LYCEUM CLUB

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 155, 28 March 1932, Page 4

LYCEUM CLUB

Pan-Pacific Women’s Conference DELEGATES ENTERTAINED On Saturday eveniiig last members of the Lyceum Club entertained the delegates to the Pan-Paclflc Women’s Conference at a “high tea” at the clubrooms. The long tables were beautifully decorated with bowls of autumn leaves, with dahlias and antirrhinums in shades of flame, arranged by Mrs. Oakley, acting-president of the club. The meal was an animated and informal one, and the members of the club were able to meet and talk with their interesting guests. The club’s patron, Mrs. J. G. Coates, was present, Mrs. O. A. Oakley acted as president in the absence of Mrs. Hadfield, and with her was Jlrs. F. Beales, vice-president. At the conclusion of the meal Mrs. J. C. Andersen welcomed the visitors and spoke challenglngly of the position of women in. the political life of this country, expressing the opinion that they had failed to maintain the stan dards of the pioneer women workers, and that their place to-day in times of crisis should be side by side, with their menfolk, to help, and to share the responsibility. Mrs. E. B. Taylor (Christchurch), president of the conference, thanked the club for its hospitality, and outlined the aims and ideals of the PanI’aciflc Women’s Union. She said that, their basic principle was to establish co-operation and understanding between the nations of the Pacific, and she said that she believed that the power to do this lay in the hands, of the women of these many nations, for whatever their race or colour they were united by the common bond of womanhood. The alm of the union was to create such good feeling that war should be impossible, and she believed that women could do this, and would realise the urgency when they considered that the present disastrous economic crisis was brought about by the catastrophe of the Great War. She accepted Mrs. Anderson’s challenge, and declared that women must take more part in the affairs of this country and of the world. Miss E. Melville, Auckland, speaking of the women of New Zealand, said that she believed that the reason why they took so little part in the affairs of their country was that owing to our isolation, Victorian standards of thought still prevailed to some extent in this country. The women, due to laziness and to the attitude of their men-folk, wore inarticulate, though they certainly did not lack intelligence. She quoted Miss Maude Royden as having said that the New Zealanders were a nation of housekeepers, a very subtle criticism. More than good housekeeping was required of the mothers of the race, she affirmed, and women must organise and become well-informed, so that they could shake off superficial complacency and national egotism, and interpret themselves as thinking, vital people to the other peoples of the world. Miss M. E. Sims. Christchurch,, said -that she thought it was hard to realise the power which organised womanhood could wield, but that power was truly great and could accomplish great tilings. A piano solo by Miss Eileen. Clarke, and songs by Miss E. Kay and Miss F. Penney, marked the close of this very delightful gathering, and the guests left to resume their deliberations once more. The delegates present were.:—Mrs. E. B. Taylor, Christchurch, president; Dr. Bakewell, Dr. A. Bennett (Wanganui), Mcsdames P. A. Bennett, C. I. Eggers, C. C. Jackson, Richards, A. M. L. Gilbert Smith (Whangarei), R. Wood, Misses Elsie E. Andrews (New Plymouth), secretary, Basten, A. Kane (Wellington), B. Lambie, E. B. Lea, E. Melville (Auckland), Salmond, M. E. Sims (Christchurch) and J, Stevenson. There was a large gathering of club members.