A memorial from N.C.W.

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33654, 2 October 1974, Page 6

A memorial from N.C.W.

A carved wood cabinet for papers will be the National Council of Women’s memorial to Miss Hilda Lovell-Smith. The cabinet will be kept at the council’s national headquarters in Wellington. This was decided at the recent national conference of the council, the Christchurch branch president (Dr Margaret Smith) said at a memorial dinner to Miss Lovell-Smith on Monday evening.

Dr Smith also said | that the Hilda LovellSmith research papers on early pioneer women and their activities would be lodged at the James Hight Library, Ham, and would be accessible to students. The memorial dinner to Miss Lovell-Smith is held annually by the branch to co-incide with Women’s Suffrage Day (September 29). Miss Lovell-Smith’s parents were crusaders for the women’s franchise movement in New Zealand, and she made an outstanding contribution to the N.C.W. at national and branch levels from 1918 until shortly i before she died in February, 1973. RICH HERITAGE I The N.C.W. of New Zea- [ land had a rich heritage from many dedicated women ■ since it was founded in 1896, Dr Smith said. I “It is our duty to carry on [their work and we hope to| do so on a much bigger! scale next year, which is United Nations International [ Women’s Year,” she said. Women throughout the world would meet to discuss the changing role of women. In New Zealand the N.C.W. hoped to make women aware of the opportunities open to them in community work and in paid employment. “We shall examine the reasons why women are reluctant to take part in public decision-making at the local and national levels and we plan for on-going education, particularly retraining,” said Dr Smith. ■ More than 100 women; representing 36 organ isa-[ tions attended the memorial! dinner. A guest of honour was the Mayoress of Christchurch (Mrs Alexia Pickering), who praised the work done by the N.C.W. and thanked the Christchurch branch for its support in her 'efforts to eliminate architectural barriers. Mrs Pickering said she realised the strength of I women when working together and had always lencouraged organisations to

become affiliated to the N.C.W. The programme included a talk on world population problems by Professor K. F. O’Connor of Lincoln College and a presentation by Mr Mervyn Thompson of an excerpt from his play, “O, Temperance”.