Whangarei Women’s Civic League

Northern Advocate, 12 June 1937, Page 3

Whangarei Women’s Civic League

The usual monthly meeting of the league was held on Tuesday evening at 5, Shortland Street. There was a good attendance of members. The president, Mrs W. J. Dawson, took the chair. After ihe usual business, the problem of drinking at dances was again discussed, and It was decided to write to other Whangarei women’s organisations interested in social affairs. A letter asking them, if interested, in this problem, to appoint a member to attend a meeting to be called at a future date to try to devise a remedy to combat this ever growing vice, which is frequently being brought to the Civic League’s nptice with the plea that the league try to do something to stop it.

A long report from the National Council of Women was read on a remit on Prison Reform (Habitual Criminals’ Act), sent in by the Tamaki Women’s Progressive League, urging that the organisations affiliated with the N.C.W. go into the matter. The league, after studying and discussing the matter from all angles decided unanimously to support the four, remits sent by the N.C.W. in its rer-'ut, viz.—W’tK regard to review of cases cf hah’tu-'.l criminals and habitual vffender*- and persons sentenced to reformative detention by the Prisons Board, that legislation be sought to

able such prisoners to be represented by com.pel whep their case is being reviewed by the Prisons Board; that the provision for the supply of counsel to'indigent persons shall apply; that the prisoner and his counsel be entitled to have access to the report of the prison authorities on his case;jand that district prisons boards be established, each to be responsible for institutions in its own district.

The report was referred to the various societies for consideration, after which it will again be brought before the council.

Among other business, a remit dealing with the subject of a hostel for backward children was passed.