WOMEN CONFER

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 11327, 3 October 1930, Page 3

WOMEN CONFER

PAN-PACTFIC GATHERING WIDE DIVERSITY OF SUBJECTS ADDRESS BY , MISS PERRY A higlily interesting and entertaining address on the work at tho second Pan-Pacific .Conference of Women, held at. Honolulu last August, wn-s given last evening by Miss A. S. Perry, who. represented the Gisborne branch of the National Council of Women as a delegate at this important gathering, when all manner of subjects of interest, especially to women and children, were discussed.-

- The Women's Club rooms, where the address was delivered, had been charmingly’ decorated for tho occasion. by Mrs Trowel! and Miss C. Osborn, Iceland poppies, anemones, rhododendrons and flowering currant providing the predominating notes in delightful contrasts with tho sombre green of foliage. Miss C. Osborn a. vice-president of .the National - Council - of. 'Women, was in the chair and briefly introduced Miss Perrv.

Miss Perry opened by pointing out that, this was the second women’s conference called, hv the-: Pan-Pacific Institute. It had been the practice of the Institute: to initiate conferences of such as scientific bod.es economic conference. Press, etc. It, at the end of the conference, there was a desire to perpetuate the conference, it has continued as n separate body, leaving the institute to turn its energies to another subject Tn the ease of the first Pan-Pacific Women’s Conference, ir- -was felt the need was -so great, but the sources at the disposal of the women were so scanty that the Institute generously offered to sponsor a second conference. If the women then 101 l they could perform a useful function, they must therefore shoulder tho tub responsibility of their own organisation. So that the meeting this year was a critical one. This, was an age ot conferences, continued the speaker. America at ways had believed in the efficacy ot conferences, and, since the war,' the other countries have realised as never before the, value of meeting in person. those who were formerly enemies. At one time, the women attend'd conferences mainly- as wives ol delegates, and their -share was usually to grace social functions. Gradually women attended in their own right,, and, for -many subjects, international gatherings of both sexes aro undoubtedly the most satisfactory. But there, are .still mnnv matters which are advanced through discussions of women only, and this is particularly flie cn.se with the women op the Pacific countries in which there are, in nearly every case, indigenous peoples with a. much more primitive standard. Such women would be lost- and inarticulate in a mixed assemblage, and, in countries like China and Japan, with their centuries of tradition and custom, the women undoubtedly look to other women to show them the wav to progress. A great many of those who attended the Psin-l’acilic Conference who had experience of other international. conferences, and also of mixed ones, had gone to Honolulu quite sceptical about the need for separate conferences: But, on the last night when a decision had to be made as to the need lor the perpetuation of such a conference, one by one those wo men cot up and expressed themselves as entirely convinced of the absolute necessity of the continuance of this (Tt-oun. * As a- result a, I’an-Pacnc Women's Association has been formed. with two objects: (1) To strengthen the bonds of peace among Pacific nations by promoting a better understanding and friendship among the women of all Pacific countries; and '(2l. to initiate and promote cooperation among women of the Pacific region for the study and -betterment of existing -social conditions. As funds allow, it is hoped to organise research uito some of these problems., hut, for the moment, the main work of the association will he to orpnni.se conferences which sho> he held in the different countries represented on the assoeint on. Hiere are thirteen charter members or the association —Australia, Canada, China Fiji. Korea, .Innan, Mexico, territory'of Hawaii, Netherlands, i-mst Indies New . Zealand, Philippines. Samoa, United States of AmericaThe next- conference will he held m years' time, end for once more it will he held in Honolulu, a generous offer having been made .by the local committee there and, ns tn e are at present no funds, it deemed inadvisable to refuse it.

DELEG AT F-S AT CONFERENCE. ■asp**#* At this last conference, snv 3* Ferrv, there were, besides the T 22 honorary delegates from Hawa.-, manv of these being of different nationalities. delegates from tho !oll*>« "ng countries: Australia IH, Can. 1.4, China"s, Hawaii 8/, India. 2. J“' iim 9," Mexico 1, New Zealand 1-,. Philippines 1.- Samoa L>.A. 61, .League of Nations.l. a total ci. The N.Z. delegates were Miss Jean Begg, of tile Auckland V.W 0.A., who was leader of tins country s delNation and also chairman of the social services department, of the conference; Miss Sims (Christchurch), chairman of the education section; Miss Andrews (New Plymouth), re r iresentin the Women Teachers Association, Miss Hull (Christchurch), director of free kindergarten, the two last-nam-ed also being attached to the education section; Miss C. Jordan (Ho olulul nominated bv the i « " ed Nurses’ Association; Miss Kam forth (Wellington), nominated by the Federation of University Women and on the Government section: Mrs Lee Cowie, on the social service section , Airs M. M. Osborne (Auckland) wlio. with the speaker was attacUcd to the industries section; and also three associate delegates. An especially interesting feature of. the con-ference-was the appointment ot. an Australian lady as the new_ international chairman, she being Br. Geor-,-ina Sweet, of Melbourne. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED; Conference discussions were carried <m under the headings of Education. Government. Health, Home Eoonoin"c.s, Social Service and. Industry. A small committee was appointed for each section, to work, out- the topics of discussion, for each day and arrange the chief speakers, so that tIF round tables for each .section could r.-et to work each day without- delaj. Each" round table met in its separate room, and each had its. on n ste iiosrnplier Every person at the roundtable' was free to .lorn in/the discussion, and this was regarded as an onpovtunitv. for manv an inexpe. - enced delegate to make "some remark or even ask- questions, so that no oho need feel oht of the meetings As far as possible, the same mam topic was discussed at each round table, from its own special Jfindings of each discussion were then summarised and presented at fn» conference, so that, though one onlv able to attend one section. e\er> one had some idea what was the g ncrnl trend o? each discussion. In addition to these sectional discussions, which were held on alternate davs. certain subjects of more nenoral 'interest were taken m full conference, and discussed by every, bodv. Such general papers included. Social and Welfare Work of the League of Nations; Mental Hygiene; , J-ibrrfry Service as an Educational

