PERSONAL SKETCHES.

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

PERSONAL SKETCHES.

PAN.PACIFIC CONFERENCE. "Personalities at tho Pan-Pacific Women's Conference" was the subject of the luncheon talk given by Mrs. M. M. Osborne at the Lyceum Club yestorday. In introducing Mrs. Osborne to tho gathering Mrs. Parkes, the president of tho club, said that tho conference which was held in Honolulu spoke for the steady progress that had been made by women in nearly every field of activity. Mrs. Osborne, wl\p represented education at tho conference, gavo very interesting and vivid character sketches of the more outstanding of the many notable women who took part in tho deliberations of this gathering of women. Mary Anderson, director of tho Women's Bureau of tho Federal Department of Labour, Washington, whose favourite remark—"l just throw it out as a suggestion. Take it or leave it"—always brought them back to the point, sho described as a most able woman. Margaret Chrislman, of the National Women's Trade Union League, a Swedish immigrant to the United States, was another prominent figure. She had been conspicuous in a big strike of tho glovemaking industry in America and had had much to do with bringing about reforms in that industry. Joan Collin, also an Americun delegate, was a compositor on one of the great New York newspapers, and was one of the few women, if not the only woman, who did everything in printing that a man did. Possibly the delegate who most impressed Mrs. Osborne was the head of the Chinese delegation, Dr. Me Yung Ting. Whenever sho had something to say her remarks were closely followed. "Her dignity, her aloofness, her exquisite courtesy, made us all feel crude and, mentally, very youthful. And whenever she stopped speaking there was always a silence for a few seconds, showing how much she had impressed her hearers," said Mrs. Osborne. "It was always tho same." Dr. Ting was about 32 years of age, very enthusiastic, very devoted to her country. "If she does not throw her life away in her patriotism she will bo an outstanding figure among the women of the world."

Between the Japanese and the New Zealand delegations there was marked cordiality, especially on tho side of the Japanese. The latter had been eagerly looking forward to the advent of tho New Zealanders, and when they arrived on the scene the Japanese women wero keen to fraternise. ""Certain it was they seemed to feel they had more in common with us." Dr. Yoshioka was the head of their delegation, and as she could not speak English sho had her son with her as interpreter. She was one of the first to take her degree in medicine in Japan, but since she had done so the authorities had closed the university to women because the Japanese men students had protested against such facilities for them. Dr. Yoshioka, who is a wealthy woman, then started a school of medicine herself for women students, and this school had grown tremendously. Before she has finished with it Dr. Yoshioka hopes to have it acknowledged as a fully authenticated university college. "Japan is very anxious to follow on the lines of European conditions in industry, and "the moro present conditions are known abroad tho I more hope there is of improving them," said Mrs. Osborne. "It was for this ' reason that Miss Kikue Ido gave a plainspeaking paper describing conditions Japanese factory life. It was very plucky of her, as she would not be well received when she returned home on account of it."

Other delegates of whom Mrs. Osborne spoke included Dr. Valeria Parker, of the United States; Dr. Ethel Osborne., of Melbourne, an authority on trial psychology; Miss Muriel Heagney, representing the women's labour organisations of Victoria, • student and writer on labour questions; ;r> last, but by no means least. Miss Jane Addams, of national and international fame for her great social work. Speaking of her, Mrs. Osborne said that it seemed to her that Jane Addams carefully refrained from impressing her personality upon the delegation. It wan as though she wanted it to be impressed? by its component members rather than by herself. She was undoubtedly a big figure. Two visitors to tho club, Mrs. D. Peacock, of Wellington, and Miss Parlces, from England, were welcomed to the club by "Mrs. Parkes.