A RECEPTION

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 42, 13 November 1936, Page 4

A RECEPTION

Mrs, A. Watt Guest of Women’s Institutes

The Dominion president and members of the Dominion executive of Women's Institutes were hostesses at a very pleasant afternoon tea reception in the palm lounge of the Hotel St. George yesterday, at which Mrs. Alfred Watt, president of the Associated Countrywomen of the World, was the guest of honour.

One end of the lounge was screened off for the party, and looked very comfortable and attractive, with vases of ranunculi on the green-clothed tables, and rhododendrons in shades of pink and arum lilies placed about in big bowls and baskets.

Mrs. W. Deans (Canterbury), Dominion president, received the guests, who included, as well as the Women’s Institute members, others interested persons connected with well-known women’s organisations. Mrs. Watt arrived with Mrs. H. Paterson, formerly Dominion president of the Women’s Institute, and tea was served first so that everyone present could have the opportunity of meeting her and having a few minutes’ conversation with this eminent worker for women's welfare.

While welcoming Mrs. Watt and saying how honoured they were to have such a distinguished visitor among them, Mrs. Deans remarked that at the same time they, the visiting members of the Women’s Institutes executive, were given an opportunity at a gathering such as this of meeting co-workers in Wellington and exchanging ideas. Referring to Mrs. Watt’s tour of New Zealand and her planned visits to the Women's Institute branches and other women’s organisations, she said that they felt glad to share the knowledge and experience that she brought, with all the other women of New Zealand who would be fortunate enough to meet her and hear her speak. . Organisation’s Aims. Mrs. Watt said that she proposed, on this occasion, to speak of the aims of the great world-wide organisation of Associated Countrywomen, and to tell a little of the progress of the movement, so that her listeners could judge for themselves what it was hoped to attain as well as what had already been accomplished. The aims, she said, were the same all over the world, but might be carried out tn different ways in the various countries. The work of education, to take the first point, did not lie in building up funds for education so much as gaining the swerve of public opinion along the lines of correct education and the curriculum in schools. She mentioned as an example the work done in Sweden, where courses in the study of domestic science had been established for girls and women and were taken very seriously. In almost all the countries, she continued, the Women’s Institutes were doing a great work in educating public opinion for the betterment of the children and the adults.

The next point Mrs. Watt mentioned in connection with the work, especially of the "Women’s Institutes, was the agricultural side. As a large percentage of the population in the countries in which there were Women's Institutes was engaged in agricultural pursuits, it was necessarily pf great importance. Women, she said, could play a large part in agricultural advancement by maintaining the home in the country and stimulating the social side of country life, both of which were of value in keeping the men heartened in their part of the agricultural work. Again, continued Mrs. "Watt, the Associated Countrywomen were interested in co-operative undertakings in various smaller ways, and sbe stressed the fact that it was up to women, who seemed to be natural co-operators, to explain the benefits of co-operation to the men. Other points mentioned were the efforts to ,try aud stimulate the growth of more vegetables and fruit in connection with agricultural pursuits, so that the children would benefit from their nourishment; and the encouragement of girls in the study and pursuit of the branches of agricultural work to which they were suited. Speaking of domestic science, Mrs. Watt said that where there had been co-operation of the Women’s Institutes with the Government and the schools the standard bad risen to a very high level, and women were now getting a wider view of its worth, and" were asking for lessons in food values and diet. Teaching Citizenship. Teaching citizenship among women, another point in the work of the Associated Countrywomen, was simpler in the older-established countries, and Mrs. Watt gave Germany as the best example. The women there were taking a very large part in the citizenship I of their country. In America, too, some of the women’s organisations had legislative committees, which were a great help in the advancement of citizenship. In the matter of national health a great deal had been done by the Women's Institutes, Mrs. "Watt remarked, in co-operation with the boards of health, and a definite programme had been established, by which the women were educated so that they responded to the efforts of other organisations that had similar objects in view. During the last six years, Mrs. Watt said, as she neared the conclusion of her talk, the Associated Countrywomen had become a vital force in international life, and this was made possible only because of the national friendship that existed among all the organisations that were wrapped up in if. To give an example of the enthusiasm that had been worked up among the women, she told of a conference held by the association recently at Washington, at which there were present, instead of the few hundred that were expected, 7000 women.

She finished by complimenting the Women’s Institutes of New Zealand on their keenness and active progress, and expressed the hope that they would accomplish much in the future. Mrs. Watt then answered several questions on various points. Those members of the Dominion executive and others who were present at the reception included: Miss Amy Kane, Mrs. Horne and Mrs. Williams (Hawke’s Bay), Mrs. Revell (Auckland), Mrs. Chisnell and Mrs. Macdonald (Canterbury), Sister May Gardiner (Gisborne), Mrs. Paterson (Pahiatua), Mrs. Kelso (Dominion organiser), Mrs. Robinson (general secretary), Miss Jerome Spencer (Hawke's Bay), Miss Maddever, Lady Luke, Mrs. T. H. Lowry (Hastings), Lady Pomare, Mrs. Knox Gilmer, Mrs. W. Perry, Mrs. J. Pow, Mrs. H. Klrkcaldie, Mrs. S. Natuseh, Mrs. B. L. Dallard, Miss C. E. Kirk, Mrs. Mac Neil. Miss Violet Macmillan, Miss Greig, Miss Batham, Miss Bridgeman, Mrs. Ford, Miss E. JYard,

Miss Clark, Miss N. Gordon, Mrs. Thorne, Miss Magill, Miss Park, Mrs. Peryman, Mrs. Hume, Miss E. Watson, Miss Lamble, Miss J. Bicknell, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. E. Maslem, Mise Cookson, Mrs. Gray Hassall. Many others who were invited but could not attend sent apologies.