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Taihape Daily Times, 12 March 1918, Page 4

WELLINGTON, March 1L

New Zealand is a very difficult place to get out of at present, not only for men of military age, but for women. The crews of vessels passing, through the danger zone are ho badly handicaped through the presence of women, if disaster happens, that the Imperial authorities have issued strict instructions that no women are to be

given passports to cross that zone unless under circumstances of extreme urgency—family or health reasons. The Hon. G. W. Russell, who has the difficult task of administering these drastic passport regulations, informed your correspondent that the impression that it is becoming easier for women to get permission to travel is just the reverse of what As position. "Every case," he said/"is inquired into, and no application is granted without the presence on the file of an absolute justificaton for such a course. In 'some cases, permission has been given to women to proceed to the United States or to Canada,, but the passport tikes them no further, and it is within the power of these Governments to refuse a pass port through the danger zone. "The Canadian Government have now intimated that they will not issue passports to New Zealand women to proceed to the danger zone. They are holding up their own women, and it is not fair to grant permission to others. As an indication if the importance of the precautions, I may mention that the Rotorua left New Zealand at the beginning of last year with 176 passengers, of whom only 38 were men. The rest were women and children. Fortunately, when the ship got to Plymouth all the passengers were disembarked. The ship was torpedoed after she left for London. So far as men are concerned only those over 60 years of age are allowed to leave, and even in those cases permission may be refused "are engaged in some essential orJßkk-lly essential occupation. No^^Bfclr military age can leave exc« t| course, those who are birds >■ sage, or here for temporary pul| unless there are reasons of the est urgency, when the case is carefully investigated."