CONFERENCE WORK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20075, 12 October 1928, Page 9

CONFERENCE WORK.

NATIONAL Y.W.C.A. A conference of representatives from the various branches of tho Young Women's Christian Association throughout New Zea land has just concluded. Tho conference met in Wellington under the chairmanship of Mrs. Geo. Bowron, of Christchurch. An important part of the conference business was the receiving of the report of Miss Law, tho national general secretary, who has just returned from the World's Conference of the association, held recently in Buda Pest Plans wore discussed for relating the policy of tho World's Association, to the programme of the New Zealand movement, and it was decided to give careful consideration in each local branch to the study of the aims and methods of the association as outlined at Buda Pest. This study will form part of the programme of the summer conference of the members of the New Zealand association, which is to be held by kind permission of the school authorities at Nga Tawa, the Wellington Diocesan School for Girls.

A special section of Miss Law's report dealt with the industrial programme of the association and it was agreed; to act upon the recommendation of the World's Association that each National Association should undertake a study of industrial conditions as they affect the girls and women of their own and other countries. The lines of study have been suggested by the International Labour Bureau, two officers ot which organisation were present throughout the Buda Pest conference, and all results of the study will be forwarded to the Geneva headquarters of the Internationa! Labour Bureau. The lines of study in New Zealand will bo in connection with cost of living for women and girls and will involve a great deal of -e girls and will involve a great deal of research and the personal co-operation of large numbers of the membership. Another section of the report of the Worlds' Conference dealt with the inter-church basis of association work and membership. In this connection the report of the recent Jerusalem International Missionary Conference has laid down the principles of co-operative work among all branches of the Christian church, and has served to confirm the Young Women's Christian Association, in its policy of inter-church membership. An important discussion chaired by Dr. Chapman took place on tho world fellowship work of the New Zealand association, and it was agreed to defer Miss Moncrieff's departure for China and to arrange for the association in China to send a Chinese secretary to New Zealand for a period for the purpose of increasing knowledge in New Zealand of China and its lieople. It was felt tbat tins policy would vitally deepen the conception of world fellowship to which the association by its international character, is pledged. In connection with the immigration work among unmarried girls for which the association is the agent of the New Zealand Government, Miss Law reported (in interviews with the British Y.W.C.A. and the S.O.S B.W. following upon Mrs. Sutherland Ross' correspondence with both these organisations. It was felt that tho more the voluntary organisations at Home understood of the conditions in New Zealand the better, particularly in view of the. unemployment problem in New Zealand.

A scheme for superannuation, which is likely to have far-reaching results so far as the secretariat of the association is concerned, was brought forward for decision. Various schemes have been considered for many years past because it has been felt by* boards of directors that some such scheme was necessary if the association is to feel justified in asking professional women of high attainment to enter its service. The scheme submitted by the A.M.P. Society was approved as a national scheme for all branches of the association in New Zealand. A discussion on Girls' Clubs; and the Girls' Citizen Movement was opened by Mrs Ernest Dawson in a speech in which she emphasised the responsibility of women for the training of our young girls. She urged those directing tho association to keep abreast of the needs of modern youth, to be quick in sympathy and understanding and to utilise all the available resources of personality and educational principles. She reported upon correspondence between the association and the Education Department, re the booklet, on Vocational Guidance for Girls which the department has undertaken to issue. Tho final session of the two days' conference under the chairmanship of Mrs. H. D. Bennett took tho form of an evening for reports from each local association. Those present included: Mrs. G. Bowron, Christchurch; Mrs. W. Jones, Whangarei; Mrs. J. A. Bradstreet and Mrs. J. G. Dickinson, Auckland; Miss Jean Begg. Miss Caldwell, and Miss A. Perry, Gisborne; Mrs. E. C. Barnett and Miss .Tean Pacey, Pnlmerston North; Mrs. Pearson, Mrs. McClav, and Mrs. Strong, Wellington; Mrs. Holdgate, for Mrs. Rhodes, Timaru; Mrs. W. Taverner, Dunedin; and Mrs. A. Alexander, New Plymouth.