WOMEN IN BLUE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 554, 5 January 1929, Page 1

WOMEN IN BLUE

WORK IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA MISS CURTIS ENTERTAINED “To bring the woman’s ideal into police work” is briefly the object of the women police, according to Mias Daisy R. Curtis, officer in charge of the women police at Port Pirie, South Australia, who was this morning entertained at tea ky the Auckland branch of the National Council of Wotren, Hiss Curtis has been in the service of the South Australian police department for six years and she has just returned from a two years’ tour of the world to investigate the methods of other lands. She goes back to Adelaide to continue her work. There are 11 policewomen in South Australia, the scheme being put into force by the Commissioner, BrigadierGeneral Leane. Miss Kate Cox was appointed a policewoman in 1914 and she has skilfully laid the foundations of a service which is proving a big success. All members of the staff are required have qualifications and training in nursing, social welfare work, teaching or administration, and they are encouraged to 3tudy psychology and other appropriate subjects. There are four policewomen in Victoria ;.nd four in ->ew South Wales. The duties of the women police con- **** of finding missing girls, bringing f°out domestic reconciliations, steadyyp women who are drinking too ptch, street-patrolling, ar.d visiting hotels and dance halls. One of the most important branches ? re work » says Miss Curtis, is in a King the statements of women cone rned in indecent assault cases, there n °w being a regulation insisting that h *v sta * emen ts must be taken only ITT 6 Women police. There is a big Terence between a police matron and Police woman. The matron is merely m charge of the ■women after conviciton and she needs only womanly ; act to supervice them. The policewoman. in Miss Curtis’s opinion, be highly qualified—a university —and she should be paid a ; 0 °a salary for her work of prevention.

•Miss Curtis spoke to the Council, of and the visitors. Dr. Buckly , orkington was the hostess, assisted 9 Miss Alice Hasten, both vice-presi-uents of the Council, and there were Mwnt Mies Flatt, the secretary, Mrs. • cAair, the treasurer, Mrs. John Cook, '■ **•. Miss S. E. Jackson. J.P., Mrs. N. • terner, J.p., Major Gordon and others.