The White Ribbon. For God and Home and Humanity. WELLINGTON, JULY 18, 1916. WOMEN POLICE.

White Ribbon, Volume 22, Issue 253, 18 July 1916, Page 9

The White Ribbon. For God and Home and Humanity. WELLINGTON, JULY 18, 1916. WOMEN POLICE.

The Minister for Justice, when asked about the appointment of women police, said he was waiting to hear if they were a "uccess in other places. We wonder how long the Minister is going to wait. The people of U.S. are convinced of their success. It is two or three years s nee the Chief of Police in Denver said: “The best policeman in my force is a woman.” Even Conservative England has women patrols. In Great Britain and Ireland there are 3000 women patrols working in yo centres. They are wt V. med and helped by the police, are ippreciated and encouraged by the military authorities, and are urged to take up the work by the Home Office. Lately a score of women have been appointed at Scotland Yard. The Governor at Capetown has appointed police women to vork with the Volunteer Women Patrols. Their duty is largely preventive work. They are able to help and counsel young girls, and in the neigh-

bourhood of military camps havbeen specially commended for ti e work. Many a young soldier has to thank a woman patrol for help and guidance when he is first thrown into the temptations of a military < amp. Then, too, in streets and public parks the watchful woman patrol is there to guard young girls from men of undesirable character, who so often accost them. Many of thcMwretches escape punishment because a young girl will not compi tin to a policeman about them, but she would not hesitate to place herself under the protection of a police woman. Mr A. E. Clarke, Chief Probation Officer at Melbourne, says that . great work awaits women police, especially as patrols and in cases where women and children are concerned. At present there should certainly be authorised women police and women inspectors for the sake both of young soldiers and thoughtless girls. The Inspector-General of N.S.W. Police Force, giving evidence before the Royal Commission, said that their women police were to protect and warn young girls, that is, “to assist us in a class of work our men are not adapted for.” In reply to a question, he said: “I certainly think the regular police force should be supplemented by women.” In all matters of reform, New Zealand (which voted at last election to put a Reform Government in power) is lagging behind all countries of the civilised world. South Australila has women J.IVs. l .S. has women on her juries, has appointed Miss Katherine Ingersoll as Chicago's first woman Judge, has Miss Katherine Davis as Commissioner of Corrections, and as such in control of New York’s largest prison; Mrs Helen Van Dyke Bell is Commissioner of Federal Court in Kentucky; Miss Whitehead. J.P in Seattle, has been detailed to try all criminal cases against women. WAKE UP! NEW ZEALAND.