NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 413, 12 May 1902, Page 3

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) Napier, last night.

The National Council of Women of New Zealand, at their meeting yesterday, discussed many points connected with the system of State eddeation. Tho, subcommittee on education set up at the annual meeting of the Council last year, had during the year submitted a series of questions to educationalists and others interested in the matter, and received a large number of replies, and the following motions will be submitted to the Council’s consideration: —(1) That the Kindergarten system be introduced throughout the infant schools of tho colony; (2) That our pupil teachers should be pupil teachers in reality, acting only under supervision, und having much more free time for study ; (3) That the Education Act be so amended as to make the sixth standard pass compulsory, and special provision be mado for the abnormally dull or deficient children to be educated separately; (4) That the staffs of our industrial schools should consist of men and women of high culture ; (5) That in tho opinion of this Council a systematic course of moral instruction should be introduced into our Board schools, and that each delegate bo nvited to request hor society to discus the question as fully as possible before the next annual meeting. This is not synonymous with Bible-teaching in schools. Mrs H. Hill, Napier, read a paper on 11 Men’s rights and women’s claims,” and Mrs Sievwright, Gisborne, contributed a paper on “Women's disabilities” The following resolutions were passed : —(1) That in the opinion of this Council the time has come when all disabilities which at present hinder women from sitting as members of either of the Houses of Legislature, or from being elected or appointed to any public office or position in the colony, should be removed, and that with regard to all powers, rights, and duties of citizens absolute equality should be the law of the land; (2) That the legal recognition of the economic independence of married women is desirable for the attainment of justice, and for the furtherance of a truer marriage relationship.