CIVIC LEAGUE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21136, 19 March 1932, Page 18

CIVIC LEAGUE.

PAST YEAR'S ACTIVITIES. THE INTERESTS OF WOMEN. A review of year's work occupied the attention of members of the Civic League at the annual meeting which was held yesterday afternoon. The president, Mrs. Kenneth Gordon, presided.

The president referred to the lack of support given to the motion urging the appointment of women police accorded at a meeting of the Justices of the Peace Federation held at Wanganui lately. She was greatly disappointed at their attitude but said. the league would continue to, press for the appointment of women. Ultimately women must win.

Miss Basten pointed out the fact that the motion was strongly opposed by the Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin representatives at the meeting, and she suggested that as there were branches of the National Council in these centres, they be written to and urged to push the subject with as much energy as possible.

Speaking of the movement to form a league for the hard of hearing Mrs. Gordon, who represented the Civic league in this effort, said that quite apart from the work it will do for the deaf, it will also improve the speech of all who have anything to do with it. The report presented by the honorary secretary, Mrs. Wolsten-Croft, detailed many activities. The president had represented the league on the Mayor's Emergency Unemployment Fund for Women, and it had made a donation of two guineas to the Mayor's fund. The society had actively protested against the proposed road through the Domain, against pillion riding on motor-cycles, against the danger of concrete pavements underneath swings in children's playgrounds, against applying the 10 per cent, cut to nurses' salaries up to three years' service, and had interested itself in various other matters bearing upon the welfare of citizens. It had also originated the movement for starting a Is fund to assist prospective women candidates for Parliament.

Mrs. Mathias, convener of the subcommittee representing the society upon the Mayoress' War Memorial Library League, reported upon the work her committee had accomplished during the year. Parcels had been made up during last winter and sent to the orphanages in the Auckland district, to the Bryant Home, to the King George Hospital at Rotorua, and Sister Hannah's creche, totalling 16, and another 16 had been made up at Christmas. These parcels represented a great deal of labour, comprising, as they did, 250 large and medium-sized scrapbooks, 230 miniature scrap-books for Niue Island, 123 hand-bound books, 96 magazines, 73 paper caps, an 4 30 toys. Much appreciation was expressed of the work of this committee.

The election of officers, all of whom were re-elected, was as follows: —President, Mrs. Kenneth Gordon; vice-presi-dents, Mrs. Williamson, Mrs. Neal, Mrs. Black and Mrs. McLean; secretary, Mrs. Wolsten-Croft; assistant secretary, Mrs. Mathias; treasurer, Mrs. Wood; executive committee, Mesdames Brownley, Barnett, O'Leary, Madame Belini, Miss Brown, Miss Hamilton Fraser (representing the junior branch) ; convener of Mayoress' War Memorial Library, Mrs. Mathias; auditor, Miss Alice Basten. An interesting development during the year had been fhe formation of the junior branch, to which further members were added at the close of the meeting. The balance-sheet showed cash in the bank totalling £4O 3s 9d.