COUNTRY WOMEN MEET

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21295, 23 September 1932, Page 3

COUNTRY WOMEN MEET

WORK OF HOUSEKEEPERS VALUABLE HELP GIVEN Matters of special interest to country women were discussed at a meeting of the Dominion Bush Nurse and Housekeeper Auxiliary of the Women's Division of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, held in the Farmers' Trading Company's board room yesterday. The Dominion president, Mrs. C. C. Jackson, presided, and there was a good attendance of delegates. These included Mrs. L. L. Allen, president of the Waitemata Provincial Council; Mrs. C. K. Wilson, Pio Pio, member of the Finance Advisory Board; Miss Marshall, president of the South Auckland Provincial Council; Mrs. R. Lilburn, Finance Committee and vice-president of the Wanganui Provincial Council; Mrs. Frank Brice, Marton; Mrs. B. F. Grace, Bay of Plenty Provincial Council; Mrs. Lane, president of the North Auckland Provincial Council. The Dominion report stated that since the last meeting of the auxiliary, the housekeepers had filled engagements in the following districts, as against 41 at the time of the last meeting:—Wellington Centre, 8; South Canterbury, 8; Wairarapa, 9; South Auckland, 21; Taranaki, 4; North Auckland, 5; Bay of Plenty, 5; Waitemata, 2 ; Manawatn, 4 ; Hawke's Bay, 4; Southland, 3; Wanganui, 6; total, 79. Typical instances of tlio kind of help given to people in difficult circumstances by the auxiliary were outlined to the meeting. In one case a letter was read from a branch member offering to take into her own home for a period two out of a family of five children whoso parents were unable to give the family adequate food and clothing. The suggestion was also made that there might be others like herself, who were unable to give money but who were prepared to open their homes to one or two children. At least they would be getting good country food and this would help to relieve the distress of their parents. " The Community Chest has given away this year approximately £670," said Mrs. Jackson, " but this does not cover all the help that the branches have given in the way of food and clothing and other necessities." It was suggested that each branch should send in to headquarters records of. the help they had given in this way and by so doing they would know just how much help had been given throughout New Zealand by the division. Several remits were discussed and matters bearing upon the working of the auxiliary both in regard to the housekeepers and the bush nurses considered at length.