BUSH HOUSEKEEPERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 51, 2 March 1937, Page 14

BUSH HOUSEKEEPERS

W.D.F.U. NATIONAL WORK

'' The, adjourned" meeting of the Women's Division of. the Farmers' .Union Has just taken place in Wellington, the delay-haying been yon- account of the epidemic. ' ••».-■-.■--.-■

The.-, report; presented' by . the Dominion ■• secretary'- (Mrs. A. B. Smith) contained- much of special .interest, it i being stated%that the suggestion of Mrs. Alfred Watt, 0.8.E.,-made by request when here,' that a'co-ordinating committee taken from the W.D.F.U. and the'W.l.:; should .be set up, with equal representation from each, had been'accepted, and the following were chosen as representatives:—The Dominion president, Mrs. C. K. Wilson (Pio Pio) and Mesdames C. C. Jackson (Kopuaranga), Duncan Simpson (Marton),:T. R. Barrer (Masterton), and Noel Adams (Clevedon), were appointed/ to act in the capacity until the Dominion conference in July. The purposes of the Co-ordinating Committee are:—(a) To press for and, if received, to allocate Government or other grants meant for both .societies;: (b) to.deal with international affairs; (c) to work- but together such general schemes as both are interested in; (d) to encourage cooperation; (c). to prevent overlapping. HOUSEKEEPERS' SCHEME. .The housekeepers i:,scheme,;which;,is. such .,&: very, fine, and helpful-.par.t!of, the work of the. W.D.F.U., ,' is ■ fully, dealt ::with in :-the ,'renort. ; It is -.nbt generally understood that any women in the .country—vhether they may be members of the W.D.F.U. or not—may apply :for assistance in the way : of housekeeper's service in their'homes in. times of emergency, or distress, and the members of division are most anxious that this should be generally rea-. lised. ..They are "out", to help •', all countrywpmen, ■'; andj ■ although they have 64 housekeepers, all of whom are kept fully employed, they are ' ready and willing to assist non-members of the Women's Division, wherever they may be. 'The'housekeepers must;be regarded as.an:"emergency staff," but,' on those grounds, may be obtained, by. all applicants. S -There is-a dressmaker whose services-'.may be obtained,-and she also ha's filled a useful .place in the; lives of r country women. . '.■'-•; ?' a:

Competent' arrangements■-,have:- been' made' for. the protection pf:;theihousekeepers' viri'-., times of'sickness" or' acci-dent,-these being both :kind'ahd businesslike. From June to December the housekeepers fulfilled 605 engagements, and "casual" ,or "probationer" housekeepers were provided for 126 engagements—a total of 731 engagements for the whole Dominion. ■ The sewing engagements totalled 84: .

A great deal of detail work was settled at the' meeting; making .the.-way clear.,bpth for employed and employers, and. the hope was -expressed .'that would ask for the helpers -'unless''the circumstances thoroughly justified the request, when it would be met" sympathetically; but, in view of the fact that at times impositions have occurred, it is hoped that the proper terms laid down ;., after, much thought and experience, will be observed Hy all wishing for aid. , . .. • . .