PASSPORTS FOR WOMEN

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 147, 11 March 1918, Page 4

PASSPORTS FOR WOMEN

* THE RESTRICTIONS TIGHTENED. Referring to a report that the rules governing the issue of passports to women had been relaxed, the Hon. G. W. Russell, Minister of Internal Affairs, said that as a matter of fact tho rules were tighter than ever. The Imperial authorities Jiavo given instructions that women ?.ro not to he taken in ships crossing the danger zone except in cases of extreme urgency, owing to tho fact that' their presence is an embarrassment slid a danger to the crews in the event of attack by the enemy. "Tho Canadian Government," said Mr. Russell, "have now intimated that they will not issue passports to New Zealand women to proceed to tho danger zone. They are holding up their own women, and it is not fair to grant permission to others. As an indication of tho importance of the precautions,' I may mention that the Rotorua left New Zealand at tho beginning of last year with 176 passengers, of whom only thirty-eight were men. Tho rest were women and children. Fortunately, when the ship got to Plymouth, all the passengers wero disembarked. Tho ship was torpedoed after she left for London. "So far as men are concerned, only those over sixty years of age are allowed to leave, and even in those cases permission may be refused if they nre engaged in'some essential or partially essential occupation. No man of military ago can leave, except, of course, those who are birds of passago or hero for temporary purposes, unless there are reasons of tho gravest urgency, when the case is very carefully investigated."