WOMENS INSTITUTE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19944, 31 October 1934, Page 5

WOMENS INSTITUTE

SOUTH CANTERBURY FEDERATION HALF-YEARLY MEETING Representatives of 65 Women's Institutes, comprising the South Canterbury Federation, attended the half-yearly council meeting at Temuka yesterday. The president (Mrs L. E. Williams) presided and associated with her on the platform were Miss Jerome Spencer, founder of the movement in New Zealand, and the following members of the executive: Mesdames F. Peter, F. Curtis, G. A. Macdonald, R. Austin, A. Mackenzie, Davies, J. C. Hurst, A. G. Brown, S. Mills, W. J. Minogue and S. C. Chisnall, and Misses A. T. Williams (secretary) and M. Ferguson (Temuka president). Mrs A. S. Mclnnes, on behalf of the Temuka Group, welcomed delegates to the town. The president also welcomed the delegates, mentioning especially the representatives of the three new Institutes, Ashwick Flat, Maronan and Fairview. She congratulated the Institutes on their programme for the year, and said she was pleased to see them exhibiting a good sporting spirit by taking a beating well in the competitions. Endowment Fund Scheme. Miss Spencer expressed pleasure at being present at a South Canterbury Council meeting. She then explained the operation of the new Endowment Fund Scheme, mentioning that Institutes could become members by contributing the sum of £5 each. While abroad she had been closely in touch with the work of the Associated Country Women of the World movement and had gleaned much valuable information and help from her association. The movement was founded by a Canadian, Mrs Alfred Watt, in England about six years ago and it met every three years. Last year its meeting was held at Stockholm, and on that occasion it had been her privilege to represent New Zealand, together with Miss Large. Mrs Watt had presided and between 30 and 40 countries had been represented. A constitution had been drawn up and approved, and the many interests of the countrywoman—home life, social activity, work on farms and the launching of families —had been discussed. Naturally there had been many languages represented and the meeting was conducted in English, then translated to Swedish and German and finally into French. A wonderful spirit had been engendered, women of all stations in life, mixing freely and enjoying the privilege of exchanging experiences and opinions. Miss Spencer described a trip through Denmark to Stockholm, and referred to that city as the Venice of the north. There were many beautiful drives through the country and a wonderful open air museum of 500 acres comprising extensive areas of woods of firs in which real farmhouses were set portraying various periods in the development of Swedish agriculture. They were complete with implements of the periods and the furniture and weaving, and were each kept by an attendant wearing the dress* of the period and province. In conclusion Miss Spencer emphasised the value of international relations, and said it might be possible for the Women’s Institute to find a link through the Associated Country Women of the World. An address on the administration •and distribution of relief for needy people was given by Mr Cliffen, of Timaru, whose remarks concerned the Timaru Unemployment Committee to which the Institutes have been contributing. Mrs Alan Gillingham gave a most interesting description of the “hospitality circle,” formed at Fairlie. Members offer hospitality either in their own homes or in cottages on farms to women and children needing a rest and change, the aims being to bring life and brightness into the country home, as well as to endeavour to create a better understanding between town and country. Depots and Marketing. Depots and marketing in England were described by Mrs R. Irving, of Mt. Nessing. This year the depot in Timaru had shown a substantial increase in takings. She appealed to Institute members to endeavour to raise the standard of the crafts and produce contributed for sale, for only by that means could the sales be increased and maintained. South Canterbury had been the first district in the Dominion to introduce the market, and she hoped that having been first it would strive to make it the best in the Dominion and the world. There was a good return to be earned by-that means. She conveyed thanks to the Institutes and members for their support. Greetings from Miss Stops, who had been Dominion organiser, were conveyed by Miss Mills, who described the work of the Women’s Institutes in the slums of London. Settlement work near Tilbury Docks and child welfare activity were working wonders. Lending libraries, arts and crafts classes, drama circles and an invalid kitchen, providing meals at Id and 2d a time, as well as gardening circles, had been introduced and encouraged. She appealed for gifts of seeds to send toward the gardening activities. As delegate from the Federation to the annual conference in Wellington. Mrs Alister Mackenzie gave a report. She closed with the remark: “One deems it an honour to belong to such an organisation which has such high ideals and whose principal aims are to benefit country women. One cannot but entertain feelings of affection toward it.” Quoting from the speech of the Dominion president (Mrs H. Paterson), Mrs Mackenzie said: “The soul of the movement is service. This is the true spiritual essence without which no cause can become truly great. It calls for courage and goodwill, but as each forgets self there will come to us the vision of a universal sisterhood and a happier world.” Folk Dancing. A remit from Pareora, “That the folk dances should be chosen from books already published,” was considered. On behalf of the executive, Mrs Chisnall moved an amendment: “That the Federation Executive endeavour to formulate some plan by which copies of instructions and music for all compulsory dances in competitions may be available at small cost to any Institute desiring same.” The amendment was carried. The Davies Cup, for the most points gained in domestic and handcrafts at agricultural shows, was then handed over by the president. She explained that the preesntation was only provisional, the official handing over of the cup being left to the donor (Miss Davies, of Geraldine) on her return from England. The winning Institute, Mayfield, had gained 161 points: Ashburton had been second with 97 and Chertsey third with 43. After lunch the various Group conveners gave reports of the community work being conducted in their districts and Mr P. W. Rule, of Timaru, delivered an address entitled “The Evolution of the Home.” After the choir festival in the afternoon the meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the Temuka Group for making arrangements and pro-

viding afternon tea. This was moved by the president and carried by acclamation. Choir Competition. So wide an appeal did the choir contest have that the Parish Hall could not accommodate the audience that gathered in the afternoon for the first festival, and more than 70 women had to hear the singing through the open doors and windows of the building. Eleven choirs of 10 singers each, the winners of earlier elimination contests, took part in the competition. They were each representative of a group of Institutes, the southernmost competitor being Ikawai, from the northern bank of the Waitaki river, and the most northerly Ashburton. The judges were Mesdames W. I. Tate and N. D. Mangos, of Timaru, and their placings were: Orari (Mrs Sydney Unwin, conductor, Miss M. Killoh, pianist, and Mesdames H. Killoh, A. G. Macdonald, C. Gerard, H. Brenton, O’Brien, and Misses P. Brenton, E. Williams, D. Worner, N. Gerard and J. Austin), 98 points, 1; Ashburton,. 97 points, 2; St. Andrews 89 points, 3. At the conclusion of the competition the judges gave a brief criticism of each performance. They were accorded a vote of thanks.