NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 911, 9 June 1903, Page 3

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN.

GISBORNE BRANCH

At Ihe annual meeting of the Gisborne branch of the National Council of Women, the President. (Mrs Stevwriglitj delivered the following :

PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS

ft was decided at the last meeting of Ihe National Council—May, R)ii2—that, a meeting of the Executive for this year would fill all requirements, the place of meeting to lie subsequently arranged. We were invited to Nelson and New Plymouth and finally fixed on the latter. For many reasons, however, it was found inconvenient to go to New Plymouth during May, and the fneeting was postponed until September. On the

agenda paper f find the following subjects set down for probable discussion : “ Removal of the remaining disabilities of women,' “ Wo-

man's part in education,” ” .Uunici pai kitchens,’’ “ Our children,” “ A plea for a simpler life,” “ Notes ot a member's visit to Germany,” ‘•Our Factories Act.” Mrs Sheppard had prepared a paper on the subject of the disabilities’ removal, winch, on the postponement of our meeting, was printed in the White Ribbon fur .May. A Bill with this object m view lias already, as you aro aware, passed its second reading three l imes in the i louse of Representatives, hut. the sex-bias of that.

chamber being for the time ijeiiif? too si roil”;, it, found place each time in the coIJi/i of “ slaughtered iiuiucenls.” ,\lr AlcNab, i believe, is to introduce a liill this session to remove the stigma which co-e.visl s with woman’s suffrage in Mew Zealand, and, so far as I know, in New Zealand only, viz., that of her inability to represent as well as to he represented. Such a proviso, as I have often pointed out, was a slight, not only on women, hut on every man in the colony, because a woman, as a man, could take her seat in Parliament only when sent there by the vote of her co-electors. We are sometimes fold that women do not want to go to Parliament. Of course all women have not this special ambition ; just as little have all men, hul, though few—let. us say, laborers, sailors, bakers, or doctors—fake their seats in the House, this was never produced at, any former extension of tin: franchise as a reason why laborers, sailors, bakers, or doctors should he disabled by law from so doing. To, say that women do not want, this disability removed is, in the first place, a peculiarly Seddonlan assumption ; and, in the second, J submit that, that has nothing wliae ever to do with the argument. Surely, it ought to he enough in this, as m every other controversy, that, the

hand of leader, who have been constituted the mouthpiece of this special controversy, hacked by thousands m' both sexes, have, during the whole past decade, insisted on the removal of the embargo. Surely, the representation of New Zealand might safely ho left in the. hands of its male and female electors ! But is it any wonder that tilings are as

they are ? On Tuesday evening, our own member, a typical presentday representative, Native Minister, and eager supporter of the Government,, addressed us. He spoke for two hours (minus perhaps fifteen minutes) on preferential tariffs, land settlement, Native interests, roads, bridges, and our local industries. In-

to the fifteen minutes were crammed sundry remarks on the great social questions of education, the general question of the liquor traffic, and the special question of State control in the King Country. That was all. I am not complaining ; 1 am perfectly aware of the importance of material prosperity and of the seriousness of Ministers’ responsibility in this respect ; hut material prosperity aloue will not suffice to make us a good, contented, co-operative, happy people. Speaking of preferential

tariffs, Mr Carroll discoursed on our colonial policy of protection, and exhorted us to open our hearts wide enough to take in the Empire. Just so ; I, a woman, would like to know why wc are to stop at the Empire 7 Why wc may not open our hearts as wide as the world, and do unto our brothers of other lands just as we should wish them to do to us 7 When Mr Carroll spoke of land settlement and distribution, my mind reverted to the year 1893, when the present. Government proposed a system of perpetual leasehold, with periodic re-valuations, but accepted tho com promise of what is known as a lease in perpetuity —999 years, at a fixed rent, based on 4 per cent of capital value, but with no re-valuation clause. Tho difference is radical, and many of ub women supporters of that government would gladly have seen it stake its existence on the question. I have found, at any rate, that except perhaps women, who, like the young man of old, havo great possessions, most women who have studied the matter at all, and without the help of their next male relatives, spectacles or books, believe that the land of any country belongs to tho people. Land nationalisation was one of tho leading subjects to which women called the attention of the National Council of Women, when, seven years ago, delegates were convened at Christchurch, and we rest to-day iu full assurance that this is one of tho basic reforms of the near future. Our affiliated associations are now recommondiug a stern caveat over evory remaining acre of Crown land, and a reversion to the earlier policy of the Government. With regard to Mr Carroll’s remarks about Maoris paying taxes when sharing the privileges of taxation, and about ceasing to troat a bravo, intelligent race like children, and tho desirability of placing them on exactly tho same footing ,is the whitor faced pakeba, I entirely agree ; bui, again as a woman, I ask why -rioind not the same educa'ional courtesy

