PAEROA INSTITUTE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 60, Issue 4341, 9 October 1950, Page 2

PAEROA INSTITUTE

A GOOD ATTENDANCE INTERESTING REPORT GIVEN The September meeting of the Paeroa Women’s Institute held in the Presbyterian hall was well attended, Mrs I. Homer presiding. The ode to friendship was read followed by prayer. The monthly motto was “The wise man makes hay with the grass that grows under the other fellow’s feet.” Several birthday sprays were given and a visitor, Mrs Melrose, from Australai was welcomed and given a spray. She consented to be the judge of the competitions. Mrs Homer was selected as delegate to represent Paeroa at the October council meeting. Several birthday party invitations were received and members planned to attend several, including Pipiroa, Netherton and Wharepoa. Competition results: — Mrs W. Pearson, 1; Mrs O’Neil. 2; Mrs H. Morgan, 3. Best spike, Mrs W. Goldsworthy, 1; Mrs F. Marsh, 2; Mirs F. Wilkinson, 3. "'Shopping bag from carpet braids, Mrs F. Marsh, 1; Mrs A. Scott, 2. Meat pie (pastry), Mrs F. Marsh, 1; Mrs W. Go 7dsworthy, 2. Wandering shilling, Mrs Melrose. The meeting was the first held by the Paeroa institute since the Dominion conference held in Christchurch which Mrs Homer attended as Paeroa delegate. A very full and interesting report on the conference was given by Mrs Homer, who reported upon matters not yet published. One of the speakers at the conference, said Mrs Homer, was Mr John .Stewart, the publisher of “Home and Country,” who explained the rise in costs, stating that since 1936 wages had increased 75 per cent and the price of paper had risen accordingly but the institute would be getting more news in future editions. Another speaker, said Mrs Homer, was Mr Ash Downs, a blind representative of the Institute for the Blind. He said that it had been decider. to have a Dominion campaign, aiming to collect £30,000 and it would take place in the Auckland province during February and March next. He said that the blind institute was founded on the Pearson fund to serve 490 cases but now they had 2000 blind people and only the same fund to use. It was due, he said, to the generosity of the women’s institute that, in the depression in the early thirties, not one blind person was out of work. Their intention was to build schools for blind children to educate and train them to earn their livelihood. Mrs Homer referred to the fact that Miss Amy Kane had left for Wellington before the conclusion of the conference. She would be flying to Copenhagen and was one of the e : ght vice-presidents chosen on a committee representing millions of women. That honour had been bestowed on Miss Kane at the last A.C.W.W. conference at Amsterdam. At the conference a recording was made of the singing of “Comrades and Friends,” the “Ode to Friendship” and the institute prayer r~ad by Mrs Sawer. Later a reproduction was listened to and greatly enjoyed by all. Continuing, Mrs Homer said that remits were discussed and delegates coming forward to speak were encouraged by the tact and fairness of the president, Mrs Sawer, who conducted the meetings in a manner admired by all.

At the close of the conference, Airs Moore, of the Ruapehu federation, presented Mrs Horn, the retiring Dominion secretary, with a beautiful silver tea set and cheque, gifts of appreciation from institute members. Mrs Horn was a foundation member (25 years), general secretary for 16 years, and previous to that had done much work at home for the institute. She had arranged every conference excepting the one held in Auckland. Great regret was .expressed that Mrs Sawer had to give up office owing to health reasons. -She was the recipient of a leather hand bag and cheque, tokens of devotion and esteem.

That was very apparent when the Maoris stood and sang a farewell lament and “Now is the Hour” in the impressive way that only Maoris can sing them and never to be forgotten by the delegates privileged to listen.