WOMEN CITIZENS’ ASSOCIATION.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18616, 11 July 1930, Page 9

WOMEN CITIZENS’ ASSOCIATION.

ADDRESS BY MRS BRUCE GILLIES. At the monthly meeting of the 'Timaru Women Citizens’ Association held last night, the speaker was Mrs Bruce Gillies, who explained the work of the Women’s Division of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union.

Mrs Gillies said that the Women’s Division had been formed with the idea of endeavouring to better conditions for women and children working on the’land. The Division came into existence isome four years ago, and had already more than justified its existence. Started by three or four ladies, it now counted its members by thousands, and to-day there were branches throughout New Zealand, employing about fifty housekeepers. In Timaru, although the branch was started only six months ago, the membership was between eighty and ninety. This showed the wonderful growth of the organisation. The speaker went on to outline the aiijis and objects of the Division, stating that probably the most useful of its works was the obtaining of visiting help or housekeepers on farms. The women selected for this work were reliable, well trained housekeepers, who had to go where ever they were sent, and were capable of taking charge of the home and children. Whilst travelling in the North Island the speaker had met farmers’ wives who had not had a holiday for five ♦years as they were unable to obtain help of any kind. The housekeeper was paid by the employer, except in exceptional cases when she was paid out of the community chest fund. Another sphere of activity in the Division was the Dominion book club. The club sent parcels of books, free of railway charges, to groups of three or four or more members, except in districts so isolated that only one or two members could be obtained. Women’s sphere extended beyond the home of the community, continued the speaker, and branches of the Women’s Division could accomplish wonderful improvement in community life. A body of women working together could raise the whole standard of education for country children; but even better than that, is the fine spirit of co-operation and good fellowship engendered between parents and teacher, which is the secret of a good school. After the welfare of the young people came the adults of the community for whom had been arranged rest rooms, community halls, book clubs and the like. Hence the Women’s Division was of distinct benefit to the community, because of awakened interest in community conditions, and the possibility by organised efforts to improve those conditions. It was also a benefit to the larger life of the nation, because any stimulation of mental activity must bring increased interest in public affairs, and any co-operative effort towards the betterment of social, economic and moral conditions, with Its culminative effect on public opinion, must make for a higher standard in the home, the community, and the national life. The Women’s Division possessed one great advantage which was lacking in all other organisations—it had the solid backing of the Farmers’ Union as an organisation, no slight thing when it came to working for better legislation.