Centennial Banquet Sponsored by W.C.T.U.

Manawatu Times, Volume 65, Issue 121, 23 May 1940, Page 5

Centennial Banquet Sponsored by W.C.T.U.

SISTER ORGANISATIONS WELL REPRESENTED Organised by the Palmerston North Y.W.C.A. a banquet to mark the centennial year was held in the Jade Tearooms last evening, representatives of the women’s organisations of tho town and country having been invited to share in the gathering. Mrs. Spence, district president, welcomed the guests on arrival and Mrs. H. Paterson (Paliiatua), Dominion vice-president, presided, associated with her being Miss C. Jamieson, president of tho Palmerston North W.C.T.U., also Mrs. A. L. Moslem, of Wellington, a past president of Palmerston North.

At the conclusion of the banquet an adjournment was made to another part of the room and Miss Jamieson offered a welcome to tho mentioning Mcsdames Paterson, Moslem and Spence. She explained that the W.C.T.U. had thought it would be nice to mark centennial year by having such a gathering in association with representatives of women’s organisations. All were working for tho same ideals, for God, for home and humanity, although perhaps along differing lines.

On behalf of the Palmerston North W.C.T.U., Mrs. E. A. Collins presented bouquets to Mesdames Paterson, Mowlem and Spence. Women in Social Service.

Returning thanks for the flowers and for tho opportunity of attending, Mrs. Paterson said she felt honoured to be invited to preside over this centennial gathering which represented those organisations of women banded together to further the common weal. In the long history of the British Empire there had been the names of women illustrious in the service of their country. Names like Elizabeth Fry, Florence Nightingale, Josephine Butler—women who did so much for the civilian population and the soldiers—at onco como to mind and in a gathering sponsored by the W.C.T.U. the name of Frances Willard. These women were tho pioneers of great movements and like every pioneer they accomplished what they did against great odds; they challenged tho established custom of things and by virtue of their faith and courage saw their ideas of a new day make progress in the minds of their fellow citizens.

It was only within comparatively recent times that womanhood in the mass had been enlisted in the army of social service, Mrs. Paterson continued. For centuries the established place of women was universally believed to be in the home. Sho brought forth her children and nursed and cared for them until they grew up and then in the case of sons, at least, she saw them go out into a world to which she herself was, comparatively speaking, a stranger. While we believed that no common saying held more truth than that “the hand that rocks tho cradle rules the world," there must have lain in the minds of many of those women of earlier times a sublime discontent that they were unable to do anything to shape the destiny of tho world which their sons and daughters were to enter. Tho speaker referred to the development of tho higher education among women, and went on to say that movements such as were represented that evening were first and foremost tho extension of education to women in the mass. Tho guilds, institutes, women’s divisions, unions and societies were but constituent colleges of a great university whero common problems were studied and knowledge gained of ourselves and the needs of others, enabling right decisions as the need arose. The machinery of all services must bo kept in its proper place; our spirit must be kept free, and tho grand ideal of service must ever burn as a torch in flame, sho concluded.

The ideals of the movements they were representing were briefly stated by Mrs. McPherson (League of Mothers), Mrs. E. Metcalfe (Mothers’ Union), Mrs. F. Shearman (Home League of Salvation Army), Miss M. Jones (Y.W.C.A.), Mrs. W. F. Field (W.D.F.U.), Miss M. Grant (W. 1.), , Mrs. A. Stewart (Church Guilds), Mrs. W- Bigham (Townswomen’s Guild), Mrs. Stirling (Missionary Unions), Miss M. Matheson (National Council of Women), Miss Stanford (Rechabite Lodge). The iinal speakers were Mrs. T. R. Hodder, who traced tho history of the Palmerston North W.C.T.U., and Mrs. Mowlem, who reminded her audience of some of the notable achievements of the W.C.T.U., such as gaining the franchise for New Zealand women, six o’clock closing and other reforms. In memory of tlioso social workers who had passed on, the hymn, “For All The Saints," was sung. Pleasant interludes between speeches wero provided with vocal solos by Mesdames F. McLachlan, M. F. Eaddy, W. R. Bigham and Miss E. Scott, also violin solos by Mrs. Oppatt and musical monologues by Mrs. Gilling. Tho accompaniments were played by Mesdames Bigham and R. Donald and Miss Farrahar.

Thanks were conveyed to the speakers and the artists, also tho chairman by Mrs. J. S. Scott. Tho hymn, “O God, Our Help," and the National Anthem concluded the programme.

These were apologies from the Mayoress (Mrs. A. E. Mansford), tho Business Girls’ Club, Sunshine Club and Registered Nurses’ Association.