WOMEN S DIVISION.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12569, 9 February 1934, Page 3

WOMEN S DIVISION.

MEETING OF PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.. EXTENSION OF ACTIVITIES DISCUSSED. A meeting of the Wairarapa Provincial Council of the NY omen’s Division of the Farmers Union was held in Masterton, Mrs Archie Clark presiding. Delegates were present from Pahiatua, Eketahuna, Mauriceville Ihuraua, Masterton, Tinui, Carterton, Paliautea, Grevtown, Featlierston and Mart inborough. In welcoming members, Mrs Clark expressed the hope that they would have a busy and useful year. She said she was not quite satisfied with the range of work that the Division, a large body of women, was doing. The housekeeping scheme was excellent, but the work entailed was done by a few and there were many others who sat back in reflected glorv. One question they might take up was that of getting employment for both men and women in the country . Mrs C. C. Jackson said this was a very important and difficult question. At the recent conference in A\ anganui, one delegate had stated that she had tried in vain to get men from relief camps to undertake the ploughing of twenty acres of land and ultimately had’ to do the work herself. Mrs Jackson said she herself knew of a case in which scrub-cutting work in the Mauricevi le district had been refused by relief workers on the ground that bv taking a few days' casual employment, they would lose a fortnight’s relief work. Some means must be found of re-establishing normal employment. On the motion of Mrs T. R. Barrel-, the following motion was ‘ l PP ro ' ed as a remit to conference: ‘ 1 hat this conference second anv efforts to introduce selected British immigrants into New Zealand on a Pro quo basis with England on the lines suggested bv Dr. Campbell Begg.” Another member contended that it would be necessary to tackle the currency question if "they wished to get rid of unemployment. proposal discussed was that the Division should take more interest in schools and school committees. The question arose of seeing that children were provided with fruit in the summer time as they were with cocoa in winter. It was decided to approach the Wellington Education Board in this matter and also to raise the question at the nest meeting of householders to elect school committees. it was observed with regret that there seemed tp be a dearth of*sons ot soldiers desirous of being trained m farming at Flock House. It was considered that any suitable hoys should be admitted" there for training Hitherto the Government has paid £25 and the Returned soldiers Associations in the different districts have paid an equal amount towards the cost of giving each boy eight months training, though there was accommodation lor ,(» boys and that the training ot the smaller number was uneconomical on account of overhead costs. The Provincial Secretary (Mrs \V •James) reported that the executive had provided a stove for a family in need. Many housekeepers have lately been sent out. Mrs Barrel- has taken over the editorship of the “X.Z. Countrvwoman. the Division lias 400 branches and 14,000 members and it is hoped that every branch will take an interest in sending in matter for the paper.