Distinguished Visitor Arrives in Dominion

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 235, 5 October 1936, Page 11

Distinguished Visitor Arrives in Dominion

MRS. ALFRED WATT, 0.8. E. Heartfelt appreciation at the enterprise of the New Zealand Women’s Institutes in extending her an invitation to visit their country was express'ed by Mrs. Alfred Watt, 0.8. E., who arrived in Auckland t>y the Mariposa on Friday morning. “Compared with other large organisations, the New Zealand Institutes are considered a young and somewhat small body,” said Mrs. Watt, “and they have shown considerable vision and courage in bringing me from one end of the world to another.” It was a sign of competence, Mrs. Watt continued, and showed a keen desire to learn. Incompetent people did not want to learn anything and the New Zealand gesture showed an extremely good foundation in the movement, Mrs. Watt told the Star. Mrs. Watt is the president of the Associated Country 'Women of the World, of which the honorary president is the Marchioness of Aberdeen and Temair and tho honorary vice-presi-dents, Countess Keyserlingk (Germany) and Lady Tweedsmuir (Canada). Mrs. Watt brings with her greetings from Lady Tweedsmuir, wife of the Gover-nor-General of Canada, who desired to send a special message owing to the fact that the institute movemout began in Canada, and from Lord Bledisloe. When Mrs. Watt left England in May to go to Washington, she took the first lap of a journey which will eventually tako her around the world—a journey during which she will travel by almost every means of transport, by steamer, railway, coach, aeroplane, motor, even by buggy and on horseback. She is touring among the Country Women’s Associations of tho World and expects to see their work everywhere she goes. That New Zealand is more or less responsible for this world journey' is a credit to its initiative. When tho invitation was received at the annual meeting of tho international executive, which was being held in London, it was greeted with an outburst of cheering. News will go regularly by air mail and will be received by country women all over the world.' A Huge Conference. While in America Mrs. Watt attended a conference held by farm women, when 7000 were present. There were delegates from all over the world and tho conference was tho biggest ever held. A spectacular ceremony was performed when tho delegates crossed from America into Canada. They passed over the Peace Bridge and for the first time in ten years (when it was opened by his Majesty tho King) all traffic was stopped to allow tho women to cross. As they left America the “Star Spangled Banner” was played, and as they stepped into Canada the tune of the “Maple Leaf” filled the air. On top of the farewell blessing from America there was a ready welcome rrom Unnadians who waited on the other side, and as one flag was lowered the other was raised. The whole thing was a remarkable experience, said Mrs. Watt, who added that a further tribute to New Zealand was paid by the selection of a New Zealander (Miss Large) to walk across and symbolise all the countries of the world.

Ia speai. ng of the Associated Country Women of the World, Mrs. Watt said that the aim of the organisation was, iu the first place, to help the world's country women to help themselves, to improve their homes aucf tneii communities through their societies. No one who knew tho country could fail to know how the country women's socitics havo aided women in their own homes; how they had, further, conquered the feeling of isolation and beaten down suspicion; how they had built up good fellowship and civic consciousness. By the interchange of practical information the association had intensified the value of this work and ensured tho sharing of good ideas among a sisterhood of a million or more women. World Peace. From this emerged a yet more impor-

tant service to humanity. By this close* connection between tho rural women of many lands, both by the spoken word and the written, in conferences and in publications, a mutual understanding grew. Tho A.C.W.W. was, therefore, j among tho most potent agencies for j peace in a world which stood sorely in need of peace and goodwill. "It has been abundantly proved that the country woman is a great social, economic and spiritual asset to the Empire," said Mrs. Watt. "Britons owe a very great deal to country women, more, proportionately, than to any i single group within the Empire, and we might begin now to pay back a little of that debt. We might be willing to pay fair prices for what the country woman offers for sale when she takes the trouble to make it cleaner and' better. We might seo that a fair proportion of tho money spent on national education goes into the education she wants for her children. We might refrain from littering her home fields and roads, and destroying the trees and flowers and wild life she cherishes, remembering' that we pass on but stio stays. We might seo that the great national services of health, transport, posts, telephones, lighting, heating, are made as | easy and cheap for her as for her town sister. Wo might see that adequate administrative and money support is given to the great rural Women’s Institute movement throughout tho Empire by means of which tho country woman is educating nerseif and her > community.

"We might back up the efforts made by the Associated Country Women of the World to bring into the world’s countrysides the ideas of mutual help, liberty, understanding and friendship, which, although sometimes underestimated and obscured in world politics, are still tho heritage and the concern of British peoples." Mrs. Watt is accompanied on tho whole journey by Miss Betty Smart, of Ottawa, who will speak on the activities and interests' of Canadian girls, This is no ordinary tourist journey which the travellers are taking. It is a real pilgrimage of friendship. It is safe to say that no single journey of recent years has ever been undertaken ith greater possibilities for making at .east the rural populations of the world aware of each other’s place in tho countryside. Mrs. Watt will visit. Palmerston North on November 2.