World’s Business Women Will Confer At Montreal

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28013, 6 July 1956, Page 2

World’s Business Women Will Confer At Montreal

NEWS FOR WOMEN

Mrs Agda Rossel, of Sweden, who was chairman of the last session of the United Nations Status of Women Commission, and who has won international repute for her work as Swedish representative' on the International Labour Office, will be chairman for the. seventh triennial congress of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women, which will be held in Montreal, Canada, from July 8 to 12.

Mrs Rossel will deputise for Dame Caroline Haslett, of Britain, who is international president, but who, because of severe illness, will be unable to attend the conference.

Dame Caroline Haslett has been a pioneer in Britain for the training of women for engineering work. She was the first secretary of the Women’s Engineering Society, and founder of the Electrical Association for Women, of which she is still the director. For her war services, she received the D.B.E. She was elected president of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women at the London congress in 1950. and will retire from office this year. Under her leadership, the influence of business and professional women in local. national and international spheres has progressed considerably, and membership has expanded. Today the organisation has a total membership of more than 300,000 in 21 national federations and three associate clubs

Many countries will be represented at this month’s congress, which will be held at the Sheraton Mount Royal Hotel in Montreal. New Zealand will be represented by Miss Dorothy Raymond, of Timaru. and Mrs Madeline Hamilton, of Rotorua, and formerly of Christchurch.

Miss Raymond, leader of the New Zealand delegation, is a law graduate from Cantebrury University College. She is a practising solicitor in Timaru, president of the Timaru Business and Professional Women’s Club, and a vicepresident of the New Zealand Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs.

She is also well known in educational and Red Cross circles. During the Second World War, she was president of the Timaru Army. Navy and Air Force Club, and a member of the South Canterbury Patriotic Committee. She is Timaru treasurer of the Save the Children Fund, and plans to visit the Canadian headquarters of the fund. She will also visit the headquarters of the fund in Geneva. She will make further links with bus’ness and professional women’s organisations in Britain and in Europe before returning by air to New Zealand in September.

Mrs Hamilton ‘is a child welfare officer at Rotorua, where she is also supervisor of the St. Faith’s Maori Sunday School at Ohinemutu. She is a member of the New Zealand Association of Psychotherapists and a Girl Guide Commissioner. After a holiday in Canada and America, she will return to New Zealand towards the end of the year. Programme for Conference

Delegates to the conference will be welcomed officially at the chalet on top of Mount Royal on July 8, and the welcome will be followed by a reception given by the City of Montreal. In the evening, the band of the Canadian Federation of Business and Professional Women will entertain the board of the international federation at dinner. On Monday evening, there will be an excursion to the Laurentian Mountains, and a dinner will be served in the chalet at Ste. Adele. A highlight of Tu&sday will be the gift of the Canadian federation: a trip by special train to Ottawa, after the morning session of the conference In Ottawa, congress members will be ~t ? .^e n on a tour of Parliament Buildings before attending a garden party reception to be given by the Canadian Government. Later, members will visit the embassies. The main social event will be the Congress banquet on Wednesday evening in the ballroom and Champlain Room at the Mount Royal Hotel. The last day will be devoted entirely to the business of the conference.