WOMEN FOR ABROAD

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3199, 25 September 1917, Page 3

WOMEN FOR ABROAD

HOW TO AVOID RED-TAPE ENTANGLEMENTS SOME VALUABLE HINTS \ London, August 1. Misa Eout, hon. secretary of the New Zealand Volunteer Sisterhood, sends the following letter for publication:— Dear Ladies, —I know there are a great many loyal and unselfish women in A T ew Zealand at this moment, eager to servo abroad, and capable of doing so. Those of us who are abroad desire above all things to share with you the privileged the fuller expression of patriotism which we ourselves hare hail during the last two or tbree years. Therefore I sent a long report to the New Zealand newspapers last week, and supplement it now with these personal- hints from one woman to, others at home. Red Tape Entanglements. The first hint is to beware of red tape entanglements: These are chiefly duo to tlfe dootriue of no responsibility. That was invented by a cassowary on the Plains of Timb:ictoo. His method was to bury, his head in.'the Band and disclaim all responsibility for or knowledge of what happened outside this limited -range of vision. The method is still extremely popular in various political and official circles. Thus you will find General Richardson, Commandant of N.Z.E.F. in' U.K., telling you he would gladly accept your services here, but will take "no responsibility'", in regard to advising you to travel to England; in other words, he desires you to swim into the. hospitals here, but hopes you won't go near the water. "What you must understand from that is that General Richardson is really one of the best-hearted men in the world, who would be genuinely glad to have you here, but—ho is not in control of your transport. The officer 'who is in control of your transport is Colonel TSir JamesAlleii, Minister of Defence in New Zealand. He will tell you that he would bn very glad to be alile to send you .here, if there was no possible probable shadow of doubt about your arriving safely, but lie will takfl "no responsibility" as to your being "wanted" here, nor for your being organised in New Zealand. "What you must insist on with Sir James Allen, then, is: (1) That you are prepared to share with your brothers the risks of sea travel , in these times; (2) that, you have positive assurance of tie need and welcome awaiting your services here;,(3) that you ask him to make use ""of the limited passenger accommodation admittedly available;, and (4) that you understand the responsibility for' organising your services for hospital work lies with the Minister of Health; Then the Minister of Health will tell you that he would himself be very glad to organise you, but he will take "no responsibil-j ity" as to advising your .transport, and "no responsibility" as to your being needed; and that if you. had been needed and could have been transported, of course the New Zealand Government would have undertaken those functions, and as it has not done so lip to the present, it is your duty to sit still end do nothing, and this regardless of whether it is a fact that' the men abroad need your services or not. Tour reply to that is: (1) General Richardson has said he would be glad to have?you; (2) you are prepared,to take the risks of' travelling, and. have no doubt Colonel , Sir Jalnes •Allen will grant you the official courtesies and permissions necessary, and (3) you merely ask him to organise you, on tho'assumptions that yon are wanted, ahd you yill. be transported—the responsibilities for which assumptions you yourselves assume. Now if you can get these three • gentlemen—General Richardson, Colonel Sir James Allen, and the Hon. Mr. Russell—to stop trying to dig potatoes out of each other's patch, and eacli stick to his own little allotment, you will got on famously.

Women and Travel. Toil may be told that the Admiralty has forbidden women to travel—won't even allow nursi'S on hospital ships. Now women, for war,-work have always been allowed to travel, and even in rare instances for urgent reasons of health. It is true that for a very short time a prohibition of nurses on hospital ships was in fofce, hilt was very soon removed, and it is not in force now. It wns not in force at the time the hospital ship Marnma sailed from England, but the permission was granted too late to allow\ of re-gathering thex staff ,of nurses—they had all been absorbed in the hospitals. . You may also be told that the New Zealand Government has not the power ]to permit women to travel. It is true in. a general way that the New Zealand Government should not permit women to travel, but it has been given specific power to permit this within definite limitations, and war work is one of these.lpnitations. Colonel Sir James. Allen has the power to authorise your transport as military; workers aboard ordinary passenger ships, and the New Zealand Government has the power to'grant you jpassports to travel for that purpose and in that way. The-Real Need. The real need here is for strong, efficient, unselfish, free, mature women. Medical examination will prove soundness of physique. Efficiency in the case of nursing-helpers means natural ability for nursing or some amateur or professional training of real worth; in the case of 'shorthand clerks and book-keepers it means examination success and professional experience of some years. I have previously emphasised the need for unselfishness of aim, freedom from family duties, and thoiinaturity of judgment and character which most colonial women over thirty years of age possess. Now we-must remember thji while New Zealand is a grand little country, and' we are jill very proud of it, there' is no doubt its official affairs are run altogether too much on the lines of a fajnily party. There is the utmost difficulty In securing the precedence of merit sary for the highest efficiency of service. • I appeal to the women themselves to do everything they can to ensure that those of them who come abroad are fit to stand shoulder to shoulder with the men who.have fought nnd died for us from' Gallipoli to Messines. Nothing will ensures that result but the strictest integrity and the highest competence in the matter of selection.—Yours faithfully,

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