MOTHERS' UNION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23413, 1 August 1939, Page 3

MOTHERS' UNION

YEAR OF PROGRESS WORK AMONG THE MAORIS DEFINITE STEP FORWARD Another year of steady progress with a slightly increased membership, was reported at the annual meeting of the Mothers-' Union for the Diocese of Auckland, held in St. Mary's hall yesterday afternoon. Archbishop Averill presided.

The report stated that the membership for the year was 2409, and that there worn now 58 pakeha and 33 Maori branches. A definite stop forward had been taken in the work among the Maori members. For some time the council had been desirous of having a worker who would visit the Maori branches periodically and the fund for the Maori work had now accumulated sufficiently to enable such a- worker to be appointed. Miss Brereton, Maori Mission worker at Kaikohe, who for many years was headmistress of Queen Victoria School, had undertaken to visit the Maori branches and help to consolidate the work already begun. Invalid Prayer Circle The council had decided that an invalid prayer circle should be formed for sick members who could not attend branch meetings. Reference was made in the report to the great loss sustained in the passing of the Mother Superior of the Order of the Good Shepherd, Mother Hannah. The sympathy of the members was extended to the Sisters at the Mission House. " The financial statement showed a satisfactory position. In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, Dean W. Fancourt congratulated the officers and council members on the excellent work carried out during the year. He emphasised the need for prayer, particularly among the young people.

Lack in Church Attendance "The young people of to-day are a charming and a very frank lot, and considering the awful times in which they are living, they are a marvellous lot," he said. "There is, however, a great lack in church attendance among many of them, and this will never be remedied until you get back to those days when parents and children came to church together."

Dean Fancourt strongly urged upon parents the_ need for guiding their children's spiritual life in their early days, and of being an example to them by their own actions throughout their lives.

The archbishop, in seconding the adoption of the reports, referred briefly to the" church's attitude toward divorce. He stated that a commission had been set up at thg last General Synod to go into this question and that a comprehensive report would be presented to the standing committee of General Synod in Wellington in August. The standing committee, would in all probability, send on the report to the General Synod which will meet ill February.