PROBLEMS OF THE PACIFIC

Evening Star, Issue 19999, 17 October 1928, Page 10

PROBLEMS OF THE PACIFIC

JQKSB C!l lIOHSLULS CSBfEREHOE Adi'- Denton Jii'ceh. who ini' one ol the delegates to the Pan-l’aeilie Women's Conference recently held in Honolulu, gave a most interesting address last evenin;; on ‘ New Zealand In Relation to the Problems of tho I’acilie.’ The Rev. .11. E. Belllionse presided over a coed a Honda nee in the First Church Hall. Having welcomed Airs Leech hack from tho etinfercnee, Air Jsellhou.se defiled the nature of the topic about to he discussed, and declared thar, involved in the matter of 'Pacific relationships, there was a "rave problem which everyone in New Zealand would have lo recognise, and do all that could bo done as regards finding a solution.

lii her opening remarks Mis Denion Leech f'.x|>J;iiued that iho Pan-Pacific Conference with Monnliilii as the meeting centre was tlie result ul’ a movement instigated hy the late Hun. Mark Cohen, to whom duo honour had been paid at tlio opening of the sittings and on many suh.scr|nent occasions. During the meetings, which were held under the auspices of the PanPacifm Union, some ]o(| delegates had linen entertained lor ten days withal their having to spend a penny. Associated with the union were educational, financial, ami commercial bodies, all of which had spared no pains to make the conference a success. Among tho ninny important things that had been discussed was that of food conservation, a subject eminently suitable lor women to deal with. Moreover, the various problems were discussed in u friendly, non-official manner, which gave speakers every chance to ventilato their opinions with great Ireedorn. Honolulu, being of a nui't cosmopolitan milnre, was an ideal locality for such proceedings, for there was an entire absence of racial enmity, and representatives of the different nations were content to work peaceably togelher. Tbc aims of the union wore to bring together from time to time lenders of thought and action so that they might assist in the eo-opera-"tion of interests common to all people, and also to mould public opinion. Subjects with friction underlying them were dealt with by a different institution. Tho flays spent there were a source of wide education and everlasting inspiration. Altogether there were five sections, find they met daily in round-thc-lahlc discussions. Tho chairman was usually an Oriental woman, and every day a new leader was appointed, whose duly it was to see that the discussions were well conducted. After dealing with a talk which concerned the responsibilities of women as citizens, the speaker stated that in all sect ions (lie work of the League of Nations was constantly coming (o tho fore, thus showing how its influence entered into every part of international relationship throughout tho world. All tho discussions impressed upon her the facts of the great similarity in national ideals, of tho growing power of democracy, and of the emergence of tho community sense. Above all, there was a, universal desire for world peace, and a- state of affairs w lire by all disputes could he settled by civilised co-operation and arbitration instead of by warfare. New Zealand seemed to ho in a hack water, but owing to its democratic form of government and its high standard of political honour it was in a position to hold out the hand of friendship to those other countries in the Pacific, without envy, without jealousy, .and without fear" (Applause.) After the address, Dr Henson and Mr J. Bates, president and secretary respectively of the Institute of Pacific Potations, spoke on the work and nuns of the institute, the former detailing some interesting personal experiences which had been his lot during post conferences. The meeting closed with a brief dismission.