WOMEN PATROLS IN LONDON

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 162, 3 April 1919, Page 3

WOMEN PATROLS IN LONDON

A MAGNIFICENT WORK. A most interesting report hns been received in Wellington of the work accomplished in London by tho New Zealand members of the Women's International Street Pntrol'Organisation, and in reading it some idea of the splendid work these women have done for overseas soldiers in combating tho evils of tlm streets may be gathered. A few typical cases are given by tho patrols of the nature of their work, a work that ono of them—Miss A. Ballantino—who is also a. worker for the Y.M.C.A.-chnracterises as being "full of opportunities for helping tho soldiers who have done so much for us. Some of the cases are sad beyond words," she further states, "and make ns realise how much our boys have endured and how much they havo missed their home life. It is splendid when we talk of homo to hear them say, 'New Zealand will do for us.'" Mis 9 Ballantino goes on to say: "It has been a, most wonderful nine months' work, the fruits of which we shall never seo; but wo realise that we are helping soldiers and sailors from' all parts of tho worldAmericans, Canadians, South African. 1 :, Australians, New Zenlandcrs, Belgians, French—n-hv, it is almost overwhelming when one thinks of it. It has been a rare privilege, and to know that we can carry back to our own country the most beautiful and sacred memories of our work among these men makes us fealiso how magnificent a work it is." Not only havo those patrols taken charge of soldiers when they were too intoxicated to know what they were doing, and wouki' inevitably have fallen into the.hands of evilly-disposed persons, but they have taken charge of women and girls whose end it was not difficult to foresee had they been left to themselves. Another street patrol, Miss A. B. J. Spencer, states that the police are well disposed to the work of the women street patrols, and they are grateful to ■them for getting drunken soldiers off the streets, ns they were most unwilling to "ot the men into trouble. As a result of their work, Kussell' Square was much less frequented by -undesirable women, while the soldiers recognised tho fact that these women patrols were their friends. In her concluding remarks the writer says: "If our work is to havo any real value it must be positive and constructive. Instead of using the weak negative 'don't,' based on tho low motive of fear of personal consequences, wo must make an appeal to nil that is good in men. Also, instead of merely separating a ninn and a girl, and leaving both on the street to face the. same temptation later on, we should hive something attractive to offer. When a man is taken from the society of a bad girl, let us be able to offer him tlin society of a good one. Instead of those centres of temptation, the public bars. let. us have social rooms for men and women, where light refreshment, a variety.of non-intoxicat-ing drinks and wholesome social intercourse and amusement may be had, _ ns well as intoxicants—these latter being good of their kind and sold under some sort, of reasonable limitation of time and quantity. These are practical suggestions that might bo tried experimentally almost at once."

Mrs. M'Hiigh, of Auckland, after relating several instances of the way, in which 6oldipr.« and women had been helped, ad<ied that as an evidence of how the soldiers respect the women patrols and their work, they are beginning to bring girls lo them who are willing to be helped. During one week-end three New Ze.nlanders and two Australians so interested themselves in young girls whom they found loitering about, and for whom they felt only pity, that they managed to induce them to see the patrols, with the result (hat they were all recruited into tho Women's Training Coups, in which institution the boys are most interested. Needless to fay, the pntrols were most gratified, and considered in a groat' compliment to the work they were doing. What-is not even hinted at in the Tβports is the fact that these 'brave women have taken their reputations in their hands, have risked everything that women held dear, and have faced 'such things as only women with an overwhelming love and sympathy for their fellow creatures, both men and women, could nossibly face. And as one of them said: ''They will never be able to see the fruition of their wort." Possibly that is left to the women of New Zealand to rather, but nt least they have read' the book of human nature as few have been able to read it. The testimony of their work may be gathererl from many a New Zealand . Amer'wn, Australian, and oH\er soldier, but perhaps first and foremost from our own men who have been more recently in London.