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Hokitika Guardian, 26 April 1917, Page 4

cal time, and might prevent the sending of reinforcements tc the hrave men who were fighting for the wives a’'d children of ifce miners as weii a« a ( of thi other women of New Zealand, Toe womeo > here iore derirec. to send s rDes~fi?r of love and f-ym-pat.Ly to ihe mines’ wivfs as well aa a strong fxprresion that they ebonld influence hatbands fo leturn to W rk. Mrs Wood read alternative motions to ihe rres’icg as follows:

“We, as women and mother?, appeal to the women and mothers of the mining tiiftiic's) to uflaence thytr hnsbandti and friends to resume work for the sake of tbo women and chddren of this country. This tippet.! is purely non-politic.il and non-sectarian and we hope that the . highest in women’s nature, namely, love of home and children, will have its influence put into practical use for the good of the whole Dominion.

“The members of the Christchurch branch of the Women’s National. Reserve wish to express tbeir sincere sympathy with the wives of the miners on strike. Only women know bow in Bach a crisis it is the wives aud children that suffer most. They venture to hope aDo that the wives of the miners will use their influence with their husbands to persuade them to reconsider their decision; to remiod them that this is in a large measure a war to vindicate the rights of women and children ; the brutalities of the Germans to the women of Belgium would alone, apart from other horrors, justify this war; the cause of the Allies should appeal to the chivalry of men aa well as to their love of justice and freedom. In striking at this time, when the wai is all but won, the men are helping the enemy, and in their loyalty to their leaders forget another and higher loyalty to their own hearths and home. 0 ,”

'IHE DISCUSSION. Some discussion took place as to which motion ahonld be accepted, and the second one was finally submitted to the meeting. Mrs Chilton, in seconding the motion, said that all womfen should put their utmost into winning the war. The strike did not work towards that end. It was nothing short of a calamity, and she ccnld see no reason for it, They might not believe in war, hut-they had to put up with i\ The womenfolk as peacemakers should do their utmost to end the strike. At the suggestion of Mrs Kirkpatrick the motiou was amended as an

expression of opinion from a women's public meeting, and not from a meet* log of the National Reserve. It was also decided to add that the appeal was non* political and non-sectarian, Mrs Newell said that a strike in peace time was a tbicg to be reprobated, bat in war time a calamity, which was' of international interest, and if the women did not strive to avert it they would be sleeping on

watch. “ IMPERTINENT RESOLUTION.” Mrs J. M'Co!nb3 said that she was surprised at the am9z : ng effrontery of a group of wealthy women ia ihecity, and their impropriety io invading the sanctity of the homes of the miners in their troubles. The statement was received with applause from a small section of the audience. Continuing, Mrs M’Oombs said that a short time ago the wool growers and wheat growers of the country had held up the New Zealand and Imperial Governments until they got a great increase in the price of their commodities. She had visited the mining districts twice recently, and had gone among the women and saw where they lived, and Bhe wondered how they existed from day to day as they did. The miners and their wives wero loyal to their country, but they had something that they guarded as strongly and mere strongly than the wealthy men of New Zealand protected their pockets, and that was the freedom of the working people. (Applause). Knowing the miners well she knew how they would accept the resolution. She hoped for the dignity of Christchurch that such an impertinent resolution would not go forth. “ WESE COAST MEN SODDEN WITH

DRINK.”

Miss Roberts said that as a working woman and the danghter of a working man, she bored the resolution would be carried—(continuous applause). She wondered what- the working people would say if the men with wool and grain and cattle held it up from the people in an emergency. She would do anything in her power to win the war, and she spoke as a woman who had worked all her life since she was fourteen. (A Voica : You ought to have more sense), She considered conscription the fairest and most democratic law that could be

pa sed, bat it was on that account 4;,at the miners were striking. The wo oaa who had last spoksn had referred *o the c ind-iiosiH of some miner-,’ horats, but if -be minerßstayed out of the pnh >c. house more 'h-y would be bitter off, (Ories'of “ehotas” ami hiftseg).

Miss Roberts psrsißtad that the West Coast men were sodden with drink, and they kcew it. The was a war for the rights of men,women and children, and tue action of the miners web inconsistent w;tb the rights of working people. A democrat’s view

Mra Beau shid that she had not intended io speak, hut sbe had to protest agaiust the etatement that the meeting was constituted of a wealthy group. She, on her part, was a democrat. She had not lived among miners for some time, but they were sober, industrious and loyal. The miners had as much right as the wealthy class to appeal against, conscription, but they were striking now as a olass. There must be united effort to win the war, and those who supported the strike were fighting against their own interests. The workers were not disloyal, but they were misguided on tho subject o? conscription. They should be ant -Gtrman, not anti-conßoription-ist. As a representative of the women of Christchurch she supported the motion,

“a cursed thing

’Mrs Nufctall said that she had lived ia Lancashire and she knew rainerp. Their wives would follow them whatever they did, The mJtion would not ba well received on the West Coast. Conscription was a cursed thing—(uproar)—and the women should know better tfcan to send their eons to face cannon. They had not brought their sons up to be oeuscripted. Mrs Bean interjeoted : “I wonder what the women of Belgium brought their girls up for?” Mrs Nuttall was proceeding to re* fer to Congo atrocities, but was ruled out of order.

Mrs Newell said that she regarded Mrs Nuttall’a speech as an imputation against, the women of New Zealand who had bred their boys to fight in the ranks. Thousands had done so, and were proud of it. AN AMENDMENT, Mrs Bradley said that it was an impertinence that those prtssnt repreeenfcsd the women of Now Zeeland. The working class had to provide the men to fight the war. She moved as an amendment

« That this meeting of Christchurch women sends out greetings to the wives, mothers and sisters of the West Coast miners. We wish you success in your noble and disinterested fight against military absolutism, and we invite yon to enter into arrangements whereby you shall, with your children, enjoy the hospitality of our homes throughout the duration of this struggle.”

Mrs Napier seconded the amendment.

MOTION CARRIED. Mrs Wood, who bad in the beginning requested a brief discussion to enab e those present to return to their Saturday morning duties, decided to closj the discussion at this point and proceeded to put the motion. There were angry protests from the back of the hall that the amendment should be put first. Mra Wood put the motion first, nevertheless. There was a large majority in favour of it, and Mra Wood declared it carried.

During the singing of the National Anthem, a portion of the audience remained seated;