NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 1, 26 September 1921, Page 3

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN

ANNUAL CONFERENCE. The following remits are to be brought forward at the conference of the National Cuncil of Women to be held this " Auckland.—That Government ba urged to pass legislation for: (a) The employment of women police, (b) the appointment of women Justices of the Peace, (c) the inclusion of women as jurors to try certain classes of crimes; that the age of consent be raised to eighteen years; that the time during which information of criminal assault may be laid be extended to twelve months; that it is advisable that flogging be added to the sentence of imprisonment imposed upon men convicted of criminal offences against young children; that Parliament be urged to' set up a C01 "“^, 3 to inquire into the methods pursued in deabnir with defective, dependent, and delinquent children; that the Ministers of Education and Justice amend the Act and provide for the set ting up of a special tribunal of men and womens deal with offences by children under fif'een .years of serious , .ffmees to the Ju^ nlle , that the Minister of Education be asked StXint women sanitary schools; that Government be again ur eel to nas-s the legislation necessary to enSr the appointment of Court officials whose dut/shall be to enforce payment of maintenance dues; that the' maS and female moral degenerates with ™ Xw if nobble, to their moral and urged to establish a separate home.fo Gisborne—That the attention of the Minister of s:! anything in the nature nr spirit of the old CD Acts; that the Government appoint women on anti-profiteering boards; that facilities be afford’d t* women to obtain practical scientific training in farm and outdoor work; that this council heartil” supports the Teache.s Institute in their request that free. medical and dental treatment, be afforded all ,school children* , * - » •• i_ Wellington.—That th® council strongly of mdnion that in all school buildings to be erected adequate prowrion should bo made fnr assembly rooms, cloak rooms for children, heating apparatus. and teachers’ staff rooms. Further that teachers should bo given an influential voice in the arrancyment of the buildings; that the differentiation between tho salaries of men and women teachers in secondary schools is unfair in the following respects: (a) in the payment of single men as well as married mon on the basis of domestic responsibility. while any such responsibilities are ignored in. the case of all women teachers, (b) in tho differentiation of salary in the case of men and women, entrants to secondary schools where qualifications and capabilities are equal, and where there is no question of domestic responsibilities for men entrants; that the Amending Act raising the school age to 15 years be put into force next year, and that further extension to 16 and 18 years be made as soon as possible; that in view of the fact that most

of the picture films exhibited are unsuitable for children, efforts be made to secure special programmes for children on Saturdays, and that the attendance of children at other picture theatres be prohibited; that adequate pensions bo paid to all widows in need of financial assistance.

Christchurch. —That the National Council is of opinion that where a girl, under twenty-one years of age, charged with an offence against the law is likely to become a mother, she should be committed to a home and not to a gaol, since it is in the best interests of both that the mother should be allowed to keep her child. Dunedin. —That the National Council of Women, pledges itself on behalf of the women of New Zealand to support the League of Nations, and urges a propaganda campaign to enlist public support; that the National Council of Women submit that: (a) General education in dietary principles is necessary in order that the preventive diseases of dental caries, rickets, constipation, and malnutrition may be eradicated; (b) we consider that* one of the first steps owards the prevention of disease is the legal standardisation of bread, so that at least 80 per cent, of whole grain be included The Dunedin branch supports the main principles embodied) in the proposed Government Bill for Social Hygiene (V.D,). but profeslsagainst the clauses for compulsory notification, examination, and treatment of venereal disease, considering that compulsion will nullify the good effects of the proposed legislation.