LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15195, 16 April 1917, Page 7

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Are the women of New Zealand more fitted for arduous work than those of the Old Country? One speaker at the Waitotara County Council meeting toiny, referring to the many reported instances of women at Home having, since the war started, taken up work which was previously considered too severe for them, said that he had no doubt that what the women of the Old Land coukl do the women of New Zea» land could do even better, as they were stronger, speaking generally, and more fitted physically for hard work. This opinion was evidently not shared by one or two other members of the Council, but beyond expressing a contrary view, they did not attempt to discuss the matter. The Auckland police on Friday night were confronted with the problem of finding the parents or guardians of a baby, approximately six months old, which •had been left, under peculiar circumstances, on the steamer Manaia, prior to her departure for Whangarei, Shortly after seven o'clock a man and a woman wheeled a perambulator containing the baby to the steamer, and told the stewardess that the child was to go to Whangarei, arrangements having been made with the company fox tie child to be taken there. Before they could be questioned the pair went away, leaving the child. The man gave a name, and said lie had to go to work at 8 p.m. Enquiries revealed the fact fiat the man did not work at the office he mentioned, and further that no arrangements had been made with the company fjr conveying tie child to Whangarei. The police were communicated with, and later the baby was taken by the police matron to the Door of Hope, where it will be taken charge of in the meantime. A circular letter from the chairman of the National Efficiency Board asking for information as to labour conditions in the district under the Council's jurisdiction, and suggesting that women might in some cases be employed, and thus release men for the front, was read at the Waitotara County Council's meeting, held this morning. In answer to the chairman (Cr. D. Ross), the engineer stated that he did not think women could replace men in any of the work which was being carried on at present. It was resolved that a letter be sent to the chairman of the National Efficiency Board pointing out that the Council has employed no men of military age of the first division practically since the war began. It was further decided to ask the engineer to make a report on the subject to be forwarded to the Efficiency Board- At a later stage of the proceedings it was mentioned that the Council was unable to secure much-needed supplies of blinding for road formation, though the contractor at Wangaehu intimated that he had some twenty drays and teams which could be used if labour was procurable. One Councillor suggested that some of the women who had registered as willing to replace men might be induced to try their hand at t<iis work, but the opinion was expressed that the work, except the driving, would be too arduous for women.