The White Ribbon. For God and Home and Humanity. WELLINGTON, SEPT. 18, 1924. NOTES FROM EDITOR’S DESK.

White Ribbon, Volume 30, Issue 350, 18 September 1924, Page 7

The White Ribbon. For God and Home and Humanity. WELLINGTON, SEPT. 18, 1924. NOTES FROM EDITOR’S DESK.

WANI)FRING OFFICERS. Mrs. Don and Miss Henderson have been spending a restful time with Dr. Armor. Georgia Bulletin just to hand gives them a warm welcome and speak with loving appreciation of them both. They were to spend some time in that State travelling round and addressing the different Unions. EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK In a discussion in the House in regard to Women teachers getting the same rate of pay as nlen, the

Minister of Education waxed eloquent upon the evils of giving single women the same rate of pay as men who have family responsibilities. But alas for his eloquent arguments! all male teachers do not have family responsibilities and many women teachers do. If the Minister intends to pay salaries not for efficiency, but for family responsibilities, we respectfully suggest that all women with family responsibilities get the same rate of pay as the men with like responsibilities, and that single male teachers be reduced to the same rate of pay as the single women teachers. The Minister while deprecating large salaries to single women had no word to say of bachelors who draw large salaries in his own and in other branches of the Public Service. Large salaries are quite as great an evil for unattached males as for females. ANIMAL WELFARE WEEK. This year Animal Welfare week is to be held from to 31st of October, and October &6th is to be Humane Sunday. This work is growing. all the Education Boards in the Dominion are co-operating, and the Organiser, Mr. Forbes, has received an encouraging letter from Mr. Parr, Minister of Education, giving “Animal Da> in Schools” his hearty commendation.

We commend this effort to all our Unions. Many of them cannot do much for the Band of Mercy Dept, but here is work strictly upon our own lines. Get your Ministers to preach on Animal Welfare on October 2 6th; get little pars about it in your local papers, and if you wish to help with ex pens* s of the work send a small donation to Mr. Forbes, NewStreet, Oamaru, who will supply literature and all particulars. This work aims to make the life of our dumb friends easier, but it also aims to form character in oui children. “He prayeth best who loveth best, all things both great and small." For every beast of the field is Mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.”

GOVERNMENT (DEFRAUDED? I A case of u widow with 4 children receiving a pension of 178 a year was brought before the Court. The widow got work at 9/- a day and

failed to report it. The Magistrate said the woman appeared to be of good character otherwise, and she was admitted to probation on condition she repaid the £7B at the rate of 5/- weekly. Evidently the widow out of her 9/- a day is to keep herself and 4 children and return 5/- a week to the Government. If she fails to pay up we presume she will have to go to goal and leave her four children.

If a widow is expected to keep herself and 4 children on £7B a year and to be penalised if she earns any more, then we think it is not the Gevernment defrauded but defrauding the widow and the fatherless. ARTISTS’ BALL IN SYDNEY. A police inspector’s report upon the Artist’s Ball ’n Sydney forms very disquieting reading. As usual drink was at the root of the trouble. About 1,000 were present and over half showed unmistakeable s of having drunk too much. “The conduct of the young men and women in the basement and precincts and on the balconies and main floor was the most abandoned, dissolute, and wanton ever witnessed in iy experience.” Strong words to come from a Police Inspector whose calling brings him into touch with the seamy side of life. The Fire Brigade’s chief also, reported upon the great risk of fire when drunken men and women were •» loking and throwing matches about amongst the extensive flimsy decorations. In our own Dominion the Police and Magistrates are commenting upon the increase of drinking among women and (most disquieting of all) especially among young women.

What are White Ribboners doing to promote sobriety among women? Our own Society demands total abstinence as a condition of membership. The only other tctal abstin t nee societies are 1.0. R., 1.0.G.T. and Sons and Daughters of Temperance. Is there not urgent* need to promote a pledge signing campaign? Young men and women who like their glass of wine or beer are not likely to make prohibition voters. Again we say to every member of our wide organisation, that the hevt work you can do for prohibition, is to increase the membership of your own Union.