VISITORS WELCOMED

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 125, 20 February 1935, Page 5

VISITORS WELCOMED

National Convention of Y.W.C.A. There was a very representative gathering of members of the Wellington Y.AV.G.A., delegates from all parts of New Zealand, and interested friends at the. Blue Triangle Hall last evening, on the occasion of the opening reception to delegates to the National Convention which will be held during this week. Dr. Sylvia Chapman was in the chair, an dalso on the platform were his Wor- I ship the Mayor, Mr, T. C. A. Hislop, and Mrs. Hislop, Mrs. Robert Gard'uer, Miss Jean Stevenson, Miss Kirk and Miss Bridgeman. Dr. Chapman welcomed the delegates on behalf of the national executive, and remarked that this convention promised to be particularly interesting for two reasons. First, that as a new phase of the work had been commented —co-operation with the Y.M.C.A.—-the reports of this effort would be eagerly listened Secondly, that there were several-present who had recently been in close contact with the association abroad. Miss Jean Stevenson, the speaker for the evening, had just returned from the 'World Council at Geneva, ami they had also with them Miss Moncrieif, a visitor from China, Miss Jean Begg from India, Miss E. Griffin from Australia. and Miss Birch, who was the first field secretary of the YAV.C.A. in New Zealand. Mr. Hislop spoke a few words of welcome on behalf of the citizens of AAellington. “I consider it a privilege.” he said, “to welcome the delegates to Wellington, because you are members of a world organisation, and no new organisation, but one which goes baek some eighty years, and to-day carries on its beneficial work in over fifty countries. I wish and hope that this convention will result in the strengthening of your organisation, and in decisions ealeu- j lated to carry forward the work on which you have set your hearts.” Mrs. R. Gard'uer spoke on behalf of the Wellington board of directors, and Miss Kirk, president of the National Council of 'Women in New Zealand, ttdded some encouraging words on behalf of that society. In an interlude before Miss Stevenson’s address on “Trends of the Y.W.C.A. in Other Lands,” Mr. and Mrs. Erie Meier, who were accompanied by Miss Ormi Reid, gave great pleasure with two violin duos, ami Miss Ella Fair and Miss Myra Sawyer, accompanied by Miss E. Ballantyne, with their singing. Miss Stevenson, who is national secretary of the Y.W.C.A. in New Zealand, said that she had gone to the World Council at Geneva with three ideas in regard to tlie work, on which she wished to improve her knowledge. The first reason was to gain more international contacts. As there were representatives of twenty-nine countries at the council she had discovered great opportunities for tins cause. The study course in particular, which preceded the actual council, had been a splendid opportunity for the interchanging of ideas, although, Miss Stevenson remarked, the barrier of languages prevented this being as productive as it might have been. She had also found the economic questions of the various nations an illuminating experience. Miss Stevenson’s second idea was the enlargement of her knowledge of the rural work, in order that something might be done for women who lived faraway from the cities in New Zealand. She" had been very impressed with the remarkable co-operative efforts in Holland, to which she paid a visit, remarking that thirteen major societies there were linked up with the National Y.W.C.A., and through that with the world association. Thirdly, she had wished to discover some way of creating a social economic department in this country, as she felt that there was not enough being done in training girls in the social problems of the day. “I have not come baek,” said the speaker, in conclusion, “with any readymade solutions to these great difficulties; we should take time to prepare ourselves for these really great services, but I feel that, in our association, we have achieved a very great fellowship. In Geneva we transcended all barriers of thought, ami achieved a spiritual friendship over those barriers. I have come back with a new and stronger sense of our power to help to build up that co-operation in a unity of faith and ideas between nations.” Supper followed this address, and delegates were given the opportunity of meeting each other and exchanging their views. The delegates to the convention are Christchurch: Miss Bowbyes, Miss E. Gill, Mrs. McLeod. Dunedin: Mrs. Begg, Mrs. C. Fowler, Miss D. Lynn, Miss F. Wrightson, Miss P. Hindle, Mrs. Skinner, Miss M. Begg, Miss F. Ross. Timaru: ' Miss Lovell-Smith. And from the North. —Auckland: Mrs Rudd, Miss Bentham, Mrs. Derrick. New Plymouth: Mrs. Blundell. Mrs Morley, Miss M. Greenwell. Miss .Tackett, Mrs, Chivers, Mrs. Harris. Palmerston North: Miss C. Asli ton. Hamilton: Miss K. Sootier, and members of the National Board resident at headquarters, and members of the Wellington Board of Directors.