THE DISABILITIES OF WOMEN. The W.C.T.U. Speaks.

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 142, 21 March 1903, Page 8

THE DISABILITIES OF WOMEN. The W.C.T.U. Speaks.

" hand that rocks the cradle I rules the \rorld." But, a few New Zealand ladies are not quite satisfied with their rulership. The Women's Christian Temperance Union Coin ention., that sat in Dunedin last week, evidently came to the conclusion that ttomen are being trodden under the foot of man, and -the men ought to be ashamed of themselves', so there' We w onder w hat it is all a.bout. Year by year the political women of the colony break out in exactly the same spot. They talk about "economic ind'epend(Gontinued ori page 16.)

(Continued tiompage S.) ence" (this year they call it " economic equality"), the removal of dishonouring restraints, and the opening of the poitals of Parliament to them. * * * It is perfectly obvious that the ladies who wish to more than, rale the world are ladies with more time than the ordinary women, and it is aJso obvious that if the majority of women intend to equip themselves for every kind of masculine position, they will either have to get rich, or leave, their present, domestic duties to someibody else. The large majority of women in New Zealand have not time to meet publicly to discuss ' disabilities of women," about the existence of w hach they are unaware, and it is certain that when the Christian Temperance women have persuaded their sisters to throw off the shaokle6 they may know nothing of, and go* heart and soul into politics, somebody will have to stay at home and mind the youngster®, provided aJnays that children are not recognised as one of the "disabilities " In the latter case, the "Times" will have to wr'te another leader on the decreasing birth-ra/te. The political woman urges that the economic independence of women would fostier a truer marriage relationship It is presumed that the breadwinner (who is still to be the man, you know) will hand over a statutory sum every Saturday night, and that if lie does not the law will step in and insist that he shall "'shell out." Considemng that there are ample legal means by which wives can hold a separate es>tate, out of reach of brutal man, and that, as a general thing, the wife has the handling of the ordinary man's w ages, the economic disability seems to be felt only by a very few r ladies, vho whoop loudly about it once or twice a year. * * * We have lady doctors, lawyers, ci-nl servants. We have had a lady mayor m New Zealand, who is perfectly at liberty to stand again. Most ladies in public positions spoil their public career bv getting married. We have not the least objection to ladies going into Parliament. Their advice would be of incalculable benefit in vital questionts, but the "disabilities" are partly of their own creation at present, and aire generally little ones. If, however, ladies in the future are eligible as candidates for Parliament, the matron, with her heart in her home, won't care about carrying her voice into the House. She, has a/n immense influence in the House now , although she stays outside' it. * * # It is reasonable for a male student of human nature to assert, that lady candidates for Parliament would get more male than female votes. But, women must be educated up to* the fact that women are politically equal to men Educate away. The average mother is content to legislate from inside her home. The still, small voice of the wife is, to the average man, a more persuasive voice than the roar of the politician through his favourite' speaking trumpet. If it is a fact that the w omen of New Zealand are crushed under the iron heel of despot man, it is rather odd that only a few of them have found it out. It remains for the W C.T XT. Convention to blazon the humbling fact abroad.

A correspondent w utes asking whether Messrs. Fullford, Pemn, Haywa.id, McCarthy, and Patteison,, who aie out fon the New town Licensing Bench, are leaUy independent candidates, 04" meieh "trade" nominees. We have every reason to believe that these gentlemen are perfectly independent. They are well-known in the community, and are identified moie or less prominently with local institutions. * V * MacdonaJd, Wilson., and Co. will sell by auction, on Thuisday next, 2bth March, one of the* finei&t freehold blocks of business premises in Manneis-street. The block of buildings are fully desoribed by advertisement elsewhere Having regard to the evei -increasing value of property in that part of the city, there is no doubt that the investment is a most tempting one to- capitalists. * * * To-night (Fridav^ a programme of unusual interest will be presented at the Wellington Athletic Academy's room, m Manners-street. Among the leading items are two three-iound boxing bouts between Jack Leary and J. Moloney, lOst, and Conroy and Whiffen, 9st and a. four-round bout between Albert Dunn Sydiiev) and Jim Hickuv There w ill also be a lOst weight-lifting competition and a novel perfoimance by the ciew of the S'.s. Kiora The event of the evening; will be a six-round spar between Dummy Mace, champion of New Zealand, and "Kid" Paiiker.