THE W.D.F.U.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1934, Page 28 (Supplement)

THE W.D.F.U.

SOUTH TARANAKI BRANCH PRACTICAL NATURE OF WORK. SOME OVERSEA AFFILIATIONS. (.By Mrs. C. Benton, provincial president of the South Taranaki branch of the Division.) For about eight years the country women of South Taranaki have enjoyed the comforts and help given through the work of the Women's Division of the Farmers’ Union. Its functions began at Hawera and then expanded throughout South Taranaki until there are now 16 fully established branches all co-opera-ting together with the South Taranaki Provincial Executive which meets quarterly at Hawera. Naturally the sweetest and most appealing part of our work is the philanthropic, which has ensured our rapid growth in membership and in expansion of efforts accomplished. In all parts of our province distress committees are functioning. They are on the look-out for cases in need of clothing, or anything else, while lonely women are brought into the Division to take up different interests. Then when country women are admitted into the Hawera hospital, who may have no friends to visit them, if the Hawera branch is notified their members see that these country patients are not allowed to feel lonely. Most of us know the cheering influence of a pleasant smile, and perhaps a posy of fragrant flowers which are gladly given. Anyone requiring the services of an emergency housekeeper or sewing woman can always obtain help by applying to headquarters or to the local president, while books or magazines may be obtained from the Dominion librarian, Mrs. Scott, Wanganui. Mrs. Cruikshank acts as librarian for the Hawera branch. There is now a rest home in Hawera where tired country women in need of a change and rest may recuperate. We hope to see a "chain” of rest homes or half-way Jromes established, for through financial strain in general there are so many women run down physically and mentally who could be restored to health in congenial surroundings without the stigma of having had mental treatment. Country women make a little pocket money for themselves by cooking all kinds of cakes or doing needlework which is sold at a shop at Hawera, and then at our monthly meetings we sometimes have a kind of barter or exchange. One member may have a number of seedlings or plants of all kinds to spare which she brings along and exchanges with other members for something she desires. MONTHLY MEETINGS. A wealth of knowledge and comfort has been and still is derived from our meetings each month. Before the advent of the Division most of our Taranaki country women had never had the opportunity of learning or even seeing done all the arts and crafts which they have now mastered. South Taranaki is deeply indebted to those ladies who have come often for many miles to teach us brass work, the uses of wool for making mattresses and quilts, etc., the home curing and dying of . skins, the making of gloves, mocassins, and slippers, sea grass stools, silhouette pictures, passe partout, quilting, leather work, and many other useful crafts, and floral decorative work.

At present our educational interests are centred on an equitable dental clinic system for backblock children, and an extension of the educational course of teaching by correspondence to backblock children beyond the matriculation examination which is the present limit. The non-extension of daylight saving either in time or in duration of months is another matter which in fairness to the country women, arouses much keenness.

Most of our branches have affiliated with the pan-Paclfic Women’s Association for the furthering of international peace which is so vital to the safety and welfare of human life. We are keenly looking forward to hearing Miss Andrews’ lecture again this month in South Taranaki on her return from the conference at Honolulu. We are also delighted that a W.D.. representative has attended that conference where women of all nationalities around the Pacific meet to encourage mutual sympathies and friendships.

Competitions form another pleasant avenue for acquiring new ideas in thrift and economy, and throughout our branches pleasant afternoons have been spent in displaying the best articles ma’de from waste material or at fraction of cost, while competitions for the best afternoon tea or supper provided for a number of unexpected visitors, or for wa.shing day dinners, and invalid cookery have given much amusement and profit. Monetary reform is another subject which creates much interest and many of our members have enjoyed the lectures given by different speakers during the past year. The staging 0f... one-act plays is being successfully taken up by a number of our branches and is doing much towards bringing out dormant talent and encouraging more confidence especially among the young members. The success and growth of our work in South Taranaki is due not only to the work of the presidents and secretaries but*to the wonderful co-operation of of each and every member of the different branches.

Enough .has been written to justify not only the existence but the steady growth of the Women’s Division, but I would like to stress again the great social influence derived from our monthly meetings which inspire so much food for not only actions but thoughts, which demonstrate the great immutable laws of the universe that like attracts like. Through thought force we have the power of gradually moulding the every-day conditions of our life as we would wish them The higher the ideals we aim at and the more unselfish our motives become, so will our achievements expand until we more fully realise that “ ’Tis not in mortals to command success.” We can do more. We can achieve it.