WOMEN’S DIVISION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26479, 5 June 1947, Page 8

WOMEN’S DIVISION

ANNUAL CONFERENCE CHRISTIAN OUTLOOK STRESSED “ Congratulations to those of you who send food to Britain or save coupons fot that purpose," said Mrs J. M. Charles, president of the Otago Provincial Executive of the Wdmen's Division of the Federated Farmers, when she addressed the delegates to the annual provincial conference, held in the St. John Ambulance Hall yesterday. “ This is indeed a very desperae necessity and I beg all of you to send as much as you possibly can'. Fat Is most urgently needed. Yet it is what ’costs us the least. Those cf you who are sending it direct to Britain, or are filling drums for McLeod Bros., are certainlv doing good work. “ Conditions in this country are so unsettled that It seems to me we stand at the cress roads, having reached a position whefe. we either;, progress or decline,’ Mrs Charles continued. At times, too much'-emphasis .is. placed on monetary

rather than , material wealth. There is no doubt also that a Christian approach to our problem is very necessary in helping us to reach a better understanding with our fellow-beings. • - "“With our members over 20,000 - surety we can make our influence felt in tne community. The time has come when we must take a greater interest in national and international affairs. Modern aeroplanes and radios make the outside world seem no longer In the dim distance. So let us in our own homes encourage acts of kindness, tolerance, dnd loyalty, so that that spirit may be communicated far afield, thus creating a better and more amicable understanding among, people and nations,” she concluded. . The annual report stated that me branches were continuing to send food to‘Britain and had also contributed gifts of money, fat, clothing and toys for distribution in the stricken countries through CORSO. The sum of £57 6s had been contributed by the branches to the appeal for funds to endow - a chaff of obstetrics and gynaecology in Auckland. Election of Office-bearers The following office-bearers were elected:—President, Mrs J. M Charles (Lauder); vice-presidents—Mesdames D. H. Cockburn, G. Renwick, and W. J. Reid, executive—Mesdames D. H. Cockburn (Queenstown), J .Radford (Cromwell), R. J. E. Smith (Wedderburn), G. Renwick (Middlemarch), W. J. Reid.(Outram), . J. Rodger (Owaka), J .T. Williams (Kelso , A. Finch (Milton), H. Holgate (Barnego), F. Ellis (Palmerston), R. D°uglass (Otakou), J. H. Smith (Miller’s Flat . W. Annan (Clyde), and Miss M. Dallas (Dunedin); Dominion president. Mrs W. H. Elliott (Clarendon): past Dominion president, Mrs J. F. Drake (Berwick); Advisory Board, - Mrs W. Annan (Clyde), past presidents, Mesdames W. J. McKenzie (Waikoikoi) and J. C. Anderson (Stirling); honorary life member, Professor A. G. Strong (Dunedin); honorary provincial secretary, Mrs J. J. Leatham (Dundein). , , .. The remits carried were: That the Government be approached to remove the subsidy on sugar to enable .more to be released to the housewife ” (Waikouaiti). “ That the Government be urged-to reduce the postage on food parcels to Britain immediately,” “That the Government be asked to speed up' the Importation of Aladdin lamp mantieS, as the shortage is, of great inconvenience to country house-; wives ” (Maniototo). 'v> Dominion President’s Address M Mrs Elliott, the Dominion president,, aH*. dressed the conference at the mornihg session. After commending the work of; the Otago branch during the past ./year,. she urged the (members to do all inj.tHeir;power to bring back ter New Zealand the. home life, which, as in other countries, had sadly deteriorated. The home, MrsElliott said, was the place where the moral standards were-set and where the.traditions of the Empire were lived and '• ids'- ' tered. “You must keep alive the spiri-, tual quality on which the organisation hag been built and keep your belief in things® eternal, wherein lies hope for .the future,”' she concluded. , The guest speakers for the afternoon session were Mrs F. G. Soper, who gave a brief account of the food problems in' England when she visited Britain last year, and Miss M. Dalziel, who spoke of her experiences in training the modern school'girl. The guests welcomed were Mr J: Andrew, provincial president of the Fedeiy ated Farmers, Mr Stewart Sim, past president of the Federated Farmers, and Mr A. C. Cameron, manager of 'tbe Farmers* MUtual insurance.