APPRECIATION BY MINISTER

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22465, 28 July 1938, Page 2

APPRECIATION BY MINISTER

WORK OF WOMEN’S INSTITUTES ANNUAL MEETING OF FEDERATION (THE PRESS Special Service.] WELLINGTON, July 27. The work being done by Women’s Institutes throughout New Zealand, in co-operation with the Health and Education Departments, to improve the general standard of life in the home was praised by the Minister for Health and Education (the Hon. P. Fraser) during his address at the official opening of the Dominion Federation of Women’s Institutes annual general meeting in the Town Hall, Wellington, to-day. The Dominion president, Mrs William Deans, presided, and those on the platform included the Mayor of Wellington (Mr T. C. A. Hislop), Mrs Fraser, members of the Dominion executive of the federation, and representatives of sister women’s orgaaisaiions.

Referring to the large attendance Mr Fraser said that there was evidence in the Women’s Institute movement of a devotion and an enthusiasm that grew greater every year. There were three places in the world of great in-' lerest to the women’s institutes of New Zealand—Stoney Creek, in Ontario, where the movement had its origin in 3C95, Llanfcar, in Wales, where the first institute in Great Britain was established in 1915, and Rissington, in Hawke's Bay, where'the first women’s institute in New Zealand was founded in 1921 by Mrs Spencer whom, Mr Fraser said, he was pleased to see present on the platform. The movement had since grown to its present great extent and was playing an important part in the lives of the women of New Zealand and in the whole community. Mr Fraser spoke of the humanitarian objectives of the movement, including the study of social conditions and the teaching of domestic science, handicrafts, and home economics. Assistance to Departments Speaking of the assistance given by the institutes to Government departments under his control the Minister s?id that during the last year the Government had for the first time given financial assistance to the institutes for their work amongst the Maori people. “As Minister for Health I will always feel gratified that I started that work among the Maoris,” said Mr Fraser. “It is helping them to practise hygiene in their homes and to attain better health.” He trusted that the co-operation of the institutes in that work would be extended in future years in the interests of the health and education of women and children. The scope of the work to be undertaken by the Council for Adult Education was described by the Minister. He said the council had been set up to co-ordinate the education facilities made available through the Women’s Institutes, the Women’s Division of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, the Workers’ Educational Association, the Drama League, and other organisations for adult education. Health matters, including child nutrition, were being attended to by the recently-appointed Medical Research Council. Education Services Stating that the question of education was important to country mothers, he outlined the progress in that field. The consolidation of schools, with the consequent improvement in education facilities for the children concerned, had been proceeding at a reasonable rate and free conveyance of primary and secondary school children had been extended very rapidly. “I believe that when the people realise the benefits and opportunities being made available to them there will be no grudge about the amount being paid for health and education,” said Mr FI U G was his hope that the children of every part of the Dominion should have equality of opportunity in education and that the children of the country districts who desired to attend secondary or technical schools should have the opportunity to do so. Dealing with health services, the Minister said that the Health Department had been able to extend the district nursing system and so give valuable help to the Maori people. There had also been a considerable extension of the school dental service. The number of nurses and trainees had been greatly increased, and it was hoped that the programme, which aimed at providing the service for every school child in the country, would be completed in two or three years’ time. „ ~ .. Mr Fraser also spoke of the beneficial effects of the milk-in-schools scheme, particularly on the health of Maori children. For schools where a supply of pasteurised milk could not be obtained, arrangements had been made for a supply of high quality malted milk powder. . . The women’s institutes had played a great part in the country in the past and could continue to do so m future. The people and the Government appreciated what they had done in the past and knew that they would be even more successful in the future.