METHODIST WOMEN'S MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17409, 21 March 1922, Page 9

METHODIST WOMEN'S MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

! -Yesterday afternoon- Durham street' Methodist Schoolroom was filled by the members and friends of the Methodist Women's Missionary Society. The oc- t caaion was the monthly meeting of the society, and/ a special address by Mrs Grainger; Hargreafes, wife of the, tenary 'delegate of the English Wealeyan Conference.' Mrs G. Bowron, president, occupied the chair. It was reported that the proceeds of the recent garden party at Mrs Seed's, Linwood, had netted £SO. 'Mrs Purchase was elected treasurer^ Fiji having Ceased to be part of the N.2S. Mission field, Sister Ivy Standforth, Solomon Islands, was declared to be the special care or the Canterbury , Society in place of Bister Graham, of the Orphanage, Dilkusha, Fiji.' ; At this stage afternoon tea was dispensed by the ladies of the Durham street Church. %a Bowron introduced Mrs Hargreaves, who expressed her gratification at being present, and congratuated the New Zealand Miaadon Board on commencing their operations in the Solomon Islands in so thorough a manner, especially on women as Well as men. being sent to carry on the work. Mrs IJargreafres spoke chiefly upon the origin and work of the English Wedeyan Women's Auxiliary. It bad begun its work ovei? fifty years ago in a feeWe way. To-day its income was about £60,000, and by special effort in 1920 it had raised £IOO,OOO. It wsa in India and China that its work was chiefiV carried on, add exclusively among the women, 'lt was stated that in these and in Moslem countries the ignorance of the' women was deplorable, rune out of eleven being unable to read ,' or write. In India and China they had 2500 girls in their boarding schools and - 15,700 in their day schools. There were also seven training Bchools. Two hundred and fifty Bible women were employed, also 119 missionary * sisters, and 1300 native helpers, 16 ladV doctors and 15 nurses. In 1919 6000 patients had been treated in the mission hospitals, and 220,000 had been cared for at their various dispensaries. To-day the work was very hopeful. Both in China and India girls were coming forward for training as doctors and teachers and for special service in mission work. '••"., A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mrs Hargreaves for her able and interesting address. It was announced that rest Monday, a meeting would be held to farewell the Rev T. Dent, and Sister May Barnett, Tai Tapu, who leave next week for the Solomon Islands.