The New Zealand Tablet. Fiat Justitia. FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 1897. THE MARCH OF THE WOMEN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 10, 20 August 1897, Page 17

The New Zealand Tablet. Fiat Justitia. FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 1897. THE MARCH OF THE WOMEN.

o HE agitation among women for more independence, which has been so marked, a feature in the social history of the last few years of the Victorian era, has extended to New Zealand and the new woman —we use the expression in its best b sense — has now established a linn footing amongst us. Miss K. 11. 1> kxja.mlv, LL.B., the first woman lawyer in t lie Australasian colonies, who received her diploma at the recent graduation ceremony in Dunedin, made a statement as to the number of callings now followed by women in New Zealand which must have come as a surprise to most of her hearers. In returning thanks on behalf of the new graduates Miss Bknjamix said :—": — " On an occasion like the present it will not, L think, be out of place for me to say a few words touching the advancement of our women, and the opening to them of the doors of professions hitherto kept last locked iiuainst them. Last year our iirst lady doctor, Dr. Hum jmu)l-:i;i i'(., graduated from our university, and t h i .-, year Dr. M \k<,ai:u B. Chi rcKSHAMv has not only taken her derive in medicine but has. actually commenced practicing in conjunction with Dr. Barcl \\ , of Waimate. There are now leu professions or occupations that have not been iinaded by our women. New Zealand has her lady butcher, her lad\ commercial travellers, her lady auctioneer, her lad\ optician^, her lady dentists, her lady watchmaker, e\en her lady blacksmith^. Time docs not permit me to further enumerate the occupations which are now taken up by our wonun, and m which until quite recentl) they were unknown." Miss Bi:x.!ami.\ then discusses the question of the desiiableness of this encroachment, and boldly nails her ''woman's rights" colours to the mast. "Is it well," she asks, "tint women should make such an inroad into the h'ekls of labour? Jn my humble opinion, undoubtedly it is well. Wh.it docs Lsaao Zaxowtll say on the subject 'i He says: 'The woman of the future is simply the working woman. All we really want is to make girls economically independent of marriage — able to choose their mates from lo\e instead of selling themselves for a home.' Formerly women were compelled to mam that they miuht not h,i\e li\ed in vain. How dreaded was the thouuhtof ' being on the shelf,' and for how many unhappy marriages has this same dread been lespousihle ! Hut now women's lnes arc becoming fuller, freer. They luvc at last come forward and claimed their right to work as and how the) will. The struggle for their rights is not yet ended. Jt is growing keener and keener (lay by day and }ear by year. For centuries women have submitted to the old unjust order of thinus, but at last they have rebelled, and as S\i;ui (iiiA.M) has it: " It is the rebels who extend the boundary of right; little by little, narrowing the confines of wrong and crowding it out of existence. 1 '

The question as to whether "it is well that women should make such an inroad into the fields of labour," or nut, is a big question and an important one. So far as the right of women to work is concerned we do not see how it

cm be fairly or reasonably questioned. Women are free human beings, and as such they have, generally speaking, a perfect right to work "as aud how they will." Until "the State is prepared to provide a living allowance for all single women it must be admitted that women have as good a right to work themselves to death as men have. But while recognising in women the fullest right to work we do not in the Last admit the wisdom or expedience of their doing so. We are sure it would be a good thing if women could be relieved of all haul work, and indeed of any -work at all outside their o\\ n homes. Unfortunately this is impossible until all the single women and widows are supported directly by the State. For some women, therefore, work is absolutely necessary, but it docs not cease to be an evil because it is a necessary evil. Miss IJex.jamix and the leaders of the new woman movement appear to maintain that work for women i; good ; we hold that in some cas f 3S it is unavoidable but that it is not goad. It is objectionable in the first place on economic grounds. Women workers are much more pliable to the demands of the employer, and they have invariably to work for low wages. The first effect, therefore, of women's labour is to send down men's wages — that is, in effect, to lower the standard of living in every workman's home throughout the country. If the women "did not thus enter as competitors in the labour market their share of the wages would be easily earned by the men, and in most trades, moreover, the work would be better done. h\ the second place, work for women is undesirable on social or domestic grounds. The natural position of woman is to depend on man, and to sweeten his life and make him happier in return for the home and lhelihood which he provides. The boon of economic independence operates in the direction of st riously disturbing, if not of actually overthrowing, this natural relation of the sexes to each other. Moreoser, close observers n\er that women detest involuntary and regular 1 ibour, and that it lias a souring and depressing effect upon them. If that be so it must tend to reduce their capacity for being good sisters and daughters and wives and motheis. Finally, the encroachment of women in the field of labour is objectionable on hygienic grounds and in the best interests of the race. They are not fitted to bear the physical strain of involuntary and severe labour, and it is certain that they aie healthier and happier when free from it. Medical science, which regards the sex almost entirely from the point of view of motherhood, declares that the strain and excitt incnts winch women are now heaping upon their li\es, will, betoiv loim, seriously impair both their own health and Lh.it. of iheir future children. We hold, therefore, that thouuh work for women is in some cases a necessity, it is a piinful and injurious necessity, and one which should not he commended and dicoura'^cd. In a proper state of society women would not be compelled to either work or starve, and we contend that those who praise and encour.me woik {or women arc helping to keep back the d.i v when th.it liner state of society shall be evolved.