WOMEN AND THE WAR.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17394, 3 October 1918, Page 4

WOMEN AND THE WAR.

THE WOMEN'S EMERGENCY

CORPS

STORY OF A GREAT LONDON

MOVEMENT

An interesting visitor to Wanganui is Mrs. Margaret Kineton Porkes, a lady who lias Leon, for many years past, prominently associated with social reform movements in the Old Country. Though Mrs. Kineton Parkes was a leading spirit amon? the ladies who f*> strenuously aud persistently urged the claims of women to a. Toting franchise equal to that on joyed by men, sho is perhaps best known for her association wi.Mi the Women's Emergency Corps, of which .she became secretary on.tlie outbreak of the war, and which office she held until the strain compelled her to take a health recruiting trip to New Zealand. A"Chronicle representative, in tli© course of a chat with Mrs. Kineton Parkes yesterday, gleaned much information regarding tho Wo. men's Emergency Corps, the wonderful work dune, which had been a subject of eulogistic comment throughout Britain, ihe corps was started within two days oi" Uie declaration of war, with tiie object of organising womens' help in the national crisis, to deal ef-' ii'ectivc-ly and promptly with whatever emergency might arise. Nobody linew in thj.se first tkiys wiiat might happen, or what national dangers and difficulties there would bo to face. Tho "Women's Emergency Corps was created as a nucleus of an organisation to co-oper-ate with the authorities without Joss of time or energy, without red tape; it j was devised to 1)9 elastic, unhampered by political or .social prejudices, and prepared to undertake any work that bhould be useful, whatever lhat work might pi ova to be. The. work that has bten dealt with by the Corps has proved as diversified as it has been tremendous, and Britain owes a great debt oi' gratitude to the thousands of wo- ! men in the organisation. I

Mr.s Kmetcm Parker bus kindly consented to 101 l her absorbingly interesting story on Saturday evening next, when a meeting will be held in the Girls' College lecturejiall. The proceeds of the lecture aro to go to the "Copper Truil"' .Fund, and n Inrge audienco i's expected. ]\lr s Kinoton Parkes will also speak, from an Englishwoman's point oi' view, on the recommendations of the Enicieney Hoard in connection with the- drink traffic. She is an ardent temperance advocate, and, on .account oi' her <-iose contact with tho.se engaged in the licensing problem at Home, is in <a position to speak with authority.