WOMEN’S CLUB

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27499, 5 November 1954, Page 2

WOMEN’S CLUB

PROGRAMME ARRANGED BY LITERARY CIRCLE The literary circle of the Canterbury Women’s Club, a recently revived group, arranged a programme of unusual merit for the entertainment of members at the club rooms last evening. The proceeds of the party will be given to the club’s building fund. The sum of £l5 was taken at the door and with donations the fund should benefit by about £25. The leader of the circle, Mrs F. G. Weideman, expressed pleasure at the large gathering of guests, among whom were the Mayoress (Mrs R. M. Macfarlane). She thanked Mrs W. D. Bunt, Mrs G. C. Snowden, and Mrs Robson for special help given to .the organisers.

The programme, arranged by Mrs J. Allott, was novel and varied, and was greatly enjoyed. A ’cello solo was played by Miss Lynella Walker, and violin solos by Mr John Dodds with Miss Isabella Dodds as pianist, songs were sung by Miss Tui Uru, by Mrs Myra Thompson and her group, and by two men visitors from the Ellice Islands, a recitation in German was given by Miss Marlene Lukaszewski, and Mrs J. P. O’Sullivan gave items accompanying a tableau of aIL nations.

An instructive talk on Latvia was given by Mrs Grinlaubs, who Efcid she wished to correct two mistaken ideas —that Latvia was a young nation and that its people were related to the Russians or the Germans. Neither was true. Latvia, she said, was one of the oldest countries of Europe, its history going back 4000 years. The Latvian and Lithuanian languages were the oldest and most conservative in Europe. In

Latvia, Mrs Grinlaubs said, women had never been subservient to men. They now had voting power and could be elected to Parliament, all positions were operr to. them, and they received equal pay for equal wbrk. At the universities, where the number of students was large, one quarter yvere women.

The outstanding item of the programme was the narade of nations, compered by Mrs Margaret Barrer. In this parade, women of Wales, Latvia. Greece. China. Hawaii. Poland. Korea. Lithuania, and Austria exhibited the nsWfial dresses of their countries, manv of them in lovely with beautiful embroidery and jewels. The president of the club (Mrs N. W. Gale) expressed appreciation of the programme, and Mrs Allott thanked all who had most readily co-operated with her in the arrangements.