Rural women speak out

Press, 30 November 1982, Page 16

Rural women speak out

g Jacqueline Steincamp reports on a recent g seminar for country women, and the e impressive spirit of its participants.

Rural services running down . . . .increasing difficulties for young and old living in rural areas ... these were the main areas of concern that emerged at a Lincoln College seminar for rural women recently. About 50 women met to work out ways of becoming more effective in influencing public decision making. The combined talent, commitment, drive and determination of those present would be enough to get our nation out of its doldrums in a day, one would think. Yet repressed . anger showed through many of those composed, successful surfaces as woman after woman spoke of her difficulties in being accepted where it mattered — in the deci-sion-making bodies of her respective neck-of-the-woods. Mostly young, or young middle-aged, these country women seemed especially blessed with the possession of a sense of personal worth, and with feelings of being socially effective within their communities. Their backgrounds and interests were as diverse as the localities from yvhich they came. Southlanders there were in plenty, one even from Curio Bay; Katrina Gardiner piloted a plane in from Arrowtown; Otago and North

i Canterbury figured largely; 1 many of the most enthusiastic came from the further ) reaches of the West Coast; ’ and Jenny Simpson came ’ from Taranaki. . The seminar, run by Lincoln College Extension ’ Centre and Christchurch ; Polytechnic, was opened by Mrs’ Heather Little, a 1 Hurunui County Councillor. It was also addressed by ■ Miss Colleen Dewe, chairman of the Advisory Com- : mittee on Women’s Affairs, who spoke strongly on ways to influence the affairs of the nation. The opening session focussed on personal attempts to influence the public. Ann Overton, of Barry’s Bay, Alison Whitelaw, of Tai Tapu, Georgia Oborne, of Akaroa Heads, and Gay Chandler, of Sumner, gave positive, sometimes funny, often moving accounts of their own experiences. Their areas of effort included: providing employment and work skills for rural youth; arousing local opposition to the felling of a choice stand of trees; working on behalf of Correspondence School parents and

pupils; and leading a community project to build a local swimming pool. They described the difficulties of being a "rocker of . boats” in small communities; the support from their husbands — and the lack of support from other women ("men do support each other — women don't"); the “blindfold boxing" in dealing with male-dominated councils whose most important agreements seemed to be made in pub or club; ’ the impenetrable workings of government departments: and the need to learn the skills of "ruthless conning and namedropping." As well as tackling basic radio and public relations skills, and chairmanship and meetings procedure, participants shared the lighter side of life. One farm manager, who farms in association with her agricultural-adviser husband, told how letters addressed to “Mr Farmer” are thrown unopened into the wastepaper basker. She described the way in which salesmen would always choose to “come back later” rather than talk to her.

"When they drive all those miles back in the evening to talk to my husband, he refers them straight on to me. The local firms are getting the message," she added grimly. A farm wife, described the best advice ever given her. “If they’re not home on time for lunch, throw it out or let it get cold," she was told. "I did it, and it works like a charm. They're home on the dot!" What are these women agitating about? Several re- - jected the label of "feminist." while expressing sympathy for feminist causes. Nearly all saw glaring needs in their communities, and were exasperated with lack »■ of action and official apathy. " “Of course, it’s just not women who feel this way,” observed Deb O’Donnell, a lecturer at Lincoln College, who took part in the seminar. "There are plenty of men who feel just as frustrated.” But it was Carolyn Larsen, a Calgary University counsellor on sabbatical leave in New Zealand, who summed it up best when she said: “Women all over the world are realising that it’s a waste of time trying to fight the system. We’re in the trenches today, but we are more real- " istic as to how the battle has to be fought."