WOMEN'S PATRIOTIC LEAGUE.

Northern Advocate, 6 May 1916, Page 3

WOMEN'S PATRIOTIC LEAGUE.

MEETING IN WHANGAREI

DOMINION GIFT PARCELS

: It must have been very gratifying to ; the convener (Mrs Jack, Mayoress of ■\\ hangarei) to see such a good raily ;of women at the meeting held in the Town Hail yesterday afternoon; about • Kit) women were present, a number ! in the audience being residents from a : distance. The importance of the subject matter was recognised by our • .Mayoress (Mrs Jack), and her intro- ; ductory remarks were brief and to : the point.

Upon rising, Mrs Guuso;:. (i yorese of Auckland) stated that she would give a talk rather than an address, but it would be as iinpo.'tant as she r-ould make it. She would tint give re tson why the patriotic committees of the Auckland district should unite with the city in an unbroken chain o r ' links. ' Th' 1 name of the eo"io:v wir.li which it seas initnded ito give -r h country places the opportunity of linking themselves was "The Auckland Women's Patriotic ket.;i;oA ;.'his she wished it to be clerirlv andcrstood meant "'euckiand Province" not 'Auckland City." Tue city would, act as the distributing centre. Mrs Gunson read a telegram which she hud received l'rjni Lady Liverpool, the official head of the womei's work in New Zealand, saying, "Please remember me to all my friends in the North." Proceeding, the visiting Mayoress said that at the beginning of the war, £2000 had been collected for the ladies' committee, this having been supplemented from time to time by Red Cross teas, carnivals and other functions. ABOUT 'THE ORG \.VIS AT: ON. Her hearers knew that the patriotic societies of Auckland ha. I amalgamated, and there were now only two organisations, one—the men's body, of Which the Mayor was president ex officio, the other, the woman's organisation of which the .Mayoress was president. This league (the women's) had 12 committees, ove- each of which was a convener. These conveners (12) formed the executive. Th« two associations (the men's ant the women's) worked together. Three men formed an Advisory Board while the Mayoress and another were on the Men's Board. The city had a membership of L! 00. To make a success of the work undertaken, co-opera-tion was {necessary. What, was now. desired was that the country ranches should link, themselves to the branch in Auckland, This linking was necessary also with regard to DOMINION GIFT'S. Perhaps contributors of every town had had info -m.ui.'-n from :•• liable sources that our "soldier hoys" cc-

sire such gifts as we had fro.ti th -c to time sent. There was no doubt but that they were thus heartened up in their difficult task. The city branch desired to win the < mfidenee of the people of the country districts. Having given a general outline of the League, Airs Gunson asked Miss Spedding (the secretary) to supply the detail. MISS SPEDDING'S REMARKS. This speaker said she was not making her first visit to our beautiful town—but she was here in an unexpected capacity. "Prominence," said the speaker, "had been given to women in her work for the war. It had been said that 'man had gone to the .front; woman had come to tb* front.' The latter had come to the iron., solely to help the men. It was their purpose to organise, to help more effectively to hearten the men who light for us. It was desired that we should co-operate with a League worthy of confidence and support. Next to "co-operation" she would place the important word "progress." Under the circumstances, she thought that the ladies would find the details keenly interesting.

