OVERSEAS LEAGUE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22779, 13 July 1937, Page 3

OVERSEAS LEAGUE

ADDRESS BY VISITOR "EXPERIMENT AT CLYDE" An experiment in Clydebank, a town seven miles from Glasgow, where thousands of men were thrown out of employment some years ago when work on the famous liner Queen Mary was temporarily stopped, was described by Mrs. W. Boyd, who is visiting Auckland for the New Education Fellowship Conference, to members of the Overseas League yesterday afternoon. The convener, Mrs. F. Bauer, presided. With the growth of unemployment in the town a group of people had evolved an organisation known as the "Mutual Service Association," in which the men were formed into groups tQ learn artistic work, drama, music and singing and were trained in each case by unemployed people, Mrs. Boyd said. An unemployed electrician, who was good at sketching, took one group and an unemployed insurance agent trained the male voice choir.

From this small beginning the association had grown until a rest room for the wives of working men was established, and also a clinic at which qualified doctors and masseurs were inattendance. A girls' club had also been started and the association now had many different branches of work. It was a centre of activity, all based on voluntary service, and the principal which was incorporated in its name had always been observed. Other delegates to the conference who were the guests of the league were: —Mrs. F. W. Hart, Mrs. E. Salter Davies, Mrs. Paul Dengler, Mrs. E. do S. Brunner, Mrs. P. S. dc Q. Cabot and Miss Arnold. They were accompanied • by Miss A. Kennedy, honorary secretary of the local branch, and Miss C. Colegrove, a member of the executive. Songs by Mrs. J° l,n Owen and pianoforte solos by Mrs. \\ . Benniams were much enjoyed, .and a bouquet was presented by Airs. Bauer to Miss Montgomery, a vice-president of the league, who will leave shortly 011 a visit to Honolulu,