Busy Afternoon at Townswomen’s Guild

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 174, 26 July 1938, Page 11

Busy Afternoon at Townswomen’s Guild

VARIED PROGRAMME The Empire Hall was gay with vases of golden jonquils, Iceland poppies and berries and greenery for tho monthly meeting of the Townswomen’s Guild held yesterday. Mrs. A. E. Mansford presided over a good attendance and welcomed Mesdames R. Ellis, E. Justice, R. Port and M. Pearce as new members. The following circle leaders presented roports:—Mrs. H. H. Gillott (gardening), Mrs. S. C. Toon (arts and crafts), Mrs. S- G. Northey (civics), Mrs. H. D. Howley (music) and Mrs. S. Bradfield (drama). An invitation to members was received from the music circle to attend their “open” evening, -when a musical programme will be presented. An Appeal. An earnest appeal for the women and children sufferers through the Spanish war was made by Mrs. A. A. Holman, wife of a former premier of New South Wales, who is visiting New Zealand to stimulate interest in this project. Mrs. Holman, who was introduced by Mrs. Mansford, expressed her pleasure in the opportunity to address the meeting and proved herself an able and interesting speaker with a wide insignt into international affairs. Women were the workers of the world, she said, and nowadays their scope had been greatly widened. She had found many young people of all nations working amongst the chaos of war in Spain. If any country in the world was a democracy New Zealand was, she said. This desire for independence did not spring up like a mushroom overnight. New Zealand was perhaps the most literate in the world and Spain was the reverse, being a country of wide extremes. After a number of abortive attempts in the past, two years ago Spain at last had a people’s Government, and then Franco and his minions stepped in, and so trusting was the Spanish Government it elected him governor of the Canary Islands, a trust which he later betrayed. Hitler in Germany and Mussolini in Italy came forward as champions of Franco, using him as an implement of Fascism. It was not for humanitarian principles only, the speaker went on to say, that it was necessary to band together to combat this evil of Fascism, but in tho interests of British impregnability. In no war in history had women and children escaped suffering, Mrs. Holman continued, appealing for help from women for women suffering from the cruelties of the barbarity of the Spanish war. Mrs. F. McLoughlan gave much pleasure with vocal solos, Mrs. H. Pierard accompaning her. Further pleasure was given by musical monologues by Mr. Gordon Oates, Mrs. Pierard also being his accompanist. Members were reminded of the forthcoming visit of Miss Elsie Andrews and were urged to attend the meeting on August 4. Votes of sympathy were extended to Mrs. K. Kite and Miss M. McLagan, who are at present inmates of hospitals, the secretary being instructed to write to them to this effect. The gardening circle agreed to send flowers to the patients. Afternoon tea was served by Mesdames A. S. Bradfield, S. G. Northey (conveners) and F. Cushing, W. J. Child and Miss D. Cunninghame. Remits to the annual conference of the Townswomen’s Guild, to be held in Wellington in September, were given consideration. A letter was received from Mr. C. V, Day, thanking the guild for his reappointment as auditor. Mesdames J. W. Davidson and S. C. Toon welcomed members at the door. The speaker for the afternoon was Dr. Kenrick Dean, who spoke on ‘ 1 Disease and Modern Life” (a report of which will appear to-mororw) and was given an enthusiastic reception. Mrs. Toon moved a vote of thanks to the performers, hostesses and the speak-