The Scheme of Things By M.H.C

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 122, 19 November 1932, Page 9

The Scheme of Things By M.H.C

Among the matters of special interest to women in general brought forward at the annual conference of the National Council of 'Women recently in London (attended by 700 representatives of women's societies) was an- "urgent" one, which was regarding the nationality of married women. As time goes on and the disabilities of women in regard to nationality become better known, the pressure by women for some refoTnl gets more intense. There is a, better chance for the women in England to do something substantial to help—more than written or Press protests, as they are better organised than at this end of the world, and there is a less conservative attitude on the part of the men of the nation than exists in New Zealand. In" London a resolution asking the Government to pass into law ,the Bill for the Nationality of Married Women, which will remove the disabilities and injustices and which is again to be presented, was moved Toy Madame Lorsignol. Speaking on 4th October last, she said she _was surrounded .by all sorts of restrictions although she was a Britishborn subject. She was married to an alien, and had even to get permission to live in her own house and at times had a policeman appearing on the doorstep for one reason and another. Although in earlier days she had played her part in obtaining the vote, she now had no vote—not even a municipal one. In short she was classed as an alien, and had to show her passport along with other aliens. "Women," she said, "did not wish to shelter under the wings of their husbands, they wanted wings of their own." Many •will hope -that such a large organisation as the N.C.W. of Great. Britain will accomplish something worth while in this matter before Jong.

Another matter of interest was brought forward at th© same conference by Lady^ Nunburnholme. This was in. connection with offences against children, and women. Special legislation, she urged, was needed to. deal ■with these cases, which, were caused by mental or physical abnormality on the part of the ■ offenders. Women felt that the infliction of small fines and brief imprisonments were quite useless in ' dealing with such eases. It was mentioned, by a Hampshire delegate that in her county these offences had fcecome so frequent that some of the schools had been obliged to take special precautions. • A resolution "was passed calling on the Government to . carry •through all stages a Bill providing that in all eases" where children under 13 are concerned, the offenders shall be Temanded, after conviction and -before sentence, for medical examination. Subject to such report, the Court shall have power- to order detention in a suitable institution, followed by

remedial or medical treatment. The resolution also asked that in cases where the offender has three or more convictions, he shall be deemed a persistent offender and shall be detained in an institution during His Majesty's pleasure. These demands—and. they can well be-made as demands, though the word is usually an offensive one— seem to be couched with extreme moderation when a little imagination is used to. realise the suffering brought upon young children and the irretrievable damage to their characters by such sinister happenings. It is quite an idle excuse that "children forget." They do forget many ordinary and. unmarked happenings, but if any ordinary person asks them if they do not remember out-of-the-ordinary things which have occurred in their lives it will bo a very unusual person who will not state that they do certainly remember such things. Therefore such a ' terrifying thing as an assault on ;a child is a thing which will never be forgotten, and the person who causes such damage to body and mind should surely not be given a slight punishment or be permitted to destroy the innocency of child after child on account of the mistaken leniency of his fellow-men. The British. N.C.W. has shown great restraint in the requests made to the Government.

Interest will be aroused among women by the possibility of. the British House of Lords' becoming elective, and women having their chance for personal representation. The Marquis of Salisbury, who is chairman of a committee of Peers and members of the House of Commons, of the Conservative Party, has shown that the deliberations of the committee have resulted in. the recommendation that it would be hazardous to leave the Monarchy as the only hereditary element in the con.T rtitution. It is proposed that out of a House of about 320 persons 150 should be hereditary members, and that the remaining 150 should be elected by county and borough councils grouped into electoral areas. Sex, it is urged, should be no disqualification, and the elections should take place every 12 years, a third retiring every four years. It is a matter for speculation whether the present Lord Salisbury will not have to face the difficulties his illustrious ancestor did when he tried for thirty years to amend the conditions of child employees in England. The facts that he never gave in and suffered discouragement after discouragement, returning again and again to the charge of justice and right, were fine things and realised by many of his compeers, and it is to be hoped that the present Marquis has some of the "staying powers" .transmitted to him, as he'probably will need all of them if he is to achieve any measure of success with his committee in this new

departure for both Houses of Parliament. - ■ • ■

Another interesting conference of women has just taken place at Simla, andwas attended by 300 Indian, women. It is stated that the speeches were wonderfully good, specially concerning the disabilities suffered by Hindu women in general' and widows in particular. Many took part in the discussions, which were held under the chairmanship of the Eani Sakiba of Sarila, and all adhered'to the first principle of the All India Women's Conference, that party politics should be strictly avoided. It was found that the women tackled problems, which have been supposed to be only within the sphere of men, with courage, talent, and a keen sense of justice. The result of the conference is expected to be of much use specially in the way of educating women in the more remote parts of' India.' The delegates, will have a great deal of /information to carry back to their districts.' There is considerable speculation as to what will happen when Indian women are really "awakened" to the sordid conditions of their lives in many directions, and the disadvantages which accrue from these.