, xtcndi d even to ihts K ffirs of Bout,lt If a few years of probation be necessary for Ltien; also, let us set such machinery lo woik as will bring about ■inch a consummation, for it will be a n uck day for England when coercioD and slavery bteoine the order of the day among her conquered peoples. We hope Mr Carroll will do much for us in the way ,n roads, bridges, railways, etc., but wo dsn hone that the 15 minutes out of 120, dining Which he was speaking oil Tuesday eveiun", is nut the proportion of attention liml D ,.is colleagues purpose to bestow on so called social matters when Pariia mi nt meets. 1 should like to say a very fow words on so-called “ Bible in schools.” It is abso lute nonsen°o to talk of anything like unanimity being arrived at between Catbolics and the various branches of Protestants, If a referendum eventuated in favor of is, in orilor to please everybody every spark of real efficiency would first have to be eliminated. A large majority, perhaps, of those connected with our National Council believe that there never was a time when systematic and very carefully conducted moral teaching was more wanted than tho present, and they object to what would certainly, sooner or later, become a mere empty sham. Let me explaiu a little more fully. Most people think that the popular notion of vicarious sacrifice constantly taught in orthodox churches and Sunday schools is held by the groat majority of Christians— I question this very much. lam constantly coming across instances of quite the contrary. The Kev. W. H. Harrington, for many years Chaplain of tire Minnesota penitentiary, in a recent address at Milwaukee, asserted that the theological doctrine of “vicarious atonement” —that is, that a sinner's sins are washed away

simply by believing in Christ— is responsible for a large sharo of crime. “ This doctrine,” ho says, li blinds the judgment, confuses the conscience, furnishes a ready oticusc to those inclined to self-indulgence by having ready another to shoulder the punishment of guilt while they go free ; makes nonsense of all laws of cause and effect; and supplants the scripture statement that whatsoever a man soweth that shall no also roap.” This is my own distinct belief, but as I have no wish to coerce, or be coerced by others, I counsel —lcavo thoology to parents and parsons, and render Otesar the things that are Cicsar’s —Ceesar, that is the state, requires obedience to its laws, If your child or

I inino —of iven comparatively tender yc-aid —ij e iks the Jaw, that child ,s dragged bofi.cn pubic UiuUnai, of which it pro bably never before bend except through gome vague scare of a pol'cetnan, ii convict-- d of this or that misdemeanour, and ra.o penalty appointed r,y jaw follows. X ~7 [ tninir tiiat ii this be so, the state is b.usdio teach its children of the existence of such laws, to explain that the . ou.-itry demands that its cuiZeus shall lead mur d, law abiding lives, and that, to tins end, it must teach and tram up its

you/;" people with high idcuis of civic duty and responsibility; that boys and "iris, our future women and men, must bo taught, not only that to lie, steal, murder, or act offensively in any way towaids others, is wiioliy unmanly and unwomanly, and cannot ho tolerated m any civilised community; but also, that the opposite of aii this—that the just, honest, temperate, trulhful man is he whom aii must honor and respect; and that it is righteousness, and righteousness alone, which oxaltetb any nation. Ladies, representatives from nil the colonial churches the other day assembled in Wellington,

rejected «n amendment far ethical in struction in our schools, and demanded the confusion Croatia", and, if our State schools aro to retain their integrity, simply impossible change to “ Bible in Schools," whatever that misleading term may mean or not mean. Mr Cat roll left this subject severely alone. He told us that reform was the key-note of his ideas regarding the liquor traffic, and in this Jl know very few

UK-mlei h of our National Council would agree with him. The reform we desire is tiie crucial one of abolition, and I hope that J for one shall not live to see “ State Control introduced anywhere among tho Maoris. Lot us rather lend the listening eur that Mr Kohere so eloquently pleaded for, and do all we can to lot them have a say in the abolition of this unmitigated evil. I have left myself no time to touch on international interests, but I may tell

you that Mrs Sheppard is going to England probably fora few years next Juiy, and wo hopo to have lior to represent New Zealand at all sorts of mootings ; International, National, and local. Tho International Executive meets at Drosdon in July, but Mrs Sheppard, of course, will not be in time for that. Tho next quinquennial meeting will be hold in Berlin, wo hope, next year. The Canadian Council has proposed Lady Aberdeon as next President, uud I think New Zealand should second it.

SECRETARY’S REPORT. The following is the secretary's report; —‘‘ln presenting this, the second annual report of the local Council of Waiapu Women, I have much pleasure in stating that during tho pad year one general mooting and seven committee meetings nuve been held. This annual meeting was postponed from Apiii 12th owing to the inclemency of the weather in Ap il, Old to the absence of our President in May. Severul cuimiiiltee un-eiings lapsed fur -unit uf a quoiurn. During the year the following res-iiiiiinii was passed unanimously and copies fin warded to the then icting Premier, Sir J. G. Wind, and

bo member for the district : “ That whereas the disparity beiw-cn tinhours of ». woman’s working week or day and : ‘ at of a man, the payment of women on Holidays and other arbitrary d fferencea between tin- si-xcs, established -,y the Facturii s Act, 1901, have nothing o commend them, are vexatious to employers and employed, and must neces--urily ti nd to the ii-j ction of women in the prillin g mid other trade- emiuent y -uilal-le fm niuiien, and whereas enfran closed w -men object to being classed arul

egisiated for wi u minors ol either sex. ho Local Gout,nil of Wuiapu Women ecommends that the said Eac ories Act, L9Ol, bo so amended : (1) That except as

to sub-section 3 of section 23 ■* woman ” shall be held to mean ‘-man”; “male worker,” “ femiilu worker.” (2) That the work, hours, pay, etc., of girls uuder 16 -hall be subject to the same regulations as those relating to boys of the same age.’ Replies were received that the Government was not dealing with the matter that session. The subjects of capital punishment, employment of barmaids, Bible teaching in schools, prohibition, etc., were treated at different meetings. At election time a list of questions was drawn up and passed by tho members, and copies forwarded to the candidates for the district.”