Y.W.C.A.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 90, 17 April 1934, Page 12

Y.W.C.A.

VISIT FROM KAINUUON JE.&PRESIDENT. A visit from the ex-president of the Y.W.C.A. of Rangoon, Burmah, Mrs. Tonkinson, wife of Mr. H. Tonkinson, C.1.E., C.8.1i,, 1.C.5., was paid the Y.W.C.A. in Auckland on Sunday evening. Mrs. Tonkinson delighted her .>0 hearers with a talk on life in Burmah, describing the beauty, but stressing the great heat and the difficulties under which work was carried on.

Mrs. Tonkinson congratulated the Aucklanders on their lovely buildings, and said that in her travels she was visiting all the associations to pick up ideas to take back to her own association in Rangoon. There the buildings wore not so good, but they were very glad to have them. They were part of a generous bequest in the early years. They stood in a side street in a busy part of the city, where street cries often interfered with repose, and high tenement houses somewhat shut out the view and air. The membership was 000, but. rates of membership fee were low to meet the low rates of pay of most women's positions. An elementary school teacher started on about 9/ a week, and typists and nurses were also poorly paid in junior positions. There were, however, some responsible shorthand secretary typists getting as much as £4 to £5 a week.

The general membership included girls and women of many races, British, Anglo-Indian, including Anglo-Burmese, Burmese, Karens, Indians, an occasional Chinese or Armenian. There was a general hostel of 70 beds, mostly in single rooms, and the minimum cost was about 9/ a week. There was also a Burmese and Karen hostel run separatply, not because of any racial antipathy, but because the food required was different and the cost must be still lower. The Kareiis were a numerous race in Burmah, and there was a fair amount of friction btvveen them and the Burmese, and practically no intermarriage. They had become Christian in large numbers, whole villages turning together, while the number of Burmese Christians was small. The Burman was a Buddist, while the original Karen religion was a priinative spirit worship.

Like in all other Y.W.C.A.'s international aspect was stressed. Last year the members had two international banquets. Other events that stood out in the memory of all were the annual conferences. One of these was spent a fewmiles out of Rangoon, in a large house with spacious grounds. Discussion groups tussled with their problems under the trees morning and afternoon.