Women’s Division of The Fanners’ Union

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7211, 18 July 1933, Page 2

Women’s Division of The Fanners’ Union

BUSINESS OF CONFERENCE Remits on many matters affecting thoso living in the provinces and the backblocks were dealt with at tho conference of the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union m Wellington on Friday. Mrs. W. H. Ward, presided. It was decided to request the Dominion executive to investigate the manufacturing and selling costs of various commodities manufactured and sold in New Zealand. A protest against the difference between tho price of wool in tho raw and the manufactured article was also made. Tho division decided to use all its influence to support sister organisations in their efforts to persuade the Government that tho time is ripo for the appointment of women police with full power to arrest, if necessary, young women without visible parental control. Further, that the appointment of women patrols could not be taken as satisfying tho demand for tho appointment of women police. Support for requests for moro drastic punishment for those who converted cars to their own use and destroyed them was agreed upon, and the division also expressed its desire that more sovere punishment should bo meted out to persons who were found in charge of a car while under tho influence of drink.

“That as it is generally acknowledged that dairy farmers aro the hardest worked and poorest paid soction in any community, it is tho duty of the organisation to get together definite facts and figures showing the amount of unpaid labour put into this industry by follow women and their children, and if it is shown by these facts and figures that tho health of women and children is impaired, and the education of children retarded by such work, that wo take steps to rectify this injustice and handicap sufforod by them,” was a Tcmit unanimously carried, tho mover describing it as being tho most important item on the order paper.

Remits were carried in favour of the extension of tho dental clinic service in country districts, so that all children attending school up to the fourth standard, irrespective of their having commenced their education in another school, should have the services of the clinic nurse. Until this became operative, all children eligible, when no dentist was in close proximity, should have tho right of the attention avutiablo in the district from the dental clinic nurso at ordinary dental charges. Tho division also considered that a visiting dentist should be available for the country school children, as at thedental clinics in towns.

It was decided to ask tho New Zealand branch of the British. Medical Association to reduco its travelling fees in accordance with, the times. Other remits wore carriod urging that whorever possible a maternity ward should be established in public hospitals; that the franchise on which the members of hospital boards are elected should be the same in the towns as in the country, and that if the Minister of Health found himself unable to grant this reform ho should at least publish his reasons for not doing so. It was further held that the hospital board levy foil unfairly on country ratepayers, and that a readjustment of the taxation in connection with hospitals should be set in tram; a more rigorous censorship of films; to request for a reduction in telephone rentals; urging a protest against the extension of daylight soving to an houT was also carried.

Imputations to Ministers. Deputations from the division waited on the acting-Primo Minister, Kt. Hon. J. G. Coates, and tho Minister of Employment, Hon. A. Hamilton. Tho members approached Mr. Coates with tho request that the Government should keep its promise of August, 1929, that if the women raised £25,000 for a chair of obstetrics in New Zealand, it would erect a maternity hospital attached to the Otago Medical School, so that research in obstetrics might be pursued. Tho acting-Primo Minister assured tho deputation of his sympathy and promised to go into the mattor with the Minister of Health,

In reply to the submission of the deputation, the Minister of Employment assured tho members that men will not be given relief work if they would not accept harvesting. Instances of a refusal to take a job harvesting in these cases should bo reported to the local unemployment committee, who would see that the matter was dealt with.

The opinion was expressed that inadequate punishment was meted out to persons committing sexual offences. It was decided to follow tho advice of the Department of Justice and report any specific instance. The conference unanimously carried tho remit that women whoso income does not exceed £52 a year should be exempt from the unemployment levy. There was little discussion regarding raising the marriage age of girls and boys, the speakers being in entire agreement with the proposal, °lt was stated by Mrs. Barrer, M.A., that New Zealand is supporting, in proportion of its population, an unnecessary number of members of Par-

Lament,- and the conference was unanimous in recommending a reduction in their numbers.

Mosdamos A. H. McLean (Fordell) and A. L. Hebbard (Taihape) were Teelected advisory members of the Women's Division of the Farmers' Union Bush Nursing and Housekeeper Auxiliary. The members elected to tho advisory board of tho division aro:—North Island, Mesdamcs A. H. McCorkindalo (Fcilding), M. Barrer, M.A. (MastcrJ;on), Miss Poison (Wanganui); South Island,'Mesdamcs Forsyth (Nelson), B. E. Evans (Timaru), H. Smith (South Canterbury). On behalf of the conference, Airs. J. C. Wickham, of Wanganui, presented Mrs. C. C. Jackson, the retiring president, with a, beautiful bouquet at the afternoon session.