LETTERS TO THE EDiTOR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2576, 25 September 1915, Page 13

LETTERS TO THE EDiTOR

- WOMEN'AND THE NATIONAL' ; RESERVE. Sir, —Mr. Massoy, in introducing the National Registration Bill, said-it was the" duty of tho men entrusted with the management of affairs in every country., of tho Empire to see that the very utmost was made of our resources, not oftly'from a ,military but from an industrial point/of 1 view. '-.But iii' his. subsequent roniarfes' oil/the question of the inclusion/of- women; he missed altogether tho reason'for plaping . women in the National Register on the same basis'as. men.. .The;.reason he: assigned for not including them;, in the Register;except on a /voluntary/.,basis was ,'apparerLtlythat we caiinot send women to the front. That is not tho purpose' of registration of women. ' The object is to utilise their services..in-.- the ..'agricultural, industrial, and commercial industries of tho country so as to release the largest number of men possible' for" the ; firing line. We cannot tell what'''our. utmost" is until wo know how many women are availablo to tako the-place of' men. Mr.. Lloyd 'George estimated that there are half a million Women engaged on war work in Franco and the- same, number in Germany; that means that the army , of each of thbse..,countrios is: stronger by half a million-than 'it would havo been had the services, of women • not been utilised.- Every .woman, that takes the. place of a man in the work of tho counI try and enables him to enlist is as effectually fighting: for her country as.if she wore actually in the trenches! j In England women are harvesting,' | acting as-.railway' porters, bank ; I tram conductors, gardeners, motor-van I drivers, and at the .time of Mr. Lloyd. George's speech ; there . were 50,000 women in Great Britain engaged in making munitions. . The women of , New-Zealand have done splendid work and are able and willing to.do as much as their, sisters in England. The: best compliment to"them is not eulogy; but a cftJl upon_them for. organised service. If the Prime Minister; would place their registration in his Bill on the same .footing as men.they would realise that, theneed' for their-services is urgent and'that' they are being treated: as ..workers.'!: in' the ,war. industry.in, tho, same. w - ay as' men.- /As ;it. is the Prime Minister, has failed to give them a lead,' and is leaving' the.work that should be dohfi.by: the, State ; -,to:a : .!private .and patriotic.bbdy; the, Branch of: the Reseire. On'-reading. hisrspeechtlio women,ofi the;country may wejl.supposes that:their services in carrying on. the; industries "of' N^)i r Zealand are not. nrgelntly ,required,::'and : that it is .-immaterial'; whether,'they i register, or,' not. By way-of contrast let me.put in parallel; columns-Mr. '"Massey's remarks and .those of Mr'. to . the de- - putation of-40,000,'women who held a'de--monstration for tho pitrposo of insisting on the right of women to serve their country: ' . ; , .

/ NEW; ZEALAND - ENGLAND (Mr. -llassey).::.-. -v. .(Mr. liloyd GeorgoV I It has .been Bug-:. Tho ' National Be-: gcstefl tiiat we . glster •fras .to ; be, should includo the completed •by Ajigust women inVthe.'Na-. IS. .After -Uiat tho tioiual - Registration .Government would BUI. Tliero is no allot to every man objection . to' the and 1 , woman the principle, but I work they had to would : put. this to • do ; ■ ,He did not honourable : ;mem- think it possible ethers, it is not lie- fectively .to •: organcefsaiy.-. ; - isp tho whole of :A 'member: 'Yes." tlie resources of the Mr. llassey: "WelL nation for this trethat .is ra matter-0f..-mendous war nmtil' opinion, n can we had .mobilised not-send' women to, tho- women is well tho- front,. although as the. men. -It was I- '-.knowmany of,; not; merely: a. ques> them would likfe to tion _of utilising the go. . . ifiervicos of women I havo . pot the "'for munitions. . but slightestV'objeotion to. •:of, utilising the. en : . include ■- woirienr' 'in'- '"ergies. of women' for tho National. Cen-.:. the' purpose'.:'of <liseus. ; I . intend; to. ..charging Jail' the ?ivc them an oppof- '. duties andrfunotions unity; .of national of commercial and regdetration,, of. op- industl-ial'life, which tional registration, they were capable and, I .have not the of, doing as .well as I slightest doubt if' men- at tha .prewo do what I u • sent moment, suggesting that thou-, ; , sands of women will x>mo. forward and , ; volunteer to do .' . ; ; . ' something , fur the Empire in this crisis ■ \ - through which w0... • aro now passing. ■Whose is tlio' better method of making the utmost of our resources?—litm, etc., H. F. VON HAAST. ,