NEEDS OF TO-DAY

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4633, 8 December 1934, Page 4

NEEDS OF TO-DAY

COURAGE AND COMMON-SENSE.

WOMEN’S WORK IN COUNTRY.

“At no time in the country’s history than during the last two or three years has there been greater need for optimism, courage and common-sense on the part of our women,” remarked the Minister of Defence, Hon. J. G. Cobbe, in the course of a speech on Wednesday afternoon in opening a largely-attended garden party of the Feilding Women’s Division of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union at Feilding. “Men need encouragement in these trying times,” continued the Minister, “and the women give it to them in no small measure.” The leaders of the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union, he said, were women who saw visions and dreamed dreams of even greater growth and wider spheres of usefulness in the future. Upon strictly non-sectarian and 'non-party political lines had the Women’s Division developed since its foundation some nine years ago. At the first meeting there were 22 members present To-day there were 400 branches comprising some 14,000 members who in their organisation were linked up with the-main body of the Farmers’ Union to the advantage of both. That union was working to help and advise the farmers in -an economic way and watching over his interests. The Women’s Divison was crying to make things easier and -better for the women and children, especially in the backblocks and it had succeeded admirably in doing so. The housekeeper scheme of the women’s institution, which provided a reliable woman to assist the farmer’s wife for a short period, had achieved deserved success. He had been informed that between 40 to 60 housekeepers were engaged constantly in the work mentioned. Nurses were also supplied where necessary, but the housekeeping scheme enabled mothers to go into hospitals and nursing homes knowing that their homes and children would be well looked after during their absence. That was a splendid practical system to adopt, and the help and ease of mind it gave to the. backblock household in such times could well be imagined.