CLUB LUNCHEON TALK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19405, 13 August 1926, Page 6

CLUB LUNCHEON TALK.

INTERESTING ADDRESS. At the monthly club luncheon' talk oj the Lyceum Club yesterday, Mrs. Staple* don, of Aberystwyth, North Wales, an interesting address on Women's In-. stit.at.ss in England. In the absence o| the president, Mrs. W. H. Parkes, whcj is in Wellington, the vice-president, Miss E. Melville, introduced the speaker and explained that Women's Institutes in England in reality much resembled clubsj for country women, literally the farmers' wives. In opening her address, Mrs. Stapledon said she had been much impressed vith the women's club in New Zealand, y London theie were, of course, many women's clubs, but in most of the towns in England, these cluhi were dimply a place to get a meal or a cup of tea. Iq New Zealand the local activities of tluj clubs had greatly interested he>\ With" regard to the formation oj Women's Institutes in New Zealand, sho felt they would meet a much desired want in providing a social outlet tor the country women. Very few townsvomeu realised how greatly idle lives of tlia women in the country needed brightening. They had little conception of how dull and monotonous a country existence could be. As a land worker during the war, Mrs. Stapledon bad come closely in touch with the farmers' wives and had realised how great were, the practical advantages to be gained from •he establishment of Women's Institutes, whera women would be brought tot Mho for social intercourse, with the added oppor-i tunity of hearing lectures and good.mi'sioj as well as learning various handicrafts. After the address, Di'. Mildred Staley, said she had been present at a meeting of the Women's Institute -at Risington, in Haw Ice's Bay, to which women had ridden twelve or fourteen miles. Many of them were wearing clothes they had made themselves, having actually arconiplished the dyeing and weaving of wool from their own sheep, In most cases they had also made 'iheir own looms, These crafts they had learnt at the institute, which owed its success principally to the work of Miss SpCncer and Mrs. pi Hutchinson. Miss Melville remarked that recently in engaging a domestic for tha country a thoroughly capable applicant had stated that sho wished to go to a place whore it would be possible to attend a picture show or do .some shopping in the township. Both instances pointed to the fact that in the country districts the establishment of Women's' institutes would prove an inestimable boon to country residents. .