WOMEN AT WORK.

White Ribbon, Volume 32, Issue 376, 18 October 1926, Page 1

WOMEN AT WORK.

Miss Willard once said: “Women will sweeten and clean every place ihey enter, and they will enter every place In the wide world.” How truly prophetic were her words! Doors ire opening everywhere, and it is for the women of to-day to obey the words of our distinguished leader ind to “enter every open door ” Even in these lonely, lovely islands in the far-off Pacific, though w p may not be leading the procession through those open doors, yet we are not by any means in the rear. Women have been elected to School Committees, to Local Bodies, and in all positions they have so ably done their part, that they have been not only elected, but re-elected, and that more than once. It is about 16 years since Legislation was passed allowing women to be elected upon our Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards. Nelson immediately took advantage of the new Legislation, and two White Rlbboners were elected upon their H. and C.A. Board, viz., Mrs R. W T atson and Mrs C. Y. Fell. Though this partnership has been dissolved by Mrs Fell’s absence in the Old Country, Mrs Watson has been continuously a member of this Board for over 15 years. Lately, she has been Joined by another White R*bboner, Mrs Moffatt, of Motueka. Mrs Moffatt *as the first President of the Motueka Union, and some of our readers may remember her as representing that branch at the last Napier Convention. Luring our recent visit to Nilson. spent half a day with Mrs Watson,

and were much impressed with the opportunities for serving and helping our weaker, poorer sisters, such a position as this confers upon a worker. With Mrs Watson, we visited Nelson’s new Hospital, one of the finest and most up-to-date South of the line. How beautiful were its sunny balconies with their rows of beds, every patient so cheery in spite of their suffering. The wards are

large, light, sunny, well-aired, cheery rooms, but, of course, during the daytime, they are largely deserted in favour of the yet sunnier balconies. One thing which took our housewifely eye, as we trod the long corridors, was the narrow bevelled skirting board, not a corner anywhere

to harbour dust, let alone a lively microbe, all were rounded and easily accessible to the dust mop. The operating theatre, the room with its special table for dealing w ith fractures, the St. Helen's Department, one and all, contained all the very latest that science had devised for the relief of suffering humanity. But, the pathos of the suffering was there, and we welcomed the thought of research for the prevention of disease, which, is, to our mind, even more important than to cure. We wonder if the almond-eyed Celestial is not a wiser man than his Western brother, when he pays his physician a regular salary so long as he is in health, but no salary while he is sick. While this might turti medical research more to preventing disease, it would be distinctly unfair to the doctor if the patient refused to obey his medical adviser's prohibitions. Every week a poultry farm sends a gift of eggs for returned soldiers in hospital. Mrs Watson takes these up and delivers them personally to the soldiers. We spoke to the patients as we passed along, and every now and then, when she was in doubt, we heard her cheery voice, “Are you a returned man?”

Mrs Watson gives practice 11/ all her time to this work. One room in her house is full of clothing, etc., given by friends. Here those in need of aid can apply and be comfortably fitted O'C - During lunch, the ’phone rang an urgent call, an elderly woman lay Pick in a rented room, none of her own to attend upon her. Jvould Mrs Watson go and set' her.

We had planned an afternoon together at a Home meeting, but duty called, and while we went off to speak at the meeting, Mrs Watson jumped on her bike and went to see the invalid, w T ho had changed her mind and thought she would be better in the hospital. So the ambulance

was rung for, and was there almost before Mrs Watson had the patient ready. She saw r her comfortably settled and contented before leaving her. Just one incident in her busy life.

Mrs Watson's live sons all went to the war, and two of them made the* supreme sacrifice, while a third stil! suffers severely from war disabilities. The long strain of that period aged the mother, and has left its mark upon her, but it has not dimmed her cheery optimism. Her own children have all left the old home, and the mothei is giving to the suffering and needy, the time, the love, the skill that once were needed for her own family. And. in blessing those around, she has herself been blest.

The Public have shown their appreciation of her work by returning her at every election, the last time at the head of the Poll. She is sane and level handed, rum. no tilts against windmills, but is fearless in denouncing what ought not to be done. When the new' Hospital was opened, a fine afternoon tea w r us provided for visitors, and was enjoyed by hundreds of the citizens. In the accounts presented at the next Hoard meeting w’as an item of £l7 for liquor. This she instantly challenged with the question: “Was that amount of our money spent on drink?” Her query was flashed around the Dominion by the Press A c sociation, and lets us know r that women on H. and C.A. Boards’ will be as careful of the ratepayers’ money as they were of their own housekeeping allowance. The male members of th* Board are ever helpful and courteous, end Mrs Watson speaks highly of the brotherliness shown to her in her w'ork. When she was returned ai the head of the Poll, her brother members showed their appreciation by waiting to greet her at the er trance to the Hospital, as she arrived for her first meeting. She is now’ collecting for a cinenui picture plant for the patients at the

Hospital. Already she has collected £1 10, and is on the war-path for the remaining £7O needed. The money whs willingly given, and many said they gave it to her gladly in recognit >r of her fine service to the poor and the suffering. Mrs MofTatt resides, in Motueka. Then* is a Hospital there. It is a Maternity Hospital, with emergency beds for accidents and sudden illness. Mrs MofTatt keeps in touch with the work there, also arranges for admission to Nelson Hospital of needy cases, and places the circumstances before the Board. Then Mrs MofTatt. too, appeals to friends for clothe, and fits out those w’ho need warm clothing. She remarks:

“It’s wonderful what one can do in the way of children’s clothes with a few old costumes.” There are some things that sadden these workers, and make them feel that a little alteration in the law would help them. When aid is given to a needy family, the husband being a heavy drinker, the Board cannot take out a prohibition urd°r against him, so they support the family while father’s help .o support the Publican’s family. S» metimes it is had management of the wife responsible for poverty. Then, too, they will be glad, for the W.C.T.LJ. resolution to be given effect to, compelling deserters, who won’t maintain their family to be put to work, and the money used to keep the family. Mrs Moffat* speaks of the

tragedy of a home, where the mother goes off and deserts husband and children. There are many cases of this kind, and some means might be devised of helping. Mrs Moffatt speaks of the fascination of the work, how it is a real education, and she too, pays a tribute to her male colleagues, and says that they realis the value of the “woman’s point of view.’