'Women Hove Greet Pari* To Play'

Northern Advocate, 3 December 1947, Page 7

'Women Hove Greet Pari* To Play'

YWCA Leader. . .

“Women have a great part to play in the post-war world. I have a profound admiration for the great will I found among overseas women to share in rebuilding the shattered nations,” said the national general secretary of the Nc-w Zealand YWCA (Miss A. L. Burton) when addressing representatives of women’s organisations yesterday. Miss Burton, who has recently returned from service in the Middle East, has been touring New Zealand inspecting YWCA centres for the last two months. She gave an interesting account of the work of the movement in the countries she had seen. It was saddening to see Palestine, which she visited last March, in such a state of turmoil. The YWCA had a centre in Jerusalem outside the restricted areas, where Arabs and Jews gathered in a spirit of friendship. Miss Burton was impressed by the effort and interest of Egyptian women, who were particularly interested in the international aspects of the movement. Although the war services division left Cairo with the British Army, an Englishwoman was carrying on the civilian work of the YWCA under great difficulties, owing to the anti-foreign feeling in Egypt. Miss Burton was disturbed by the extremes of wealth and poverty in Irak, where she formed a branch. Among other things, this undertaking was hindered by the instability of the Iraki Government, but eventually the work was completed with a foundation membership of 25. Miss Burton also visited Greece, where she assisted in the rebirth of the organisation there.