WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 268, 12 October 1932, Page 12

WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

PROVINCIAL FEDERATION. LARGE GATHERING AT WOODVILLE. - Delegates to the number of about 400, drawn from Women’s Institutes all over the Wellington Province, assembled at Woodville yesterday for the half-yearly council meeting of the Provincial Federation. Mrs J. D. Crewe (Pahiatua) president of the federation, presided, associated with her being the following members of the executive : Mesdames Athol Shannon, E. Short (Cheltenham), A. McCorkindale (Feilding), Barnicoat (Kimbolton), S. G. Millen (Westmere), R. Kelso (Paraparaumu), Waring Taylor (Shannon), Burnett (Woodville), R. C. Austin (lion, secretary and treasurer, Pahiatua) and Miss Grant (Palmerston North). All executive members were presented with posies of kowhai and Princess Mary violas, the work of the Hamua Institute.

Miss A. E. Jerome Spencer, chairman of the Dominion executive, forwarded good wishes for a successful meeting. Apologies were received from Miss Crawford and various institutes.

The Mayor of Woodville, Mr J. Elder, who was accompanied by Mrs Elder, expressed his pleasure on behalf of the people of Woodville in extending the welcome of the town, to so many visitors. - Mrs Nixon, president of the Woodville Institute, conveyed the feeling of pleasure of the Woodville members in entertaining the delegates. On behalf of Woodville and Pohangina members, Mrs Nixon presented charming bouquets to Mesdames Crewe and Austin.

Returning thanks, Mrs Crewe said she felt the real institute spirit prevailed in the hall that day. In her address, the president said, inter, alia: —“When we think that we are represented in 42 countries in the world united together in one' aim and purpose, we cannot help but realise what a tremendous responsibility rests upon us, both individually as members of our own particular institute, and collectively as part of the whole Women’s Institute movement, for the carrying out of its faims and ideals, the crux of which is home-making, citizenship and co-operation. We are, I think, the largest countrywomen’s organisation in the world, and so on us rests the greatest responsibility and the greatest power for doing good. “Our aspirations teach us to efface ourselves by giving our best for others. Our Queen, when she attends her own institute at Sanderingham, after the members have curtsied to her as she enters or retires, is treated as an ordinary member, which she enjoys. Mrs Stanley Baldwin, in speaking to the members of the Canadian Women’s Institutes, said she had the most intense sympathy with the Women’s Institute movement, which brought peace into the homes of its members and through them permeated through the country and through the world.”

HALF-YEARLY REPORT. In traversing the activities of the Federation during the past half year, the report stated: —“The rapid growth of the movement necessitated the formation of a number of our institutes into two new federations, fifteen institutes in the north of the South Island into the Nelson-Marlborough Federation and nine institutes in the Taranaki province into the Taranaki Federation. The continued steady growth, indicated by the formation of over an institute every fortnight, has again brought our number up to 78 institutes and one Circle, with an airproximate membership, in this federation, of 3580 women, and ere long, further sub-division will have to be undertaken. Tire voluntary organisers have reported the formation of 23 new institutes since our last council meeting. Through the departure of Mrs Noel West from > Palmerston North to Napier this, federation has lost the services of one- of its fullyqualified voluntary organisers. “The group system has been extended and through, these informal gatherings of members of neighbouring institutes many friendly links have been formed. The interim financial statement to be presented show there is really a very narrow margin between receipts and necessary expenditure if the continued requests for institutes are to be acceded to. Following the discussion at our last meeting on the matter of unemployment relief our institutes have done all in their power to assist in this cause.” In moving .the adoption of the report, Mrs Crewe paid a tribute to the work of the voluntary organisers and referred to the necessity' for further extending the federation system. She expressed her pride in the excutive, and in particular of the work of the secretary. The resolution was seconded by Mrs Taylor and carried. The financial statement, presented by the treasurer, disclosed a satisfactory position and was adopted on the motion of the president and Mrs McCorkindale. . Direct donations to the federation were acknowledged as follow: Belmont 10s sd, Cheltenham £1 12s; stall at council meeting £3 5s 9d, Eketahuna £2 8s 6d, Fordell 10s, Foxton £ll 4s 6d, Kaitoke £l, Ivimbolton 18s, Ivonini 7s, Kumeroa-Hopelands 7s 6d, Makomako £l, Manakau 4s 6d, Makuri 17s 6d, Pahiatua £l, Turakina ss, Pongaroa 10s, Pohangina £l, Rangiotu ss, Rangiwahia £l, Te Horo 2s, Wainui-o-mata' 6s 6d, Westmere £4 6s 10d, Woodville 10s, a total of £27 2s 6d. The total amount received from the potato competition amounted to approximately £2O. . The Crawford Potato Shield was presented to Tarata Institute (now in the Taranaki Federation) with a total weight of 5071 b and an average of 241 b. 2oz. Makuri Institute-was the runner-up with 7321 b. and an average of 181 b. 12oz. Mrs Millen received the shield from Mrs Crewe on behalf of Tarata. Luncheon for this large assemblage was served by. the Woodville Institute, under the capable charge of Mrs R. C. Leach and her willing helpers. The afternoon session opened with a

short spell of community singing, led by Makuri Institute, with Mrs Gosling at the piano. Mrs E. E. Short spoke of the stall to be conducted at the Iloyal Show in Palmerston North in November, and appealed for the co-operation 01 the institutes.

Miss Grant spoke on the proposed drama festival.

Following a discussion introduced by the Rongotea delegates regarding the presentation of reports at the council meetings, it was agreed to have a rollcall of institutes at the commencement of meetings, all from the particular institute to stand during the reading of a brief report. A discussion was opened by Halcombe and Rangiwahia delegates that every institute should be visited by an officer at least once a year, tlie meeting approving of the suggestion. Sympathy with Wairoa and Gisborne residents who had suffered in the recent earthquake was expressed by the meeting, and the announcement that Woodville Institute, in conjunction with the Basketball Club, had raised £45 for their relief was received with applause. The speaker for the afternoon was Rev. Andrew Stevenson, of Woodville. After touching .on' the history of women’s institutions, Mr Stevenson, in an inspiring address, made a challenge to the members in his review of the movement, first from a man’s point of view. He then took the women’s viewpoint, and thirdly, the viewpoint of the husband. He stressed the relations existing between pakeha and Maori in institute work as proof of the stamina of the movement. In support of lus contention as to the value of the work being done, the speaker quoted the Governor-General’s recent statement “that the women’s institutes were the most effective agency in the Empire for the revival and vigorous promotion of thrift.” 0 . , Thanks to the speaker were voiced by Mesdames Barnicoat and Kelso. A demonstration on brass work by Mrs Eising, of Makomako, was an attractive feature of the afternoon. Pahiatua members staged a playette, “The Village Shop,” in a delightful manner, those taking part being Ms®' dames Paterson, Ross, Gay and Etz and Misses Etz and McSherry. Mrs Gay was the producer. Kumeroa and Woodville members were in charge of the shies stall, those assisting being Mesdames Norman and Jackson and Misses Beattie. Pahiatua members had charge of the exhibition stall. Thanks were accorded the Palmerston North branch of the W.D.F.U. for the use of its room for meetings; to the performers, demonstrator and all wdio had assisted.