Wives’ Groups Enthusiastic

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31363, 8 May 1967, Page 2

Wives’ Groups Enthusiastic

Young wives groups showed great strength of purpose and members worked successfully under enthusiastic and dedicated leadership, said the annual report of the Young Wives Groups of the Christchurch diocese.

A wide variety of character existed among the groups, not only in ages and interests, but also in atmosphere and Christian maturity, said the report. Activities showed members were interested and involved in the world around them in

learning about life, how to live, and how to be better wives and mothers.

“Do it yourself” meetings, coffee mornings with small groups in each other’s homes, varied forms of husbands’ evenings, a car trial, panels, cookery demonstrations and high teas rated high in popularity. Family activities and the development of choir and drama groups were trends noted in many areas. Membership increased by 604, compared with an increase of 114 last year, to a total of 2384. A new group at Temuka showed signs of filling a great need and of being most successful. In three meetings membership grew from 25 to 40. The Burwood group was divided into

two groups, Methven was joining the Mothers’ Union for meetings, and two groups in Linwood had combined as Aranui-Wainoni. There were 61 groups in the diocese. Interest had been shown by the Maori Mission in the possibility of the formation of groups for Maori women, or, more desirably, wider inclusion of them in existing groups. A small sub-commit-tee, including Mothers’ Union and group representatives would discuss the whole question before further steps were taken.

Young wives throughout the Dominion were asked to help reproduce and colour sets of pictures to be made in flannelgraphs and sent to Melanesia for teaching purposes. The response of the groups in the diocese had been most encouraging. In August a choir training evening was attended by about 60 young wives from several groups. Five choirs and singing groups had been

formed as a result of the evening. ' The South Island regional residential school, which will take the place of the planned Dominion leaders’ school, will be held at Glentui from May 30 to June 1. Fifty-four members from Canterbury applied to be enrolled, but the quota for Canterbury is 40. Dunedin also exceeded its quota. Officers elected are: chairman, Mrs V. Underhill; secretary, Mrs B. Evans; treasurer, Mrs M. Stanley-Joblin; vice-presidents, Mesdames J. Manning and J. Whale; committee, Mesdames J. Blakie, A. Brailsford, P. Chapman, J. Hughes, E. Tipping, M. Wyatt, J. Nuthall, J. Dalziel, Z. Love, E. Harper.