COUNTRY WOMEN

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20586, 27 November 1936, Page 13

COUNTRY WOMEN

EFFORTS TOWARD PEACE ADDRESS BY MRS A. WATT President of the Associated Countrywomen of the World, and closely connected with many other organisations for women’s welfare, Mrs Alfred Watt, M.A., M.8.E., who is making a tour of New Zealand, visited Timaru yesterday. In the afternoon she was accorded a welcome by the Mayor (Mr P. C. Vinnell) and representatives of women’s organisations, and she then addressed a large gathering of women in the Scottish Hall on “What the Country Women of the World are doing for Peace.” The Mayor expressed pleasure at being associated with the gathering which was to have the pleasure of being addressed by Mrs Watt. The reputation which had preceded her showed that she was a lady of international knowledge, and what she would have to tell them was not theory but a result of practical experience. She had occupied the position of president of the Associated Countrywomen of the World on four occasions, and in addition she had gained other great distinctions. She had been decorated by various governments and recognised as a dominant factor pertaining to country life. Her career had been a very fine one, she having studied the careers of country women in various parts of the world. She had proved herself a woman of outstanding merit,

and it gave him great pleasure to extend a hearty welcome to her to

Mrs L. E. Williams welcomed Mrs Watt on behalf of the Federation of Women’s Institutes, stating that she felt Mrs Watt’s visit would be of immense value to them.

Mrs B. E. Evans extended a welcome on behalf of the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union, presenting the visitor with a badge of the Union and intimating that she would be enrolled as an honorary member.

Miss Lovell-Smith spoke on behalf of the South Canterbury branch of tfae National Council of Women, extending a welcome to Mrs Watt. Mrs Watt read a message from Queen Mary and went on to thank the Mayor and the other speakers for their kindly welcome. There was one section of people in the world to-day to whom the name of New Zealand was a household word and that was the countrywomen of England, who had heartily applauded the welcome that had been extended to the speaker to come to New Zealand. Mrs Watt said it was not a practice of the Queen to send out messages, and for that reason she was delighted that the Queen had sent a message with her. The Queen took a keen interest in the women of the Empire and she took a particular Interest in the work of the Women’s Institutes. On one occasion she told the speaker privately that what she liked most about the Women’s Institutes was tiieir spirit. First Institute Mrs Watt went on to say that it might not be known what a great part country women were playing on the world to-day. The first women’s institute was founded 40 years ago in Ontario, and in those 40 years it had spread tremendously. It was easy to spread the movement in the thickly populated areas, but it was very difficult to do so in the rural areas, and for that reason the progress had been remarkably rapid and sound. Country women had to know that a thing was of practical value before they would take to it, and for that reason great credit was due to the institutes for the progress that had been made. The movement was democratic, practical and ideal, and was much more than just a collection of societies. The idea of sisterhood grew of its own accord. When she went to England and tried to establish the movement there—and it was not easy taking something from a Dominion to the Mother Country—there was the feeling that it was a good idea, and might be all right for Canada but would not take on in England. Every village had the idea that it was different from the next, but eventually she managed to get the movement started. She believed that every country should stand on its own feet and develop its own individuality and characteristics, and they should not always be looking for something which somebody else had. The speaker paid a tribute to the pioneers of New Zealand and said they must have been a wonderful people. They must have laid a great foundation, for New Zealand to-day had facilities far greater than those possessed by many countries much larger and much older. Mrs Watt went on to say that other countries were trying to build up on the work of their pioneers, and in this work the women’s institutes were finding a place. Probably it was because they were well organised that they were able to help others, and that organisation had not come about in a few minutes. It had taken time and money and energy, and the organisation they now had had to be carefully tended. Only by keeping their own organisation strong would they be able to remain a big national factor. The members in every country realised that members in other countries were their sisters and that spirit was being fostered in every possible way. Never was there a time more than the present when the world could be destroyed by war or saved by the people. They had to inform their children on international affairs, and the journal of the organisation “The Countrywoman” was pledged to give the whole truth of international affairs. AR the world over they were asking the newspapers to give them the truth about international affairs, so that they could train boys and girls along right lines.

Fine Co-operation

Mrs Watt said that in New Zealand there was fine. co-operation between Europeans and Maoris. There was fine understanding and sympathy, and this welding of the races was going on in many other countries. In Canada they endeavoured to make good Canadians out of foreigners, and in this way they were working towards peace.

Mrs Watt detailed the various organisations in the movement in numerous countries, stating that in England alone there were 5000 institutes. All the organisations worked on their own, and yet all the time they co-operated in the building up of international good will. The speaker said that in Germany there were two organisations, one of which was very financial. The women’s subscription was included in the taxes paid by the farmer, and so they had plenty of money for lecturers. This was all right, but they had lost a lot of their independence, and the speaker preferred fewer lecturers, less money and more independence. The big organisation of Associated Countrywomen of the World arose out of the National Council of Women, who convened a big rural conference and all over the world good work was being done by the Council. Mrs Watt gave details of the various types of organisations which were embodied in Associated Countrywomen of the World, and said that nowhere else in the world was there a more genuine spirit of international good will than there was in Wales. The organisations worked in their own way in their own countries, but they also co-operated by means of study circles. They studied a subject for three years, and at the end of that time they published a book on that

subject. The next study was to be on the use of national resources in the north, and one chapter of that book would be devoted to the use by the Maoris of the natural resources. This work entailed a tremendous amount of research and study, and the Centre in London was constantly visited by people from all over the world. Friendly contacts were being made all the time. Mrs Watt went on to speak of the big conference held in Washington, stating that instead of 1000 delegates for whom provision had been made, 7000 turned up. She had had to open the conference in three languages and

the first day was more of a pain than a pleasure. There was not enough accommodation for all the women, and tents had to be pitched all over the city, all the parks being thrown open. Most of the women did not know why they were th=re, excepting that they desired to see women from other parts of the world, and they knew the conference had something to do vzith peace. Women all over the world wnated peace, and they would do anything they cuuld to secure it. When all these missionaries went back to various parts of the world, they felt that there would be a big reaction to the cause of peace. The speaker asked those present if they were playing their part in the cause of peace. Were they devoting their energies to the work of their organisations? The problem was an individual one. She could not do thenwork, and they could not perhaps do hers, but if they could not work, then perhaps they could pray. On the motion of Mrs Evans, seconded by Mrs E. G. Kerr, a vote of thanks was accorded Mrs Watt for her inspiring address. During the afternoon vocal solos were sung by Mrs A. Barton an J Miss G. Hughes, tne accompanists being Miss B. M’angos and Miss L. McDonald.