and Social Rervrc; Women and International Relationships : The Cinema as a Community Factor Educational and Recreational■; Standards ot Living and Wages; Arc Work in the Public Schools in Hawaii; A Dc-an «r Women and Her Problems; Political Responsibility of Women .in World Affairs; Municipal Social Services; Diet and the Care of tho Teeth; Industrial Hygiene; etc. Interesting contrasts were made between-tlie Internationa! Council of Women at : ienna and thePnn-Paciiic Conieioncc, both as’ regarded method n-t working and personnel.

COMFORT OF DKLKGA'I ES. It will be seen, proceeded -Miss Perry, that the delegates were net by any means idle. It would have not been possible- to do even scant iust'ce to the \ery heavy programme had not the most careful plans been made for our creature comforts.. The conference was held in a wonderful school which comprised about a dozen palatial buildings m a benutuu: park. The sleeping quarters were m one big block; the dining room in an adjacent block; lecture hall and discussion rooms in other blocks. A swimming jiool in the open air. was in tho grounds. A fleet of private ears, each with its owner as chatfeuse, was waiting anv day on which there was any function away from the school. -One lady even had a car available all day, in case any delegate hod to go to town, a distance of about two miles. Although she heat was greater than most or us had been accustomed to, the delicto:vs fruit drinks, ice-cream and Mult cocktails prevented tho delegates from feeling- too exhausted.

PICTURESQ ITE HCISN i>. One <>t tlie most impressive sights of Honolulu was the way in winch the different nationalities lesdcm there mingled. When Miss Kuntil a eamo to Australia and New /.ealaod we asked not to expect her to wear her national costume m the streets, because of the attention she might attract. But in Honolulu national costumes uere worn naturally hy me Hawaiian.?- Chinese. Japanese ami Filipinos. Mauv of tlicm wore Oltner Western or national costume, ntvom ing to fancy, but at any .eereimmm function a great point was niade-.i). each appearing in national lull U «.». costume, and the • effect was m., 2orceon.H # , Another treat very ,much appieclated was the beautiful singing and dancing often given at ; merits. The afternoon garden pm ties usually included some ier choice entertainment, chn.racterist.c of 'one or other of the many nationd groups, resident m ilawnn. were often performed out of door. ■ in the beautiful gardens for üb'ch Honolulu was noted. All the rem - <-nts find some gi.mpso or these^ r dens, for there . are practie.iU.t n° fences round the homes ; son otmu . v hedge, but usually a, green lawn would separate the garden from tho main roa.t, and the ordinary [Hissei hv could ehjov the beaut did tri .■>. flowering shrubs and flowers. M™> the trees themselves were laden with brilliant colored ■ that the effect was very beaut.iui. Turning to the actual work of the different “sections at the confereno , Miss Perry dealt briefly with the nroceedf.ms of the Government and SSS»* actions. HajmlmilJJj former, it was realised that it won m ho impossible to get aitywhero d rnoh country was permitted, lor in iote oil arlon recardint' each particular as rlect of "tho subject. The chairman of tho section laid it down that four definite questions only could he dealt with in regard to each matte . Tlieso questions were, briefly 1" much has legislation achieved? Does present-day requirements? If not what would you suggest as being required? Ilow would you bring this about? The questions' of children horn out of wedlock, of the extent to which women s suffrage has affected legislation, of the nationality of women who marry foreigners and of women police, were keenly debated and were perhaps the most important matters in tins sec tion Tho industries section showed more than ever the difference between American and non-American ods, and it appeared that t o coun tries outside that land would bd'c to go in more for statistics, so that thev could obtain some indication o the'trend Of events and as to whetl,er any particular legislation wax Sallv worth while- A weak portion of tlie section was that there " a n V delegate actually engaged in mdu,trv? but the delegates had pledged themselves to do their best to have some women and girls, act _ ua j[> *. gaged in industry, at the next con °On the motion of Mrs C; H. Seymour, president of the Women . Club, a vote of thanks was passed to Miss Perry with the warmest ,accharming vocal selections were rendered during the evening, solos being given b >’.^ lrs Miss L. Trowel!, while . the latter and Mrs Coleman combined delight-fully-in a duet, Mrs It. Andrew plaving the accompaniments. A dainty supper brought » thoiouglilv enjoyable evening to an all too-early close.