NOTABLE DAYS.

White Ribbon, Volume 24, Issue 278, 19 August 1918, Page 10

NO TABLE DAYS.

As next September 19th will be the 25th anniversary of the extension of the Parliamentary Franchise to the women of New Zealand, it would be instructive, as well as interesting, to call to mind some of the humanitarian enactments pasted in the New Zealand Houses of Legislature since the granting of that privilege in 18(33: Infant Life Protection Act. Act to regulate the adoption of children. Industrial Schools Act Amendment. Juvenile Smoking Suppression A< t. Servants’ Registry Oth es Act. Ihe interests and health of shop girls safeguarded (Shop Assistants’ Act). Equal standard of m Halit) in new Divorce Act. Criminal Code Amendment in the direction of purer morals. Ar. Act enabling women to receive compensation for slander without proving special damage. Summary Legal Separation Act. Recognition of the principle of equal pay for equal work, in Factory Act.

Economic partnership of husband and wife. Principle acknowledged in at leait two Acts (Municipal Franchise and Old Age Pensions). Testators’ Family Maint°nance Act. Women admitted to the practice of law’. Technical Schools, giving equalits of opportunity to both sexes. Old Age Pensions. An Act regulating the election of Hospital and Charitable Aid Hoards, whereby women have the right as ratepayers, and in municipalities as the wives of ratepayers, to vote, and are also eligible as candid ites for election. Compulsory scientific temperance instruction given in our pubbe schools. Abolition of the C.D. A(ts. Probation and First Offenders’ Act. Reformative treatment in our pisons. Six o’clock closing of hotel h,.rs. There are still many reforms which the women of New Zealand hope to gain. At present they suffer under legal disabilities, in the matter of trial by jury. Having to obey laws which are framed by men only, the New Zealand lawforbidding the election of any woman to Parliament. While recalling with gratitude all that has been achiev'd during the hist 25 years we should also remember that advantages entail responsibilities, and that there is still much to be done. “Progressive’’ New Zealand is lagging behind otlvr countries in many resj>ects. Norway and Canada have women Judges, and Canada a woman Member of Parliament; Russia has appointed women as assistant Judges, while in •the early stages of the war Russia completely abolished vodka. Several countries have appointed women police; the force, even in conservative England now numbering hi2. Nine women were sworn in at the Guildhall as special constables. Australia recently appointed 14 more women as J.P.’s. The entire Dominion of Canada now prohibits traffic in liquor. Alcoh%4 has been prohibited in the American Army and Navy. What are we doing to justify our enfranchisement ? The work nearest to hand jus* now is the struggle for Na tional Prohibition. Let us see to it

that we all do our part in the great fight. Franchise Day collections go to the N.Z. Treasury. A. C . JONES, Dominion Supt. Notable Days.