SOME CONSTITUTIONAL RULES were necessary to cover the objects of the work. The Mayoress was the natural head official of the Women's League. As His Excellency, the Supreme head, iirst communicates IPs requirements to the mayor, his (the mayor's) presidency was an implied prerogative. 'The secretary, on the other hand, held only temporary office for one year. The women's organisation had only one man holding tne office of treasurer; and he was a professional accountant. The objects of the league were two, namely: Help to the soldier, and help to his dependents. The former was subdivided into help before going to the front, help at the front, help when he returns from the front. The three members of the Advisory Board mentioned by the previous speaker were prominent business men whose advice the ladies sought when a business problem proved too great for the feminine mind. No fee was attached to membership, the only condition being a promise to help. 'Each month a social afternoon was given in the Town Hall to enable the dependents of soldiers to become acquainted. The dependents were visited, outfits provided and above all they were taught means of helping themselves. With regard to the work of helping soldiers, four storerooms and two offices were in constant use. The receiving committee desired to impress upon senders the necessity of putting the sender's name and address upon the parcel as well as that of the mayoress. They would then be able to acknowledge the receipt of goods. The parcel should also contain instructions as to which department it is intended for. If for instance, it was intended for tlie Epsom Convalescent Home it would be so listed and sent there. Soldiers are visited in the hospitals, some are taken for motor runs and suitable work is found for others. There is a Camp-at-home Committee, an Entertainment Committee tto deal with extra events such as Russia Day), a Literature Committee, a State .School .Committee, a Soldiers' Club Committee, a Housewife Committee. There is also a Secretary's Assistants Committee. The last consisted of six ladies, who each assisted for two days every weck.Jteceipts alone numbered about .150 a day. Aliss Spedding then detailed the system of receipts, which is precisely the same as that adopted by the leading professional houses in Whangarei, showing that it was quite impossible for even the nimble sixpence to escape. "But," said .Miss Spedding, "for the city to carry on the amount of work required without the country is impossible," to show which she submitted a few comparative figures:—Garments: City, 1085; country 'HK>2; woollen comforts: city !hhi; country, MltiO; while school work in some cases showed even wider diversity of numbers. Goods had been sent for the London poor and Belgian refugees. Among the comforts sent to soldiers were music, pipes, literature, and musical instruments which included Jews' harps and two gift pianos. Previous to the Dominion Gift Scheme, Auckland province had sent so many billies that the men celebrated two Christmas days. In concluding her address Miss Spedding drew attention to the point that "cooperation" and "progress" would lead to efficiency.

I Mrs Gunson again rose to give a ! few interesting items with legied to | the packing of goods. The billys, i:r ' instance, wore iv a tense a sit. pri&e | packet. The league had had cart i loads of ti-tree brought in and a tiny i sprig tied with a bow of ribbon was ; placed in each billy: one of the little I touches of home that gave so much ; pleasure to the men in the desert. The j "PREPARATION FOR PACKING I DAY," ; said Airs Gunson, "is very complete. :So complete is it that the last 0000 : gift parcels were packed in two hours with much noise and no confusion. ; Each table has a captain and each captain has ten "men" under her. Two : men only are employed to nail up and ; move heavy goods.'"' Reverting to the object of the meeting the speaker said there was a uesire on the part iof some of the district committees to : send gifts to the front for their own : district boys. This had been pointed ; out by officers in Egypt as being a mistake, as it was uexi. to impossible to deliver the gifts. Upon arriving at the front, men were sent to the main body and intermingiea with those from other parts and so lost their identity as far as originating centres went. But ; f we linked ourselves into a provincial league, sending one parcel for each man, our own soldier must re-

ceive one. It simplified the method of sending and the ultimate delivery also. The speaker drew attention to the fact that Miss Spedding's .position as secretary was purely an honorary one. Miss Spedding then proceeded with the business, suggesting that the meeting elect a president, secretary and organiser. .Mrs Boult (organising secretary and treasurer of the Lady Liverpool League, Whangarei) queried whether the existing committee would be submerged, as it was not possible for those present to know whether all members would agree to extinction. Also, what the idea was of having an additional office of "organiser"?

It was explained that an organising secretary would find the work excessive; also that the personnel of the existing committee need not, necesjarily forego their offices or membership.

Mrs Holmes asked whether by amalgamation we would lose the control of our own money?

To this the reply receive! was, "You may still handle your own lands."

It being apparent that the audience desired fuller information "poa the non-obiiteration of the pivsenl committee, Miss Spedding offered the suggestion that that committee should form the nucleus of the new committee; by that means each member 'would hold an important place on a si b-committt.;' and the aew committee would have a sound basis as those me;? hers won't", already have had experience in similar work.

Airs Holmes also asked whether there were not advantages other than those meation-.-d in the address.es?

"Yes," said Aliss Spedding, "your committee will be entitled to a seat on the league. Your committee may also offer suggestions, but we make the proviso and appeal that you form your ot'.tuie on a similar plan to ours.'

The Mayoress of Whangarei (Airs D. W. Jack) then proposed that we join the Women's Patriotic League of the Auckland province. This was seconded and carried without dissent.

Airs D. W. Jack was elected president, Mrs Boult secretary and treasurer. Two nominations were received for tho office of organiser that of Aliss Harrison and Airs Hanlon. Airs Hanlon declined to act, and the meeting elected Aliss Harrison.

The usual vote of thanks was passed to the visiting speakers and the meeting closed, after many had signified their intention of becoming members.