WOMEN TO THE FORE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 91, 17 April 1936, Page 11

WOMEN TO THE FORE.

ACTIVITY IN AUSTRALIA. VARIED PROBLEMS FACED. A comprehensive survey of the work being undertaken by women's organisations in Australia was given by Mrs. Julia Rapke, a distinguished Australian visitor who has recently toured the Dominion, in the course of an address to the National Council of Women.held in the council rooms yesterday afternoon. The president, Miss B. Carnaehan, extended a welcome to Mrs. Rapke and to the representatives of the many women's organisations of Auckland

present. Mrs. Rapke explained that much of the important work women did was carried out by the large political organisations, particularly the Nationalist and Labour organisations, but that the most important group outside these was the nonparty group known as the Australian Federation of Women Voters. This federation did not actually put forward candidates for Parliament, but they took as one of their fundamental principles not only women in Parliament, but women in municipal government and on public boards and commissions. This group, of which Mrs. Rapke herself was a member, also had a broad humanitarian platform of social activity. Referring to the National Council the speaker mentioned that the Council in Victoria had 110 affiliated societies, and whatever the purpose of these societies, they all subscribed to the fundamental purposes of the council. She emphasised that the same problems were being faced by women's organisations all the world over, and that little could be done if members were not able and willing to sink their petty differences for the ultimate good of the cause they were all working for. "Tour work cannot stagnate," Mrs. Rapke said, "it must either go forward or slip back, and it cannot help slipping back if women do not learn the inestimable value of cooperation." Australian w«mcn, she continued, were seeking solutions for the problems of peace, maternal and infant mortality, the nationality of married women, the welfare of aboriginals, the equal moral standard, child welfare, the cause, treatment and prevention of delinquency, working conditions of women, status of domestic workers, the training of social service workers, almoners and dieticians, the abolition of slums, malnutrition and mental deficiency. Speaking of the efforts being made to raise the status of domestic workers, Mrs. Rapke described a fine hostel that had been established by the Headmistresses' Association with the idea of raising the status to that of trained hospital nurses. This hostel, which began in a very modest way, is now a mansion house with a

large number of pupils. The speaker also emphasised the excellent work being clone by the Girls' Employment Booth, which kept in touch with headmistresses and established contact with girls leaving school and helped them to find a congenial niche. Mrs. Rapke concluded by paying a tribute to the work being undertaken by the National Council in New Zealand, and urged her hearers not to be too modest about what they had already achieved. It was only by letting the mass of the people know what they were attempting that they could hope for support, and without the solid support of the people they could do little. Representatives of the following women's organisations were present at the meeting yesterday:—The Hospital Ladies' Auxiliary, Auckland Centre Women's Institute, Auckland Women's Benevolent Society,. Women Teachers, Union of Jewish Women, Akarana Maori Association, Associate branch of the National Council, Belmont Women's Association, Birkenhead Women's Society, Catholic Women's League, Community Sunshine Association, New Women's Club' Problem Club, St. Andrew's Women's Auxiliary, St. John's Methodist Guild, Women's Christian Temperance Union, Young Women's Christian Association, women's division of the Farmers' Union, Howard League for Penal Reform, Women and Children's Welfare League, Rotorua Women's Society, Lyceum Club, Society for the Protection of Women and Children, ExService Women's Association, Pliilan-' tliropic Society, Civic League, Business and Professional Women's Club, Gilis' Friendly Society, Mothers' Union, Northcoto Women's League and the League of Mothers.