Y.W.C.A. delegates vote against tour

Press, 4 May 1981, Page 6

Y.W.C.A. delegates vote against tour

The New Zealand Young Womens’ Christian Association has come out against the Springbok tour. A motion was passed at the eighteenth quadrennial convention of the Y.W.C.A., held in Christchurch last week, which states: “The y.W.C.A. of New Zealand would, by peaceful means, demonstrate against, the Springbok tour of New Zealand.” The tour issue aroused heated debate at the conference, the purpose of which was to decide Y.W.C.A. policy for the next four years.

The conference decided to mount a campaign to give

the organisation a higher public profile. “We are going to try to bring about a greater public awareness of our work,” said the executive director of the Christchurch Y.W.C.A. (Mrs Anne Evans). A new national president for the next two years Mrs K. Weir, of Auckland, was elected by the conference, and she has the right of reelection for another two-year term. Under the old constitution the president held office for four years with the right to be re-elected for another four, but this provision was amended so that more women would have the op-

portunity to be president. Another amendment permits members of local Y.W.C.A. boards to sit on the national executive. The “Blueprint” of policy for the next four years concentrates on women and their personal growth through education, support services and assertiveness training, said Mrs Evans. The Y.W.C.A. intended to make submissions to the Minister of Education (Mr Wellington) on the Johnson Report. The conference also decided to lobby for the passing of a freedom of information act, said Mrs Evans.