DURING KINO EDWARD'S REIGN.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 821, 21 May 1910, Page 11

DURING KINO EDWARD'S REIGN.

MILESTONES OF WOMEN'S PROGRESS. [By Jenny Ween.] Some few years ago it was prophesied that the twontieth century would usher in the great era for women, and so far, judging from what has already happened as regards woman's place in tho world, particularly during the. reign of the late- King, it would seem as though that prediction were being verified. In this period tho milestones of their progress, in politics, in economics, and generally speaking in art, literature, music, science, even finance, seem to stand out distinctly. Tho seeds were sown towards the end of Queen Victoria's reign, .but it was in. that of King Edward that they bore so much fruit. The various professions they have entered into and which havo gradually, though grudgingly, been removing the barriers that hitherto protected them from women's advance, havo given them opportunities to display their abilities —abilities which have proved their right of entry—so that now a far wider field is opened np for tho use of their energies. , For all'that, however, the woman of to-day is still suffering under some of tho disabilities of the pioneer. Unless she enters a profession where sho meets a man upon equal ground, say the medical, legal, literary, or artistic, her work is seldom paid according to its merits, even thought it may be exactly the same as that of a man and performed just as thoroughly, even more so. The labourer is surely worthy of her hire. The greatest injustice of all is when a ; mere youth, raw and ignorant, is given a higher wage for the work that is done by an educated, capable woman. Even in the professions mentioned, however, she suffers from the disabilities of her sex, particularly in the case of the woman doctor. It seems tho oddest thing out that a woman should not have confidence in another woman, who has gonu through years of training, often brilliantly, and has spent years in hospitals, while she will trust the merest stripling, fresh from his examinations, in the gravest diseases, trusting him blindly.

The Medical Woman. There was great rejoicing among medical women when, in 1908, tho Royal College of Physicians and the Royal Collogo of Surgeons decided to admit women to their examinations.' After thirteen years of striving, success had at last crowned their efforts in that direction. The first woman to have the

right of adding after her name the letters of M.K.C.P. was Miss Woodward. All kinds of appointments are now being held out to women which were formerly closed—the medical inspection of school children at Home for one, visiting doctors at hospitals and even tho position of H.M. Inspector of Prisons. . ' Pharmacy, too, is now being taken up with keenness by women at Home, tlwugh with that also they have to meet prejudices, many people objecting to their prescriptions being made by women. The Pharmaceutical Society admits them on exactly the samo basis as men, and every facility is afforded them of succeeding in the profession. A natural gift that they have to start with is tho delicacy of touch that is so. essential- in dealing with sometimes almost microscopical quantities. Women have also turned to architecture, and surely no one should know so well as they what is wanted in a house, and what contrivances would save labour. Civil engineering seems rather an inconvenient kind of work for a woman but still there are women engineers who have built bridges and various things. It seems odd to think that Iho greatest dressmakers in the world are men, but after all men have just as high an appreciation of beauty in dress as a woman, and jnst as much power of designing.

In Drama and Art. Of late women playwrights have been coming to the fore, and it looks as though they are going to regain the place they held in the eighteenth ctntury, a place won by them in an ago of brilliant men, Perhaps one of the most prominent is Mrs. de la Pasture, who is best known by tho brilliant success of "Peter's Mother," played- at four London theatres during a run of nearly two hundred nights, and commanded by the lato King to bo played at Sandringham for the Queen's birthday. Another play of hers was "Luigi's Wife," performed at tho Primo Ministor's house last summer. One, brought out at the same time, was "Tom's Second Missus," by Mrs. Francis. As composors of opera, one does not hear so much about women, but not so very long ago Miss Ethel'Smyth wrote and produced " The Wreckers " and " Der Wald," . two operas that were very highly spoken of by the critics'. In 'literature and in art wo v seem to liavo the same women who had blossomed out into prominence in the-lato days of Queen Victoria. Madeleine Lcmaire, a noted French painter, was a special favourite of King Edward's, and it, is said has earned tho largest income earned by any woman of recent day*.

Ono of the greatest distinctions in the field of literature was that 'won by Selma Lagcrlof, who won tho Nobol prize for literature, while Madam Curio won that for physics, a subject that has not hitherto been rushed by women. A Distinction for Women. . It was in 1908 (most of the pleasant things for women seemed to happen then) that the regulations governing tho awards of distinctions in the Imperial Service Order were amended so as to admit women as Companions, and also to entitle them to receive a medal for meritorious service. Miss C. Smith, lady superintendent of tho Savings Bank, England,- was in 1902' admitted to tho order, being the only ono among over 100 men entitled to wear tho insignia of Companion. In her case tho distinction was an exception; that is altered, and now women are placed on tho same footing as men. Companions of this order may writo the letters "1.5.0." after their names', and tako precedence after Companions of the Distinguished Servico Order. Of women and politics the world has hearlJ a great deal, but what people do not all know is tho quiet and very substantial infkifnce that is exerted in legislative spheres by energetic and well-informed women, particularly in England. Much of the work is done very quietly, and outside political circles litt'e is known, till, perhaps, the results become evident. They may. not have political franchise, but'they do a great deal without it. Nothing is perfect in this world; the position of women being being open ■ to improvement in a great many ways, particularly in regard to their children, and it h in this direction that many, efforts are being made to improve matters. Inventiveness of Women. Women have usually been denied tho gift of inventiveness, but .at the Women's Exhibition, held in' London in 1909, there were hundreds of applications for patents by women, and during tho last five years these have averaged five hundred, or about one and a half for every working day in the year. In Now Zealand wo do not hear so much about inventions by women, probably not so much for want of originality, but just because of the casual way in which she treats matters. If'shefinds herself without the proper appliance, she will just utilise something to her need of the moment,. and then it is -done with and forgotten, though it may have the principle that if worked out properly would, possibly win her amount of notice —and fortune. •

■ Within tho last fow years we have been constantly reading and hearing of women farmers and gardeners. Colleges have been specially founded and given over to training them in that work, and women havo availed themselves eagerly, of their opportunities. Market gardening and flower gardening have been particularly popular with them, and so has fruit farming. The position of manageress of a dairy ia one that is being sought aft«r at Home, and one that is rather well paid, quite a large number of educated women gaining tho National Dairy Diploma, which enables them to obtain responsible posts on large estates. Every help is given them to become, efficient. A great development has taken place in regard to tho business enterprise of women, numbers of them going in for shopkeeping of various kinds —an occupation that had hitherto rather caused them to bo' glanced askanco v at. In countless ways women have shown a wonderful capacity for largo business undertakings, as, for instance, witness in America, where there are sevoral huge factories, with a woman at the head of them, to say nothing of banking houses.

Her View of Life. Although so many ways havo opened up to woman, it is, perhaps, in her outlook upon life that there' has been tho greatest change. A spirit of independence, a desire to do things and make life worth while, has seized her, ..and she has pushed out into tho stream of progress to do or die, to sink or swim, as the fates decide. Sho has found out that faculties and powers, ofton special ones, havo been given her, and tho greatest wrong that can bo done her is to close up all avenues for their use, to forbid her to use them to their fullest extent. It has been said that with the advent of woman' into ways hitherto not open to her,' mnrria'ges have, decreased —that she doqs not marry like she ilsed to. That is very probable, and. probably also a I'yery good thing. Tho life she now loads develops her judgment, widens her mind, and creates a standard by which she unconsciously measures tho men slio meets'. If they fail her. there are a multitude of interests in life that absorb her, while ambition to succeed in her chosen work spurs her on to her greatest endeavours, making life a very