Women's Organisations Report on Relief Work

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 5581, 20 February 1931, Page 9

Women's Organisations Report on Relief Work

Representations of tho various women’s organisations who aro busy with relief work in the city and surrounding districts met at tho Y.W.C.A. club-room, Broadway, yesterday afternoon, to comparo notes as to tho work ■ being covered, so as to avoid overlap- ; ping in their activities. • Mrs. L. A. Abraham presided over a 1 largo attendance, and explained the ] objects of the meeting. \ After tho roll call, a report was pre- c sc-nted from tho representatives of each £ organisation, tho sum total of which } ' was a revelation of sclf-sacrificing sor- ) vice on tho part of the women of this a district for tho people who havo suffer- J ed so grievously in Hawke’s Bay. 1 Mrs. Palmer detailed the work of itho voluntariy helpers at tho main i clothing depot on tho Showgrounds, '] I outlining tho difficulties experienced in v the first d/ys of tho camp when the helpers had worked cheerfully: and will- £ ingly from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. They had J been short many times at the depot, oi J necessary lines, and she noted that to- J day overcoats, vests, bloomers, child- ) ren’s shoes and stockings were in } urgent demand. It was mentioned that \ many things had been sent in that were i\ 'of no use, but two ladies in particular, ' the Misses Bailey, of Sanson, had been >• invaluable iu fashioning useful gar- J ments out of seemingly useless things. ' Many other ladies in the city had also \ been taking away old-fashioned frocks * and coats, etc., and remodelling them. ' In answer to Mr. Hancox, Mrs. Palmer Vi said thero was a check on the amount I* of clothing issued to applicants and ( detailed the method followed. n For the League of Mothers it was reported that they had made the hos- J pital patients their special caro in a visiting and providing them with nccessaries and fruit. In addition, members h had taken it in turn to cook dinner ( each day for someone in camp on A special diet. A large box of singlets, etc., from Messrs. Ross and Glendin- A ning, had been distributed among the ; hospital patients, other clothing had £ been sent to the camps and fruit to the \ children’s ward. For tho Women’s Division it was ) shown that they were now in charge i of tho depot in Broadway, that all their 3 branches were helping with tho work T and that in addition they wero assist- £ ing those billeted out with food and £ clothing. r; The Mothers’ Union and All Saints’ E Ladies’ Guild have been working hard fe every day and had made innumerable F garments from many bolts of material. I The same was reported for other guilds p and for tho Loyal Orange Lodge, the fc members of which had also in turn been E assisting with mending at the hospital. F

A tremendous amount of work was listed as having been accomplished at the Y.W.C.A. club-rooms, literally hundreds of garments having been turned out. Miss Wild, of Hastings, and Miss Snelling, of Napier, have rendered yeoman service in machining and cutting out at this depot. Nothing is wasted and the odd bits are used to stuff cushions.

For the St. Vincent de Paul Society it was reported that they had opened a temporary hospital and had also received and distributed largo quantities of clothing. The Society of Musicians had donated £7 7s, £5 5s of which was given to Mrs. Abraham’s funds and the rest used for children’s socks and shoes, also for special needs at the Plunket rooms. In addition, concerts had been organised and the society was proud to help iu any way. Women’s Institutes were doing their bit everywhere iu sending in food and clothing and in sewing and had mauo the babies their special care. Tho Business Girls’ Lunch Club, it was reported, had sent in numbers of garments and had assisted particularly to clothe the small children. There was no end to tho activities reported and eventually in reply to Mrs. Abraham, Mrs. Palmer and Mrs. J. A. Nash intimated that it would bo as well for tho various organisations to continue their efforts, if material could be obtained.

Miss Hewitt, treasurer, announced that the funds wero exhausted and it was resolved to make an appeal to the Mayor, Mr.. A. J. Graham. It was agreed that to avoid overlapping, there should bo only one depot for distributing and to concentrate on that at the Showgrounds for this purpose. Tho depot in Broadway will still bo open for receiving and for information and to keep the depots in touch it has been arranged to have the telephone installed at the Broadway depot, where tho Women’s Division is in charge. Several organisations who had been receiving and, distributing clothing offered to send their supplies to tho main depot and this was considered the best plan. It was reported for tho Women’s Division that Mrs. T. Lancaster, oi Palmerston North, and Mrs. A. J. Will, of Rongotea, were prepared to supply clothes for mothers going into hospital and that clothing for patients in hospital would be received at the Broadway depot. Mrs. Abraham expressed her thanks to tho ladies for all they were doing and the meeting adjourned.