PAN-PACIFIC AFFAIRS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 232, 13 September 1934, Page 10

PAN-PACIFIC AFFAIRS

Recent Women’s Conference ADDRESS BY MISS ANDREWS An outline of the proceedings at the Pan-Pacific conference of women held last month at Honolulu was given by Aliss E. Andrews, of New Plymouth, leader of the New Zealand delegation at those proceedings, when she addressed several gatherings of women held in Napier and Hastings yesterday.

The afternoon meetings yesterday were held under the auspices of the Hastings Women’s Club and the Hastings Women’s Luncheon Club, the for. mer being presided over by Mrs. E. C Clarkson, and the latter by Airs, j' AlcAlley. At the Napier meeting Miss A. W : Hannay, president of the Hawke’s Bay branch of New Zealand Women Teachers, was in the chair, supported by Miss Jerome Spencer Airs. 0. 0. Morse and Mrs. W. E. Barnard.

Being an able and direct speaker, full ot an enthusiastic personality, Aliss Andrews soon convinced her hearers of her sincerity in her subject and held their attention until the last moment. The 1931 conference, she said was the first one held under the auspices ot Pan-Pacific Women’s Association. Previously it was helped by the PanPacific Union. There were 6o women present from ten countries around the Pacific, representing Hawaii, the United States mainland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, Korea, the Philippines, China and Japan. As ono delegate remarked, the conference was the greatest adventure in international friendship that the world had ever known.

Aliss Andrews gave a lengthy review of personalities among the delegates.

FREE DISCUSSIONS.

Discussions at the conference were held at a round table, the subjects including industrial, social and educational problems. The discussions were held in committee, as it was thought that in this way representatives would speak in a freer manner than if every word was reported to the land from which they came. A Continuation Committee was set up, of which Aliss Andrews was made president, to enable a better programme for the future to bo drawn up. This committee had the power of voicing criticisms and it made the following suggestions:—(l) That the scope of the conference should be severely restricted. (2) That they should form a platform and make definite resolutions for future action. (3) That delegates should take up the study of various topics. Sixteen topics were put forward, of which five are to be voted for for discussion at the next conference, which will bo restricted to these five. The following are the 16 topics from” which five are to bo selected(l) Youth movements for peace; (2) traffic in arms; (3) effect of industrialisation on family life or standards of living; (4) population pressures; (5) the share of women in family support; (6) labour standard and standards of living in relation to international trade competition; (7) the technique of developing public opinion; (8) social effects of unemployment; (9) expansion of fields of gainful work for women with special reference to service occupations; (10) the contribution of adult education to the cultural life of the people; (11) a socialised health programme; (12) the adjustment of educational programme to changing social relationships; (13) the effect of industrial home work upon women; (14) how can better connectiosn be established between school and employment under educational supervision with vocational guidance, apprenticeship opportunities and employment register or placement departments?; (15) how can tho beneficial results of industrial hygiene be assured to the heretofore unregistered agricultural work in countries where, it is fast becoming industrialised?; (16) the political status of women, WOMEN’S RIGHTS. Aliss Andrews said that New Zealand was second to no other country in industrial laws and conditions. Women m Japan have no votes, no public positions, no guardianship of children, no nationality rights. Ju direct contrast, Cliineso women were in tho same position as men. They chose their own nationality, their daughters had the same position as sons and divorce laws were the same for both. The marriage age for girls m China was 16 and boys 17. They had women judges. Foreign married to Chinese can retain their own nationality. In Australia women could sit in the Legislative Council, iu Queensland they could sit on juries and the women police did a wonderful work there. In India men and women had no vote aud no women's pensions. In Manitoba a man had to have a health certificate before ho married and a marriage license at least a fortnight before tho wedding. A curious fact about divorce law iu the Philippines was that husband and wile could be divorced, but could not remarry until one or the other was dead.

Subjects discussed at the conference included:— (11 The drug traffic. (2) Traffic in alcohol. 270,W0 schools in Japan had been supplied with temperance handworks from which a very large number of towns had turned dry. It was hoped this year to raise the age of obtaining drink in Japan to 25 years, by which time all military training would be finished. (3) Traffic in arms. (4; Population measures. Aliss Andrews spoke very strongly on the over-population of Japan, on whose subjects many countries had closed their doors. She said that tho Japanese were a home-loving nation, who did not like emigation. Aliss Andrews was heartily thanked at each meeting for her interesting review. Carpets or mats can be prevented from curling by applying sonic very thick starch on the edges. Place a piece of brown paper over the starch and iron dry with a lairly hut iron. To loosen a glass stopper, pour a little olive oil round the stopper; place tho bottle near a flanio, and tap the stopper lightly. Tho heat will cause the oil to work round sod loeaeii the siopper,