INTERESTING INTERVIEW.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16747, 13 March 1926, Page 13 (Supplement)

INTERESTING INTERVIEW.

AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S ACTIVITIES. political and social. A very interesting half-hour was spent by a Waikato Times representative in an interview willi Mrs Knox Chapman, who passed through Hamilton during last week . As vicepresident of Ihn Australian Women’s National League in Victoria, Mrs Chapman lias obtained an intimate knowledge of Ansirn 1 inn polities, pariicularly as ■ regards their relation to women. She has been connected with the Girl Guides movement, as district commissioner for Malice, an immense area in Northern Victoria, and has been actively engaged in the work of Ihe Children’s Court for many years, so that she is indeed a woman of affairs. “I wonder if you would like lo hear about our Women’s League,” inquired Mrs Chapman, a Her a few preliminary remarks had been exchanged, “indeed, that would lie very ini cresting:,” was the reply. ”it is just 22 years since tho League was formed —in fact its birthday was on March JO. 11 was founded by women and is governed and controlled entirely by women. There arc 50,000 members in Victoria and Riverina and 500 branches.”

The Objects of tho League. Questioned as to the work of the League, Mrs Chapman explained that its main objects were to educate women in politics, to combat Communism and to protect the welfare of the home, women and children. Important features of the organisation were its Social Club, its Debating So-

fifty, where nvemliers met every week nmi discussed leading political questions and ils magazine, entilleil The Woman, which was published monthly and contained all the happenings of the monlh with regard to the huge organisation, as well as records of current and political events. One important, eommiliee was the Parliamentary Hills lievision Commitloe, the members of which met regularly and closely watched every Bill that came before the Plain and Federal Parliaments. and if there was anything in Ihe Bill that militated against Ihe inlercsts of women and children or if anything could lie suggested that would help them further, every member of Parliament was approached and asked to try and remedy the defect. Example of What Has Econ Done. “Could you give me an example of the work accomplished in this direction?” asked the representative of the Times. “The organisation was instrumental in obtaining an increase on the salaries of teachers in Victoria,” replied Mrs Chapman. “But," she continued, “although women in Victoria are keenly, interested in polities, and work very enthusiastically at election lime, they have not yet developed any real enthusiasm for putting their own sex into Parliament.” “That is truo of New Zealand women, too,” responded the representative. “Our services are being recognised, though,” continued Mrs Chapman, “for during Hie last Federal elections, when one of the main issues was antagonism lo recognised law and order, the latler won by a big majority and llie Prime Minister of Australia, the. Bight lion. Stanley Bruce, said many limes in public that ttie success of Hie elections in Victoria was due entirely to the work accomplished by the Women's National League. Girl Guiding in Victoria. ' During the past, ihreo years brandies of ttie, Ciirl Guides have been formed in all parts of Victoria. The head of the movement in that Plate was Countess Plradbroke, wife of ttie Governor, and it was mainly through her wonderful influence and keen enthusiasm that girl guiding had attained to tlie great success it undoubtedly was. There were IDO companies and 0,000 guides (exclusive of the brownies) and the movement everywhere was receiving (lie most remarkable support from Hie general public, parents and children alike. District Commissioner’s Duties. “The District Commissioners make a special point of grasping as much as possible of ttie work of guiding, so that In instructing companies and reviewing general work they are competent lo praise or criticise as may tie required." Two Progressiva Ideas. in Victoria, ttie Bailway Commissioners have recognised the great inllnenee guiding exerts on the characters of Hie young girls, who will later on lie Hie future citizens, and have granted generous concessions on Hie railways to all guides attending : n

uniform rallies, camps, and training classes. '■Thai, is something we do not have In New Zealand,'' observed Hie representative. "Perhaps you will follow our example soon Plough," replied Mrs Chapman. "There is aimllier litlle idea we have carried out llial might be of interest. Our Victorian executive, recognising that it is nol advisable to stick exactly to the dress

regulations which were drafted to suit Hie climate at home, have decided that ins'ead of dark blouses the guides, shall wear white.” Tho State Rally. ‘‘That seems a very sensible idea, which could lie followed in New Zea- j land loo.” remarked Iho represenlalive. "And the rallies? —t suppose j they are very popular?” “Yes, at the last Victorian Stale llallv, held in October in the beau- j tiful grounds of Federal Government House, a great number of the guides i travelled 200 or .'IOO miles lo he | present, whiic some even came from the far scattered parts of the Stale. The rally was a wonderful success. “There is no doubt that guiding has !

come to stay in Victoria, and in fact ! throughout the whole of Australia." j said Mrs Chapman emphatically, "for | it must he a recognised force for , good, when the whole object of its j training is the development, of char- j actor and the making of ofllcient ! citizens.” | The Children’s Court. ; Replying to a question as lo the ! nature or the work in the Children’s Court, Mrs Chapman said: “It is progressing along right lines and is doing wonders in reclaiming boys and girls in the early stages of wrong- : doing. The sittings of the Court are ; held in private, neither press nor pub- ’• lie being admitted and Hie identity of j the child is kept as secret as possible, ; so as not to hurt in any way his or i her future career.” i Speaking from personal experience, Mrs Chapman remarked that on in- I vestigating into the cases under her | care and what led to the wrong- ! doing, more than often the cause of the fall had been the lack of parental control and the want of religious and | moral training in I lie home. j