DISABILITIES OF WOMEN IN ENGLAND.

White Ribbon, Volume 18, Issue 216, 18 June 1913, Page 1

DISABILITIES OF WOMEN IN ENGLAND.

Before tin- Physical and Moral Health Societ) in Wellington, Lad) stout delivered a most inter iting lei ture <>n the above subjei t The sneakei said that foi foui years she had been living in i i ounn \ where women arc i lassed n ith , riminals, lunatu s, and < bildren, and now she was pleased to be ba< k in a Dominion which recognised them ai • itiiens »i the Empire. It \\.i> almost impossible foi romen born .*nd brought up in Sen Zealand to understand the position ol theii -'->< i - in the Old Countrj. W omen barrisN ra are not allowed to prai tise tin n Miss Christobel Pankhurst holds a bettei degree than Mi but debari hei from practising. \\ omen were not allowed in ( alleges unit— the) took the honoui - , ourse, Even in the ( ount) Coun(i| Cook* r) hool boys n*ere k- w n pr< t. ren< c by being allowed a yeai - ii.-i (ourse, while girls had to ba ( ontent with a three months' i out In \ru Zealand a t hild could only dopted with the consent oi tne Magistrate, and ao premium was allowed. In England unwanted (bildren were taken foi the sake of the premium, and then died foi want ■ f pit.pet i are and attention, In \rw Zealand, if a man leaves his propert) awa) from nil a ife and family, the Court steps in and rights the wrong, but English law doei not allon the Court to interfere. In I agland, before a wife i an we ber husband foi maintenance, ->>•

must entci tif woi khou ic and be ab« solutel) destitui The < olonies pro ide St. Helen's home and maternit) bonuses for mothers, but Mi Lloyd G let matt rnit) bonus to the fathei. In regard to white slave traffic . which w scandal in England, the women bad worked bard • ■< ure the passing of the Cumin .1 Law Vmendment \< t. A similai Mill had been turned d< w n 100 times. (> n l\ jo members out ol 600 would promise to support it. I be vt men's Lib ral Federation sa« that il women were to deal effei tivel with this e% il the) must have tin- vote. The} therefore urged the Liberal 111 in.m to bi ing in ■' oman ■ Suffrage Bill, and the i«pl> was th.it the) had no time to do so. This was "it Friday, On Mondaj the Women's I 1 deration met, and 11 I i, ised great angei against the Go mitm tit, win- Ii onl) just est aped >n adverse vote. On Thursda) the Libei il Gov( rnn ent brought down the White Slave Bill, whk h was passed on Monday, but it was inoperative, bo ause onl) sergeants ol poln e < onl I arrest 1 urei s. rhe women expressed great indignation, B nd .1 large protest meeting was held, fhe Dm hess o( B it rd (onl) Liberal Duchess) was in the chair. The Government jot frightened, and as a sop to Libera] women brought in 1 further amendment in the Mill. IV White Slave TraA ii not ea aggerated. Twent) five runts age it was considered iudmorwus to ol this mnttei ; nou kinjj> and <iu« ens meet with rken to

ilans foi helping the National Vigilant 1 \ " iation. Two young girls, 14 and 15, v •* ..rin from .1 Kentish town to Lond >a. 11,, .nint met the train, as arranged, but no girls were there. There h an) ti ice 11 them found sim e, and the mothei If now in .111 .i-\ lum. This kind *^f 1- happening ever) day, 15 r > -,[l disappeared in .1 feu moi Women dressed in nurses' uniforms ~ic used to <!«'< 0) gii Is to 1 uin. \ New N orl s) mli. ate mad< ycai b) buying and selling ymn.; girls, In England there 1- no prote* ti m foi women and < bildren \ Magistrate ma) ordei a flogging 01 - 1 months in prison foi stealing 1 p but often onl) a fortnight's imprii >nment to the man who ruins hit own i hild uadei 1 1 years of age. \ suffragette gets six month- foi breaking windows (injuring pi man gets 1 week in gaol foi brutal 1 y ilting and nearl) kflling bit wife ■ iniu , g pel ion), An unf.uthf il husband becom< nated with an uthci woman, and takes hei to nil home, rhe wife seeks a Magistrate, and all the help be 1 aa ht r is this advii 1 l >■» home and make tlm best ol it; I 1 aa do nothing tor you." In many instant 1 - girls w< n poorl) paid thnt the) were driven la evil lives to eara a living. I 1 gland's real peril was the slums. Within .1 stone's throu f the House ot Commons were some oi the worst slums in London. In England wen three million people living on the verge ol starvation, 1 Dglaad'i afetj lay in aVe woasan's .1 years ago then- were

foui suffr. now th« i< .in 40, In Kngland the State «.mi -pi ing ■ . and there was nobody lik«' .1 w"iii.m t"i that \\»> Ik.