INFORMATIVE YEAR

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 7, 3 October 1944, Page 3

INFORMATIVE YEAR

Women’s Social Progress

Aspects of current developments in social research were discussed during the year at meetings of the Women’s Social Progress Movement by speakers who were specialists in their various spheres of work. According to the movement’s annual report, which was read by the secretary, Mrs. J. Hislop at the annual meeting recently held in Wellington, representatives had also attended meetings called by the Government and the city council to consider town planning, a civic centre and housing problems. The National Council of Women was being supported in its efforts to include hospital staffs on the essential industry list, and the movement was dealing, through the National Council, with the problem of sexual offenders. Letters had been sent to the city council congratulating it on the effort to accommodate prams on trams and on the establishment of the rest room for women and children. Miss, Howden was the representative for the Bible in Schools League, and Miss Watson now represented the federation of university women (Wellington branch). Her place ns National Council delegate had been taken by Mrs. Herron. Much of the social service work had arisen from the representatives’ reports. Service club teas for soldiers and sailors, convened by Mrs. James Bennie, had been financed by the movement. One member, Mrs. Barnard, was congratulated on her singularly welcome ginger nnt service for troops overseas. “Her gingernuts are world famous,” stated the report. Special thanks were accorded the house committee and its convenors. Mesdames McCallum and Manor, Mrs. Bennie who arranged musical programmes for each gathering, Miss M. E. P. Ahern, Mr. W. McCallum and Mr. B. C. O’Connor. Posies were presented to members of the executive and items were given by Mrs. George Castle and Miss Dix. Miss E. Watson was re-elected president and Jliss M. McLean, C.8.E., was appointed an honorary president. Other officers elected included: Vice-presidents, Mesdames R. Pearson, J. Down. R. A. Wright, .1. C. Andersen, M. Strong, J. Bennie, A. Purdie. IT. .1. Steptoe, J. McCallum, and Mann, Misses Crump and Chappell : committee. Mesdames Shrcader Gibbons, Potter. Sutton, Horne, Hunt, and - T . Hnnunh, Misses Bcnzoni, Millar, and Howden; house committee, Mesdnmes McCallum, and Mann: treasurer, Mrs. Gourley; recording secretary. 'Mrs. R. E. Herron; general secretary, Mrs. J. Hislop. —