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 the Council. The supervision of the administration of the Midwives Act is also a part of the work of the County Council; all of which duties are an extended application of the work women have been doing for ages. The looking after roads, rivers, bridges, traffic, and the like might, if it were thought necessary, be dealt with by men's committees, though even here a woman's knowledge of detail and of economical expenditure might assist in saving the rates in directions in which such saving is desirable; but from committees dealing with housing and town planning, isolation hospitals for infectious diseases, old age pensions, amusements, and public health, the absence of women is a mistake. Of course one would not suggest for a moment that every woman would be equally useful on a local governing body, nor that it is desirable that a woman should be elected because she is a woman. It is little less than a calamity when a woman is elected who is foolish and incapable; but the necessity of facing the public and explaining her views will generally operate to prevent the stupid and unintelligent woman from aspiring to public office, though it does not always have such a deterrent effect on men.

The work of Municipal Boroughs is very much like that of County Councils in many respects. The Borough Council, or County