WOMEN CONFER.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20919, 28 July 1933, Page 3

WOMEN CONFER.

DOMINION FEDERATION OF INSTITUTES. DISCUSSION ON REMITS. The Dominion conference of the Federation of Women's Institutes was concluded yesterday. The morning and the greater part of the afternoon were occupied in the discussion of remits sent in from individual institutes, while the election of a Dominion president was held in the morning. Miss Amy Kane presided over the conference. The conference decided to send a cablegram to Miss A. E. Jerome Spencer, the founder of the movement in New Zealand, and on the motion of Mrs W. Deans, president of the North Canterbury and West Coast Federation, it was agreed to place on record deep appreciation of Miss Spencer's work for the movement. Cash or Trophy Prizes. There was a good deal of discussion on a remit from the Waikato Federation executive "That all exhibits of Women's Institutes as Women's Institute work throughout New Zealand receive as prizes trophies and not cash, it being considered that a more friendly spirit will be fostered thereby." Mrs L. E. Williams, president of the South Canterbury Federation, said that if there was any question of friendly or unfriendly competition there should be no prizes at all. (Applause.) The Kawhia delegate said that the bringing of exhibits to the shows often cost money, and her institute, for that reason, favoured cash prizes. Other delegates expressed the same opinion and several stated the experience of their own institutes, saying that cash prizes had never aroused any ill-feeling. Mrs G. A. M. Mac Donald said that in manv cases the prize money was too small to enable trophies to be bought, only a shilling or two sometimes being given as the prize. The remit was lost. Contributions to Centres. Delegates objected to a remit from Seddon that at the end of each financial year every institute with a surplus of more than 10s should give half that surplus to its area federation, except for funds collected for any special purpose. Objections were raised on the grounds that this would be equivalent to a levy on institutes, and that institutes had need of the money themselves. "Charity begins at home,' said several members. Finally the remit was amended to ask each institute to make one special effort each year to raise money for the area federation, and in this form it was carried. A remit from the Te Horo Institute was amended to read that the members of the institutes should report to the Society for the* Prevention of Cruelty to Animals any cases of cruelty to bobby calves coming under their notice. Consideration of a remit from the Waimanu and Nukuhou Institute that the Women's Institutes advocate and support the derating of farm lands was held over until the institutes had had time to learn more about the subject. Dentistry in Country. "The dental nurses are very few and far between, and everyone in the country knows how these unfortunate men suffer," said the Omana delegate, in supporting a remit that the Government be urged to provide dental treatment for families of the Dominion relief workers. The remit was

adopted, with the addition of the words "and country children." In response to the request made yesterday by Dr. W. Irving that the institutes should support the agitation for the immediate building of the obstetrical hospital in Dunedin the following resolution was carried:— "That the Government be asked to proceed with the erection of the promised obstetrical hospital." Other Resolutions. Other remits carried were:— "That all articles exhibited at federation meetings and conferences should be placed in a good light and protected from handling." "That definite efforts should be made by the members of the Women's Institutes throughout New Zealand to ensure the election of a reasonable proportion of women as members of hospital, education, and similar boards." "That where, owing to retrenchment, sewing teachers have been withdrawn from sole-charge schools, the Education Department be invited to notify the district Federation of Women's Institutes, in order that assistance may be offered by the Women's Institutes." "That the marriage age should be raised from 12 to 14, and from 16 to 18 vears for females and males respectively." Prizes Awarded. The following prizes were presented to institutes and members: — The Bledisloe Essay Prize—Mrs W. Sanders (Popotunoa Institute, Otago). Programme Competition Banner— Manutaki Women's Institute, Poverty BayHome and Country Banner—Herbertville Institute, Hawke's Bay. Votes of Thanks. A comprehensive vote of thanks was moved by the chairwoman to the two hostess federations, the North Canterbury and West Coast Federation and the South Canterbury Federation; Mrs J. A. Flesher, president of the Canterbury Women's Club; Miss

M. V. Kennedy, for her display of folk-dancing; and to all who had helped to entertain the delegates during the conference; the secretary (Mrs E. Kelso); the treasurer (Mrs C. Chisnall); Miss C. Mills (Timaru), who had judged the essay competition, and Miss Lewis (Auckland), who had judged the programme competition. Mrs W. Deans, president of the North Canterbury and West Coast Federation, moved a vote of thanks to the chairwoman (Miss Kane), which was carried amid loud applause and the singing of "For She's a Jolly Good Fellow."