WOMEN’S AUXILIARY COMMITTEE

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 12824, 19 August 1939, Page 4

WOMEN’S AUXILIARY COMMITTEE

WELL ATTENDED MEETING

That women are alive to their responsibilities in the case of emergency was well exemplified yesterday, when over 150 women attended a meeting called by the Women's Representative Committee for the purpose of forming a Women’s Auxiliary Committee. The meeting was originally called for the Borough Chambers, but this room quickly filled and the ladies then adjourned to the Town Hall. As there were a number of late comers, and also a number of country people including thirty members from the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union, it was impossible to compile a complete list of those present, but we supply as many as possible to show that the meeting was fully reresentative. In the chair was the Mayoress, Mrs L. R. Wilkinson. With her were Dr. Frazerhurst, Mrs R. Faulkner and Mrs Glacken. Others included Mesdames D. Rankin, J. S. Thompson, G. .H. Wills, W. Robbie, N. Green, Cramer Roberts, .H. T. Pattie, P. Luraley, W. Policy, Atkins, W. Bent, G. Maltby, B. Pemberton, J. Pemberton, L. Blomquist, Waugh, Budd, Bartleman, Wade, McDougall, H. J. Bradmore, A. W. Every, Norman Scott, Dickinson, Ellis, J. Mackay, Mann, T. Harvey, Body. Ross Smith, H. Shaw, Ford, G. Jarvis, Poynter, R. T. Johnston, K. Cannell, Smedley, Dendy, Soland, A. Pattie, W. Rsirkby, Ross Clark, W. Johnson, Waterston, Harold 'Turner, Connor, Mannings, Tanner, Skeat, Frazerhurst, Riggir, Cruden, Ronayne, York. Hardwick, McKenna, Meharry, Ferguson, Bragg (Te Matai), Galpin, Milson, Law, Hickson (Pongakawa), Johnston, Young (Katikati), Singleton, Barrow, Hodgson (Te Puke), White, Bradley, Misses Fogerty, Renshaw, Wjaterstjon, Ramage, Ferguson, Munro, Bartlett, Green, Bannatyue, Maude, Jaeger, Cox, Every, Bragg, and Cruickshank.

Apologies were received from Mrs Mouat, Mrs Crabbe Simons, Mrs Joe Barney, Mrs A. Taylor, Mrs Macky, Mrs Hickey, Mrs Milson, and Miss Thompson. Mrs Wilkinson in a short opening speech apologised for the absence of the Mayor, who had had to attend another meeting. She also explained that the meeting had been called in order to form a Women’s Auxiliary Committee whicli would function in the case of any emergency. These were troubled days and war clouds had gathered, but the Committee would not only function in these circumstances. Should epidemics or other troubles come, help could be given from an organised body. Mrs Wilkinson then asked Dr Frazerhurst to speak to the meeting.

A very fine address was then given by/ Dr. Frazerhurst, who pointed out clearly and calmly that to-day with the world in such an uncertain state it was fully recognised that one must be prepared for apy emergency, Mr Chamberlain himself had said that no man or woman in tlm Empire could fail to be moved by this necessity. Speaking of lessons which had been learned by Spain, under war conditions, the Doctor said four things had presented themselves .to a Spanish mind. The first .“a bomb -may be dropped on me and my family;.” the secop4 “I pay be called to service;” the.fthird,‘‘l may be slowly but surely starved,” and the fourth ‘‘l may be. economically ruined.” It was the- third which had presented the; most serious realities during the ■ war, and it was starvation which caused the,, ultimate collapse of the Republican forces. A similar thing had happened in the Great War. Germany was slowly but surely starved into submission. Thus, the lesson was learnt that in preparing for any emergency, we must take care of our food supplies. Women could almost entirely undertake this work of determining our resources • and conserving them. Dr Frazerhurst then told of the wonderful way in which the French women in particular, had carried this out during the war especially at some of. the huge hospital in France. Speaking of the actual bombing, during the Great War, Dr Frazerhurst said that it was the . terror of the “unknown” rather.- than terror of the “known” that was a great factor. Military experts knew this complex, and worked on it to endeavour to bring the civilian population to submission, with air raids, lower the morale. However in France, the air raids' quickly became “known” terrors and the people in turn became blase. They found that it was better during the day time in case of a raid to remain where they were, in office, shop, or home, and not vainly dash forth in search of safety. Mostly people remained still, remembbring to keep away from windows, which, would probably be shattered by the blast of the falling bomb.

At night it“was. the practice, however, to repair to,basements and so have a proper night’s rest. The statistics showed that the casualties among the civilians from air raids during a year were npt very much higher than from ordinary motor car accidents.

The morals of the people .had remained excellent. Div..JFrazerhurst remarked that sometimes,: the effect of the raiding was to strengthen the morale rather than to break it, this being evidenced in one or two English coastal towns where the people gained a greater feeling of determination and exasperation after each attack.

One great difficulty facing the authorities m these attacks- was that it was impossible to even estimate

FINE ADDRESS BY DR. FRAZERHURST

One of the best ways 0 f arran««r to have aid available in a case f emergency, had been found to' be if! mobile dressing stations. SuitalJ vehicles to our hand were trailers which could bo quickly fitpa up and also could he moved bv all handy car. In the event of anv special preparation becoming necessary i would be a got a idea to have a list of all the trailers in lh e district which could he 1

Dr Frazerhurst again stressed the importance of some knowledge of first aid, and with Mrs Faulkner’s permission invited any who cared to his lecture on Tuesday which would be on poison gas, antidotes, etc. The Doctor also trusted that his wish to place before the meeting merely* the necessity of being prepared,' had’ been understood. By being prepared we could do our part in any emergency not only in the event of wav. f

Mrs Wilkinson warmly thanked the speaker for his excellent address, this being accompanied by hearty ap. plause.

Mrs Glacken, who also saw active service during the war, was (he next speaker, and in a short address, told of some of her, personal experiences.

Mrs Faulkner followed and said that she was willing to do all she could to help, especially iu the way of first aid lectures. At the request of the members of the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union, she was now giving weekly lectures and anyone was welcome to attend. Mrs Wilkinson then explained that the matter had been taken up by the Women’s Representative Committee, and forms issued. Supplies of forms at first had been limited, but more were now available, and it was hoped every woman would fill one in if at all possible. Several suggestions and offers ol help were then made, Mrs Waterston, Mrs Every, Mrs Hardwick, and several others making suggestions, but it was eventually left until a number of forms had been filled in and handed to Mrs Faulkner. The idea as elucidated by Dr Frazerhurst will be that groups of women willing to do certain work In any emergency will be formed. Each group, will in turn elect a convener, and the convener of eaply group will be one of a central committee. The inestimable value of organised help cannot be too strongly stressed. Should this help never be called upon, as we all fervently hope will be the case, there will hav'e been something learnt, and knowledge is an easy burden to carry. The forms mentioned by Mrs WU* kinson are available from Mrs Faulkner, who will also receive nf mes from those desirous of belonging to certain groups. Early attention to tma would be very much appreciated,

the casualties. Consequent!? branches of service must at all « *** be ready. The Doctor then to u 1 the necessary measures to be tat such as the establishing of*?* casualty clearing station, the « aid post, the base hospital etc- r was almost imperative for all to have some knowledge of first u and the known presence in any tn ■ ’ of an organised and trained C was as much assistance in keeninl up the morale as a detachment of fantry. 1