Dominion President of WDFF in Dunedin

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27018, 1 March 1949, Page 3

Dominion President of WDFF in Dunedin

“ Farmers’ wives are the backbone of the country,” Mrs J. R. Haldane, Dominion president of the Women's Division of Federated Farmers, said in her address to a gathering of members in the Pioneer Women's Memorial Hall yesterday morning. “In fairness to the wives of farmers,” Mrs Haldane *nd, " I must explain that it was the husband of a former president of the WDFF who termed us the backbone of the country.” Mrs Haldane, who comes from a part of Nelson where the annual rainfall is 140 inches, remarked that such copious rain had its compensations, as rabbits would not live in that district. She described in detail the outward appearance, functions and financial positions of the five Rest Homes belonging to the division, three in the North Island and two on the “ mainland,” as the South Island was termed throughout the meeting. Other properties and offices of the division were also discussed, and the division’s unique housekeeping scheme which has been emulated by several other countries. The nature of this work was described. Mrs Haldane said that the WDFF was perturbed at the increase of crimes of violence against women and children, and she expressed the hope that members of that organisation would press for adequate penalties for such crimes to be put on the Statute Books, and, moreover, that those penalties should be enforced That men, women, and children should have an annual medical examination was another contention put forward by Mrs Haldane with a suggestion that this matter should later be discussed by members. Education of country children, a matter which concerned almost all members of WDFF, was, according to Mrs Haldane, a matter which merited careful investigation. “ Country people.” she said. " owe a debt of gratitude to correspondence schools, which have now over 4000 pupils, and at the moment these are pressing for more equipment, longer broadcasting hours more itinerant teachers and more vans.” It was felt that country schools were severely handicapped, especially when the facilities available to pupils of town schools were taken into considcration. Miss M. Dallas welcomed Mrs Haldane, and Mrs J. M. Charles, provinciaL president, introduced her personally to everyone present. Mrs H. Leatham presented both Mrs Haldane and Mrs Charles with shoulder sprays.