VICTORIA LEAGUE

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23941, 7 May 1943, Page 2

VICTORIA LEAGUE

ANNUAL MEETING HELD “One of -the most important developments lately made by our league is the formation of an American Relations’ Hospitality Committee,” says the annual report of the Canterbury branch of the Victoria League. It continues: “This consists of a sub-commit-tee of Victoria League members, with representatives from other Empire societies, to help with securing hospitality from their members. Many visit, ing United Stater servicemen are visiting Christchurch, and our hands are stretched forth in friendship to these men, our allies in this great world struggle. “Already numbers of people have offered accommodation to our visitors, and we would be glad of many more." Since April 6, 128 men have been billeted in Christchurch homes, and more than £0 men have been given casual hospitality. Other war work carried out by the league included the entertainment of servicemen at the Welcome Club, the forwarding of cases of Iqoney, marmalade, jam, and dripping to London, and the sending of donations of money to the league’s club in London. Miss M. Skoglund's knitting circle, with help from the Hard of Hearing League and from Mrs H. A. Young’s guild, Cashmere Hills, sent many Parcels of woollen comiOrts to England for distribution, Mrs Oakleigh Greenwood’s Babies’ Bee sent 921 garments to England, books and newspapers were sent to camps in Canterbury, and the league’s young contingent, with a membership of 72, continued Its activities. At the annual meeting of the branch, held at Deaths yesterday, the annual report and the statement of receipts and expenditure, showing a credit balance, were adopted on the motion of Sir R. Heaton Rhodes. The president, Mrs J. Mowbray Tripp, who presided, read many letters of thanks for gifts and donations sent to Britain, and also a letter from the general secretary in London, s&ying that the league had been pleased to welcome Miss Nancy Northcroft. a member of the Christchurch branch who is now in England. Mrs Tripp urged members to continue and increase their war works and to meet bravely the challenge to the courage, sacrifice, and discipline demanded from all at the present time. Officers were elected as follows: President, Mrs Tripp; vice-chairwoman, Mrs W. S. Bean; honorary treasurer, Mr A. G. Kemp; vice-presidents, Sir R. Heaton Rhodes, Dr. T. L. Crooke, Lady Acland, Mesdames Bean, George Gould, E. G. Hogg, H. T. J. Thacker, J. G. L. Vernon, and R. H. Hennah; committee, the Mayoress, Mesdames A. P. Boyle, M. Bethell, A. K. Firth, L. A. Bennett, Robinson Hall, F. Scott. E. Rhodes, J. K. Hardy, D, P. Dickinson, Misses B. Gould, and A. Carlßy, Lady Clark Hall, and Messrs E. Cocks, C. G, McKellar, and H. S. Vestey; young contingent: chairman, Mrs Hardy; secretary, Miss S. Scott; treasurer, Miss Barbara Greenwood.

OVERSEAS LEAGUE

LUNCHEON MEETING The Overseas League’s innovation Of holding luncheon meetings, such ad are a feature Of the league's activities in London, America, and Sydney, promises to become popular in Christchurch. The first gathering of the kind, held at Ballantynes, yesterday, was very well attended and much enjoyed. The president, Mr C. Q. McKellar, presided, and mentioned that two members of the branch—Miss P. Acland and Mr Austen Deans—had been prisoners of war, and that Miss Acland had now been repatriated. He welcomed the guests, especially the Mayor, Mr E. H. Andrews, the Mayoress, Miss E, Couzins, and the speaker. Miss M. G. Havelaar.

Miss Havelaar, who is in charge of the prisoners of War department of the Red Cross Society in Christchurch, explained the procedure followed when men or women were taken prisoners, By the Geneva Convention, she said, it had been agreed that the international Rod Cross was the agency through which work’ for prisoners of war should be done, and that when a serviceman ,w,9s,.ppated missing, Geneva should be _ notified immediately, . But, she said. Germany and, Italy did hot seem to know the meaning of the word "immediately." Henris delays Occurred and for these Geneva was in no way responsible. Miss Havelaar said that as soon as it was known that .a man was a prisoner Of war he waS’sertt a parcel of Clothing; another followed in three months, and a 101b food parcel was dispatched every week. These parcels were sent from different countries in neutral ships, and were pooled, Nine different kinds of parcels Were sent, to suit different seasons, climates and tastes of the prisoners. No food could be sent individually from New Zealand, and next-of-kin were given lists of what may be sent in clothing parcels. Miss Havelaar explained that special invalid parcels were forwarded regularly to camps, that bulk food sufficient for four months was stored al each camp, and that a number of Swiss doctors regularly inspected the prison camps to see that the prisoners were well treated. Until recently, Japan was not a party to the Geneva Convention, but. Miss Havelaar said, by the efforts of Mr R. A. Eden, three Red Cross agents were now allowed to visit Camps in Hong Kong and Shanghai, and food was sent to the prisoners. But little was known of conditions in Malaya. “In Christchurch there are many young wives and children who have left comfortable homes in Malaya, and do not even know if their husbands are alive," concluded Miss Havelaar. “These, who are having a hard, struggle and are often very lonely, I ask the Overseas League to befriend for they are teal refugees in our midst.” The Mayor thanked Miss Havelaar for her address and commended the Overseas League for its useful work.

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN

There was a record attendance at the annual meeting of the Christchurch branch of the National Council of Women, held in Chancery House, last evening. The president, Miss M. G. Havelaar. presided. The guest speaker was Mrs J. Mowbray Tripp, who gave an address on the necessity of women working for “the stabilisation of sanity in this mad world."

New Zealanders, she said, were in danger of losing their individuality: while unswerving in loyalty, they must not consent to be shackled, to become yes-men and yes-women. They must face the fact that New Zealand required, at fewest, 4,000,000 more settlers, and these, she thought, could not be drawn from Britain. She suggested that Scandinavians, and people from the oppressed countries in Europe should be encouraged to come to the Dominion, “to live free, happy lives in our empty land." The future depended largely on women. For that reason women should ask themselves if they were working for the encouragement of family life, for stricter control of the young, and education with a religious basis, if they were carrying out their duty of service to th 6 cbittmuhity, and striving to maintain British freedom. Miss M. McLean thanked Mrs Tripp for her address. Officers were elected as follows; President. Miss Havelaar; vice-presi-dents. Miss M. McLean. Mrs C. W. Harrell Mrs J. Lorimer, and Mrs T. Tomlinson; honorary secretary, Mrs w. Mackay: honorary treasurer, Mrs W. H. Cattell.

For the first time for many years, Dr. T. Leslie .Crooke, a vice-president of the Christchurch branch of the Victoria League, was not present at the annual meeting of the branch held yesterday. It was decided to write to Dr. Crooke, sympathising with him in his illness, and hoping that he would soon be restored to health.

Mrs Delia Mary Quin, widow of Mr J. J. Quin, and mother of the wellknown golfers, L. Quin and A. Quin, of Eltham. died recently at Wanganui at the age of 76 years.

Heavy Coal Traffic From Westport Unusually heavy coal traffic fl‘om Westport to the east coast is being handled by the railways this week. Normally, the average daily tonnage is 300, but this Week, with some daily tonnages as high as 460, the average will be about 400 tons. On the other hand, live stock traffic has fallen to a marked degree, only 30 trucks of sheep and cattle having been railed to Canterbury.