SOCIAL PROBLEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 5 March 1925, Page 4

SOCIAL PROBLEMS

STUDIED ABROAD. Oil RISK lIUIU'II TRAVELLER'S IMPRESSIONS. WELLINGTON. March 3. Miss 0. Henderson of ('hristchiirch. who has returned from a long tour in Britain, India and the United Stales

was able to give a correspondent many interesting indications of how some phases of social reform arc progressing iu those countries. . Aliss Henderson represented the Women's Chri.-tian Temperance Union and l ravelled with Mrs Don, another prominent worker in New Zealand women's activities, .Mrs Don remained in India a lew weeks longer than her companion, and will return probably next month. Answering the inevitable question of bow prohibition is observed in the ITniteu States. Miss Henderson admitted that the reply would probably vary according to the individual to whom it was addressed. “I believe it is fairly easy to get drink in San Francisco,” she remarked, “and New York is another place where the law is flouted somewhat by wealthy people. This State did not confirm the enactment and its Governor, Air Alt'. Smith, is popularly known as “Alcoholic Smith.” However, we visited many other cities and saw no evidence of drink, absolutely none, though we were particularly interested iu finding out the extent of the violations. Now that tho Supreme Court has decided that vessels found breaking the law can be confiscated Rum Row, off the of New York, will become too expensive to maintain. Public sentiment is strongly iu favour of enforcement.” WOMEN POLICE.

New Zealand women have long been asking for appointment of women police. Aliss Henderson investigated their work in America. She lms ample evidence that the police authorities appreicate the development. “The poliee superintendent of Des Afoities remarked to me,” she continued, “that the whole world, must in time, adopt this system. Women are employed solely in caring for women and children, their usefulness being more on the preventive than on the punitive side. They are particularly useful in dealing with wayward, irresponsible girls, stopping their downward career before it is too late. Ate were, priviliged to see how the Juvenile Collect at Denver works under the presidency of the famous Judge, ben Lindsay. We were much impressed. He has rooms in the City Hall. No policemen are iu attendance and no oaths are administered that a child does not understand. There is no suggestion of a police court, lie gets the parties around a table, carries on a conversation, and evntually tells the probation officer what must he done. 1 heard him deal with domestic cases. DOAIESTIC RELATIONS.

“This phase we followed up in San Francisco, where they conduct a Bureau of Domestic Relations, ft is not a court, but keeps cases between husband and wife out of court. Airs Evans, who is in charge, allowed us to attend a hearing, though it is usually not public. We were told by officials that Mrs Evans is most successful in dealing with difficulties between husband and wife. He saw bow she worked. A wife came before her with a complaint that her husband stayed out late at night, neglected the children and kept her short of money. The husband attended and listened contemptuously. but Airs Evans talked to him like a mother. She verbally flayed him alive, made him turn out his pockets and finished with the emphatic direction; “Bring me ten dollars on .Monday or you will bear from me again.” The next process, if this fails, would be ordinary court proceedings. This system is far preferable to New Zealand maintenance cases, heard in the Police Court, and we were told ATrs Evans has few failures. “Los Angeles has similar work undertaken by an officer called tlie city mother. She is one of the staff of 22 women police. IN ENGLAND. “We visited the children’s courts in England, but were disappointed with its official atmosphere, which does not achieve the results obtained in America. We were struck with ibe amount of poverty so obvious in the streets of London and so much begging

even by ex-service men. America lias a higher standard than this, the only weakness ill the States being that they believe if a law if* passed that that that settles the matter.” INTERNATIONAL HATREDS. ‘‘So far as the casual traveller is concerned, everyone in Europe seems friendly to the Britisher,” said Miss Henderson, when asked if Europe seemed to be settling down to peace. “My sister, however, who attended the League of Nations Assembly in Geneva, told me that the atmosphere was tense and they had to go carefully. I noted that the League of Nations sentiment was very strong among the generality of people in America, and I am confident, if a national vote were tak-

en, that America, would favour entering the League or taking some effective step to prevent international upheavals. AVe happened to he at Los Angeles when the national conference of ’Federated AVomen’s Clubs was being held, representative of several million women. Mrs Carrie Chapman, the famous women’s advocate, spoke on world peace, strongly advocating America joining the League of Nations or doing something in favour of world peace. This was very well received, though no vote was taken on tins Specific point/’ INDIA. The Christchurch resident visited India oil her return journey, and was able to contrast conditions after an absence of eighteen years. There has been a tremendous change, she says, and she was assured that there is very little future for European/ in India. Tlie Indians have learned European business methods for themselves, and wish to eavi'y oil without outside aid. Gandhi’s non-co-operation movement had practically come to an end and had died out except, in isolated ; parts. When it was at its height Eu-

ropeans found native people unfriendly, hut Miss Henderson’s friends told her that the.native attitude had greatly improved. The efforts to improve the lot of the depressed class of Indaius, in which Gandhi figured, were being continued and in this the missionary societies were taking an active share.