WOMEN'S PASSPORTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 February 1917, Page 6

WOMEN'S PASSPORTS.

i NEW REGULATIONS. The Miinster of fuwuai AfTairs (l!io Hen. G. W. Russell) has ma.lo the following statement on Ihe subject of the reiiri-.ii lis on passpo.vs for women: "For ll'e present passports to leave \ i\v Xu.land will be grant-Hi only in-•■ (1) Xurses sent forward for duty.' (2) Women who -.nay be sent foiwind for other war work. (3) Women whose cases are of speci.il necessity, on account, for instance, of health or domestic circumstances. "In all other ensefi passports will k refused. The desire, of a wife of a member of the forces to .rejoin her husband, or the intention <sf a young woman to go Home to be married lo a member of the forces, will not be considered a sullicient reason for the granting of a passport. The records show that direct liners recently have -been patronised very freely by women and children. Out of 2HO passengers who sailed in a ship that recently left our shores, only 3+ were males. It is not considered desirable that such a condition of things should be continued, and therefore it has been determined to restrict most severely the issue of passports to- women, and this for reasons that must lie evident. "At the present time throughout the whole Empire there is only one consideration that counts, and that is—how to win the war. However unpleasant it may be, people must make up their minds that anything that will at prosent hamper the mercantile marine service, anil give additional cause for anxiety to the naval authorities, must ho eliminated. And this policy will be pursued until the war is over. For many months past the issue of passports and permits 'to men has been most severely restricted, and the time lias come now when the women of the country must bear their share of similar restrictions."