MORE GIRL CITIZENS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 986, 31 May 1930, Page 1

MORE GIRL CITIZENS

lAPANESE SECRETARY HERE FOR CAMPAIGN MAORI WELCOME ARRANGED When Miss Yuki Kimura San, the Young* Women’s Christian Association secretary from Japan, arrives in Auckland on June 12, a Maori welcome will be extended to her by members of the Y.W.C.A. Girl Citizens’ movement. Miss San’s visit coincides with the endeavour which will be made by the Girl Citizens, from June 2 to 14, to double the present membership of about 300. The girls of the welcoming party are at present being trained bv Mrs. Clark, of the Akarana Maori Association, in correct Maori hakas and poi dance®. The girls are occupied in making head dresses and piu-pius. The study of Maori music, arts and accomplishments, indeed, constitutes an important and valuable part of the programme carried out by the Girl Citizens.

The general secretary of the Auckland Y.W.C.A., Miss Jean Begg, explained this morning the excellent purposes of the Girls Citizens’ movement. She said the effort to increase the number of members was being made on the initiative of the girls themselves. Miss Audrey McCrea, chief councillor of the Auckland community of Girl Citizens, and Miss Majorie Burton, chief citizen of the community, were engaged in the work of organisation. The effort was New Zealandwide and there would actually be a competition, worked out according to population, among the Y.W.C.A. institutions in Auckland, Whangarei, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Timaru, for the centre leading in securing new members.

Knowledge, health, honour, co-oper-ation, duty, courage, self-respect and self-control are the eight laws in the code of the movement. Referring to these ideals, Miss Begg said: “We feel that the movement gives full play to these ideals The girls are given great opportunities for self-expression and the cultivation of their individualities. The Y.W C.A. is essentially a community organisation in which girls can spend their leisure time profitably.”

The Girl Citizens wear a distinctive uniform. Girls from 14 to 20 years of age can be engaged in the movement and girls from 12 to 14 can join as Girl Citizens.in training. The members are divided into sections, with their own officers and programmes of activity, and representatives are elected to the committee of the whole movement. Most of the members are young business girls and the activities include physical training, many sports, dramatics, the study of literature and arts. Camps and excursions are arranged in holiday-time.