FARMERS’ WIVES

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 102, 24 January 1930, Page 2

FARMERS’ WIVES

bOMINION EXECUTIVE STEADY PROGRESS RECORDED The Dominion Executive of the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union held a meeting yesterday in the Farmers’ Institute, where twenty-five delegates were present. Mrs. C. C. Jackson, Dominion president, was in the chair, and in the course of her report for the past six months said the work had been mostly routine and had been carried on successfully.' They had approximately 5000 members. There were„B7 branches and four provincial executives, namely, Wellington Central, Otago, Wairarapa, and South Auckland. Provincial executives were being organised in other parts. .The finances were satisfactory. A Government grant of £l5O thnd been received towards travelling expenses of the Bush nurse and housekeeper. Mrs. Jackson emphasized the necessity to work for the Community Chest, which supports these activities. The provincial executives, when formed, each ran their own housekeeper activities, but all drew from the Community Chest. Mrs. Jackson reported that the two ladies travelling with the Tasmanian farmers’ party had been made lion, members of the Division and a letter of ap-’ preciation was received from Mrs. Fisher. Mrs. Jackson reported on her tour organising branches in the south. Four new branches had been formed during her tour and a fifth since, and others were in course of formation. The Women's Division had' decided to co-operate with the Farmers’ Union in the tour of the British farmers. The Division had assisted with the earthquake fund, having donated £l5 worth of blankets from the Community ■ Chest fund, while the branches had raised £6B/9/2. Special mention was macle of the work of Miss Chnytor. of Blenheim, who had given personal service, in that district, and a vote of thanks was passed to her for her work.

Membership Rally. A resolution was passed that the division become an incorporated body, and a committee set up to deal with the rules covering the formation of provincial executives. It was also decided that presidents of branches might appoint proxies to attend the Dominion executive meetings when unable to be present in person. Mrs. Smith (secretary), reported that regarding the rally for members, Winton had topped the score, having gained 50 new members for the year, making a total membership of 219. A banner is to be made and presented to the branch obtaining the most members during rally week, which it was decided to hold during the first week in April. The report of the Dominion Book Club showed that there were 160 members in groups of 5 to 10. During the Christmas holidays 47 appeals had been sent out, and about 1000 books had been contributed in the Wanganui district during that time. A vote of sympathy to Mrs. Martin, the secretary, who is away on account of illness, was passed. A remiest was received from the Women’s Committee of the Obstetrical Society asking for assistance in the appeal for funds to endow a Chair at Otago University. It was decided that >] rnnal ‘®® co-operate with the committees in it -hen district, and that this appeal be substituted for the welfare week for a scholarship fund which the Division had supported. Lonely Women. The Dominion treasurer read a balancesheet. The funds were satisfactory, but help for the community chest was always wanted. Donations had been received from: Government. £150; Auckland Provincial Executive, New Zealand I aimer Union, £l5; Auckland Farmers breezing Company, £5. Thanks were ex en * for these donations. It was decided that the community chest should beat thirds of general expenses of the diviSl °a’ letter was received from Mrs. Salmond, of Penrith, New South Wales, asking for details of the bush nurse and housekeeper scheme. These had been sent. A letter from Mrs. Udy,'Mataura, asked if members could undertake to visit lonely women in the country districts. The idea met with approval. Mrs. Jackson gave several instances where people had been living within a few miles of each other, and in one case a returned soldier farmer and his wife, who were '■aving hard times, lost three of their

children without their nearest neighbour knowing anything of it. . A proposal that branches appoint a member each month to visit outlying farmers’ Wives was approved. Mrs. Harris stated that the editor of "The Exporter was giving her a number ot copies to give to the women accompanying the English farmers. This would give them some idea of the work of the decision. A vote of thanks was passed for this gift. During the early part of the afternoon several remits dealing with the work of the housekeepers were discussed.

BUSH NURSE AND HOUSEKEEPER A meeting of Bush Nurse and Housekeeper " Auxiliary was held last night, Mrs. C. C. Jackson presiding. The report was presented by the secretary, who stated that there were now 37 housekeepers employed. Several had resigned during the month. The Wellington Central Provincial Executive had now taken over its own housekeepers.and had ten employed. Of the three visiting housekeepers the following wages had been paid - £BB, with £46 received from employers'; £54, with £2l received; and £32. with £lB received. The emergency housekeepers had been paid £47/12/5 in salaries .and £l5/3/2 had been received, the difference in each case being raid from the community chest fund. Travelling expenses amounting to £23/3/7 had been paid. •• Some discussion took place on the question of travelling expenses, .and it was decided that if an engagement be broken bv the employer the latter should pay till tb» eml of engagement in lieu of travelling expenses in return. It was recommended that secretaries of branches should keen in touch with housekeepers coining into their, districts, and that the application forms should, be received nt headquarters in ,each case before a housekeeper is sent to'an engagement.