WOMEN'S INSTITUTES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22468, 11 July 1936, Page 23

WOMEN'S INSTITUTES

ENGLAND AND WALES Some facts concerning the work and functioning of the Women's Institutes in England were given yesterday by Miss Alice Maynard, who passed through Auckland by the Monterey on a visit to Australia. Miss Maynard, who is a member of the Hanley (Staffordshire) Women's Institute, said that on her return journey to England she hoped to spend some time in New Zealand and to gain some knowledge of tho work of the institutes in the Dominion. She has with her much literature on institute work. Miss Maynard was among the o 10(1 delegates who attended the 20th annual general meeting of the National Federation of Women's Institutes held in the Royal Albert Hall, Kensington, in May. The meeting was attended by delegates and visitors from villages large and small throughout England and Wales, as well as by many overseas visitors. The federation possessed a membership of over .'IOO,OOO. There were 5:531 Women's Institutes in England and Wales and Women's Institute markets numbered over 70. Speaking of tlie institutes as a body, Miss Maynard said that the movement brought together women of all kinds, of different experiences, and different ages and from different parts of the country all hound together in their work linder their motto for "Home and Country." One of the "pet" subjects of the federation in England was that of nutrition, and the institutes were doing their utmost to form an organised plan of diet education throughout the countrv. Miss Maynard referred to the diet recently agreed upon by a committee of scientists appointed by the League of Nations who had taken into consideration some of tho commonly used foodstuffs, and stated the amounts of some of those which were needed to supply all the proteins, vitamins and minerals necessary for health. The average consumption of milk in England was only about one-third of a pint a head a day. The poorer sections of the community had much less than the.average. In tho same way, the consumption of the health foods, especially fruit and vegetables, was far too low. At the annual meeting of the federation, said Miss Maynard, a resolution was passed urging the Government to take action to reduce the price of milk, hut in such a way that the producer would not suffer.