PACIFIC AFFAIRS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 112, 5 February 1935, Page 11

PACIFIC AFFAIRS

Reports on Conference VALUABLE WORK DONE A meeting of the New Zealand Committee of the Pan Pacifico Women’s Association was held in the Pioneer Club on January 29 to receive reports of delegates to the recent conference at Honolulu. Mrs. T. E. Taylor presided. Next Conference, Miss Andrews, in her report, said the conference had passed four resolutions, feeling that whatever truth was elicited at the meeting should be made known to the world. The first dealt with the right of women to choose and indulge in gainful occupations; the second with the traffic in arms. Improvement in films formed the subject of the next, and the need to increase the number of peace-minded groups in every country the fourth. Miss Andrews also spoke of the election of Mrs. Taylor as a vice-president of the association, which was an honour for New Zealand. Mrs. Barren gave some account of the health section. A good deal of time had been spent on the discussion of birth control from the point of view of the discouragement of the unfit. Members had visited a very wonderful clinic. She said that too much time seemed to be taken up by experts speaking on ope subject, not leaving enough for general discussion. This was confirmed by other delegates, especialy Miss Basten in the Industry Section, where the need for the bettering of physical conditions in some countries was brought out. She found New Zealand had little to complain of in comparison. Contact between delegates of one’s own country and between those of neighbouring countries had seemed to her one of the most valuable points of the conference. Mrs. H. D. Bennett, who, with Mrs. Hammond, represented the Maori race, the first time it has been represented, said they felt they showed how two races can live together harmoniously. They had received wonderful hospitality. and felt it a great honour to be present at the conference. International Relations. Miss E. Melville, who sat on the international relations commitee, said while the chief theme issuing from the conference has been the desire of women for peace, it must be peace through understanding, and friendship through knowledge. This was not a conference of experts, but primarily of ordinary women, and she felt it would be very valuable if the next conference could take the life of an ordinary woman and discuss and compare it from different aspects in each country. Nationality of Married Women. Dr. Paterson said she felt the organisation had made a great advance. The association was now getting to the state where the opinion of its members will be of influence. The subject of the nationality of married women had been brought before members, and the following motion carried■ “That this meeting of the N.Z. Committee of the P.P.W.A. expresses its gratification that the N.Z. House of Representatives has passed the Bill giving women the right to retain their British nationality on marriage with .an alien, and strongly urges that the Legislative Council pass the Bill as it now stands, and by so doing help the British Parliament to bring about uniformity of legislation on the question of the nationality of married women.” It was decided to hold the annual meeting in May, when the subjects chosen for discussion at the next conference will be known, and leaders for the study of these can be appointed.