A GIRL'S INFLUENCE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 632, 8 October 1909, Page 3

A GIRL'S INFLUENCE.

.....Within' this.„week',' twp reports have beenreceived, of held in-the north/, girls'' meetings. where ; the speakers: huvo devbted'their ,attention: to : the . affairs ■: of.; girls, and-, have offered, them, the -best,advico, they,'.haß- to Rive. .One was'a,mass meeting/held ,in Auckland, and'addressed by the Bishop of Auckland (Dr % Neligan),.,by Mrs. „Ne]igan; and-'by ;tKcnicadmi9tress'tof I thtf , GM9!;'iytot : egaH',Seh6bl; i the .other was f a small cburitry-. meeting, addressed by \ Miss Powell; /organising'- secretary.' the .Wpnjon's- Christian', Tptnpernnce'; Union, tand! though rboth-i meetings- haiL'.precisely' similar laiiris, the- brief reports that .liavo reached •Wellingtonr.suggest: a- widely different outlook: ;;.j''lt'is-said'that mon.are losing ,their chivalry;", ■remarked' Mrs.' Nciigan,,"thatl'they do- riot : pay. ffdiiien.thesame respect that they were .wont i I do. Surely," she. continued/"this is-our.-own' ;.fault.„' Every; girl .is .treated,by.man.according- to'.her- own standards.'and her rnvni dignity." (Applausb.)l "Men and children," said Miss.^l'ullcn,'."both* take!-f,heir.:standa-rd:from you. .If.'you'are' flippant-,-men Willi sink' to your -level, because- for'the rAost, part;, they are? ashamed, to be.-better, than.you, .but tlr.v w'ant'ito, bo as, gopdias'you, and .Bishop Neli: gan'-'endorsed '.her'; remarks,' adding tha,t-no man: will ...ever say or. do/anything in Jthe presence' 1 ;bf-..a girl'which she,,does''not wish; him}.to '0,.; or dq,"/ ' .-' . "/■■ , ■•'.... '' ■■■'■, .- !. ' Miss -Powell; addressing' a. meeting .of girls in-, a. .country - district, warned-.them against, ac-. •cepting-situations at-a distance,,without knowing/anything of the character! of the, peopia to .'whom-thoy j were ; going, pointing out "taint ,they, might find, themselves in the .hands; ofliiiscriin'ulous, people. ... ..., i;': '', '".''.. ~ Mrs. .O/eligan 'and' her. colleagues! mu^t ■•. have said' a grea.t deal more bearing upouxgirlish. ethics;, and 'probably- one;could-'.endorse all. the' rest.'.of their remarks, but it -.would-: be;inter-; esting. to know how. .far -the l.'verj- gi.r(s- they were addressing agreed; with ;lhis .contention.; that' a self-re.=pecting girl will? always. and in-', variably. •' be .respected..'. . i\--' '■-.-•■ ' '■•'■'■ , Mrs;.. Neliganvisla very earnest iadyy;but,one : iS-ihclinedUo 1 think-that-she ;.is|too,-much. .or an idealist, of - that, class.of 'idealists:-who ...be-, lieye- the/ world-, to' be already jtha..beautiful place: they.would have.'.it. ho. I Il'iwasvMrs..' iVeligan, .'it ..will, be' remembered,- ,wh'p .spoke, of' the '..'.difficulty. of making: girls understand' the dignity: of.' domestic work. ( Now,, a i good, .'many' people ' believe i that 'in ''present.- cpridi.-' Hons,.: domestic - work 'possesses very .little-, real, dignity.; It should do so,: of cpur6ei ,: ,but that is'a'.very different' matter: • And v it ;shpuld'i>etrue..'that' "no;man' will ; ever ]<lo 'or-Bay. v any-' thing. ■ in-.-, the^'presence.'-of. a girl wliich'yshe. does : not- .-wish' him: to:say 'or jdo,"- '.But.-tliil-' has not been the experience of hundreds; and thousands of girls,' who. have had to go out info -the., v/orld to • cam "their living iii: shops,' factories,, or offices.- They do not .'associate'invariably with • the ideal men jwho.will' respect their 'self-respect, and ; ono bias an idea Vthatit .'.would be fairer to tell'/girfe straight out/ofthe difficulties .that • inay-'lifc in their, path,' than to describe the; men• they will..associate with as- ;, so, hi.any potential. GalahodsV.who p>. wearing motley siih'ply 'because that; isl-the. garb'admired'.by Womenfolk.. - Those who.-have -not forgotten their■•;Scb,ool,-. days will remembor how, in Comus,'when the young girl was.lo'st in thejwoods 'at nightf . and pne brother was.ln ; gneat distress/, fearingfor her safety,' the;'other brother; comfortt' l him'by' saying that the virtuous, maiden', had .a"hidden strength.. ' ••,-.'-. ".'■;' ■■'..-.

; "Sho thathas it.isvalad'in. complete .steel. 1 . Arid like: a' quivered nymph ;with ! arrows 'keen,' Say .''.trace huge ''■ forests, . and caiiarbonreil ",:•'.Ue'aths,' ~.". .-'.!y. '".. .-V'•■•'■'>."'. ".■'■"•'■!' infamous .hills', and 'sawfe-.perilous .wastes, <- 1 - ■Yea,., there where:-.very j desolation" dwells,. By; 'grots 1 and 'caverns (shagged 1 with 1 , horrid: shades; ■ ; '.. ■ ! • . .... ' ," : >'. ; - Slie.miay, puss on-:.wifh .unblenohed majesty, Boitnot-'doneiin pride, or.in.presumption. Arid -the. 6econd brother was .comforted, with' tbis.-tbought, till the Spirit.arrived, who has-', toned them-off.to 'the; rescue- of -their.'sister. : telling them .that, just,*because the youngigirl. was' so 'confiding, 'irad thought ,so- little- of danger,'sho.had been lured away by ; a wizard and •put 1 , under .-his'eiachdntmehts,- ■..■., After reading ,tlmt,| one .'turns '-ltd the '.'brief* mention .of' Miss -PotcclKs 'speech, and realises: tliat/sliu was right> in suggesting to her young, hearers . that not■ ovjeryono-.with .whom.'they'. mny : be'associated- tfill'belonging to live 'on the!:liigh levols. . , '■;.- /. . •"■ .■_ '.■'■- .Optimism.is essential to liK.ibut one should cultivate the optimism that believes difficulties: may ,bo ovbrcDine.'-jiot [the 1 optimism.-that, .refuses to .<bolievc':-there 1 -.are<any'^difficulties; in, ; existence.- . ; ; ,'■ : ..." -v-, ' -'-:./.';■ ■',< ,-y s '.-■'-,