returned, interest herself in the health of the community, especially of the children, good drainage, good water, good milk, open spaces, healthy literature in the library and prudent administration of financial matters. Another mattbr requiring attention was better supervision of traffic in town on Friday nights. It had been asked by many what did a woman know about roads? In matters such as this, said Mrs. Fletcher, and in similar matters, she would be guided by the opinions of experts. If elected she would do her best not to be a hindrance but to be a useful member who could place the woman’s viewpoint before the Council en matters pertaining to the welfare qf women as they arose. Mrs. Barrer, addressing the meeting, said Mrs. Fletcher had been too modest regarding her career. She (Mrs. Fletcher) had been trained at the London Hospital and had later undertaken

nursing service in the slums. Nothing, Mrs. Barrer observed, could be more broadening to one’s experience than house-to-house visiting in the London slums. Following this, Mrs. Fletcher had been appointed superintendent of

district nursing in the county cf Hampshire, and bad, after service at the war, been appointed by the War Ministry to supervise health instruction and the feeding cf thousands of women and young girls. All these, said Mrs. Barrer, were jobs which required organising ability and broadened experience. The Borough Council, she added, seemed a small order after the other big jobs Mrs. Fletcher had filled, and it was a pity that there were not a few more women to stand beside her. Mr. W.’ H. Jackson, who moved *a vote of thanks to the candidate, said there was room in Masterton for Mrs. Fletcher* 8 vast experience, and the electors could make no mistake i'n giving her their hearty support. The resolution was seconded by Mrs W. Mace and carried by acclamation. The gathering concluded with a vote of thanks to Mrs. Jackson for presiding. CANDIDATES’ NOTICES THE MAYORALTY. In an advertisement in this issue, Mr A. Rippon invite electors to support his candidature for the Borough Mayoralty. BOROUGH COUNCIL. An address to the electors by Mr R. RusseU, a candidate for the Borflugh Council, is advertised. / A DISCLAIMER. Mr H. J. O’Leary, who is seeking re-election to the Borough Council, notifies by an advertisement in this issue that his name was included in the Citizen’s Committee ticket without his authority. Mr O’Leary states that he is standing as a free candidate, not being connected with any ticket. HARBOUR BOARD. An address to the electors by Mr D. Gaselberg, a candidate for election to the Wellington Harbour Board, is advertised in this issue. Addresses to the Harbour Board electors by Messrs T. R. Barrer and T. Moss are advertised. These candidates also announce a meeting to be held in the Social Hall, Municial Buildings, on Tuesday evening next, at which both will speak.