THE WOMEN’S DIVISION.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 February 1931, Page 18 (Supplement)

THE WOMEN’S DIVISION.

Growth of organisation. (Contributed.) At the recent meeting at Dunedin of the Dominion executive of the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union many important features were discussed and disclosed. Affiliation with the National Council of Women was considered a wise proposal, that being a world-wide organisation. During the past six months it is pleasing to record, many hundreds of women have joined the Women’s Division; they have felt that the spirit of comradeship was always evident and the hand of friendly happiness always extended. Lives of country women are now becoming safer, happier and more attractive. The organising committee set up in conference has done much work and given a great deal of time and money towards the advancement ox this national organisation. As an organised body the Womens Division could obtain important educational help and medical and dental attention in the country as in the towns. Country branches can arrange for demonstrators to teach both young and old all that is useful in needlework and in arts ami crafts, which has hitherto been so much the privilege of the town dweller. The new cookery book, the “New Zealand Women’s Home Guide/’ will prove a boon with its many hints dealing with economy.

Besides the practical and useful side of life, the Women's Division Is keenly alive to the moral welfare of all, especially our young people. The Hawera branch sent a remit protesting against drinking outside halls at dances. An effective Way of dealing with this problem was to co-operate with the police and assist them in finding out the culprits. The police do their best, but often they have so much to contend with that their work is made very difficult.

The growth and work of the Home Science Extension Service in Otago is probably not as widely known and appreciated as it should be. Home science aims at prevention before cure and teaches economically sound, mechanically _ convenient, morally wholesome, physically healthy, artistically satisfying, socially responsible, and spiritually inspiring. During 1030 the extension staff consisted of threp tutors (all home science graduates) under the direction of Professor Strong, working from the Information Bureau at Marama Hall,* Otago University. Members of the staff have given monthly lectures at near-by centres, and lectures at irregular intervals at other centres whenever possible. To cover a wider field, boxes containing illustrated lectures have travelled to all parts, and groups have, been formed to study the contents of the boxes. During 1930 many important activities were engaged in, one of which was organising tours with th© help of the Women’s Division an 4 Women’s Institution. Another consisted of demonstrations and displays, showing the necessary food for a family Qi f^ r a week at a cost of la per head per day. The most recent activity ha,s been to co-operate with the Agricultural department in the matter of Boys and Girls’ Clubs and to inaugurate special competitions for girls in the bottling and drying of fruit and vegetables. Hopes are entertained that through the co-operation of the Women’s Division and other organisations extension of this work may be possible to all parts of the Dominion. '