WOMEN'S INSTITUTES

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 51, 1 March 1934, Page 15

WOMEN'S INSTITUTES

HUTT VALLEY GROUP'

The value of group meetings as a means not only of social intercourse and for furthering co-operation between the institutes themselves but also as an educational factor in the adoption, of the wider view of the movement was the subject of Miss Amy Kane's opening address, as chairman- at the Hutt Valley: group of Women's Institutes' first, meeting recently. The organisation in the Hutt was represented by some 150 members belonging to Upper Hutt, Silverstrcam, Stokes Valley, Bclmont, and Wainui-o-mata, who met at Ho well's Hall, Trentham. ' Greetings to all present were voiced by Miss Kane and Mrs. McCurdy, Mayoress of Upper Hutt. With Miss Kane- on the ' platform were "Miss M. C. Maddever (president of Southern Wellington .Federation), Mrs. Kelso (Dominion organiser and editress of "Home and Country"), and Mesdamcs Rogers, Gastle, Huse, Moran, and White, presidents of the Hutt Valley Institutes. 'A most interesting talk was given by Mrs. Kelso on "Home and Country" as it appears in New Zealand and in other lands, ncr description of the early days of the New Zealand edition as a hand-written letter from. Miss Jerome Spencer to the few institutes then in existence to the present day, when its distribution is growing somewhat of a problem, was followed with keen interest. Several suggestions for simplifying the work of distribution were forthcoming. Miss Maddever also spoke briefly on institute matters, giving helpful advice and suggestions on. the work of programme-planning and finance, with a view to preventing frequent calls on members. One of the chief features of the programme was a '''model meeting, "conducted'by Miss Kane, who strongly advocated the wisdom of each woman becoming conversant with the rules of debate. All the resolutions, amendments, and speeches were more or less in humorous vein, but the chairman used them as'examples to illustrate the correct mode of procedure at a meeting. . -A, very fine show of handcrafts .and produce was on view, the latter being sold to pay expenses, and during the afternoon musical items by the Upper Hutt W.I; ; Singing Circle, under the baton of Mrs. Tomlin, were much enjoyed. Tea was served by Upper Hutt and Silverstream Institutes, who acted as hostesses.