WOMEN’S PART

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21959, 10 May 1941, Page 6

WOMEN’S PART

Solution Of Post-War Problems Early Planning Needed “The time will come when the war will be over, but the aftermath of war is a very difficult time. We women, and particularly those belonging to the National Council of Women, ought to be proud to take our share in it, and we can only be proud if we prepare ourselves.” This statement was made by Miss M. G. Havelaar, president of the National Council of Women, Christchurch, to an address to the annual meeting of the South Canterbury Council yesterday. Miss Havelaar claimed that the women would have a major part to play in post-war reconstruction and urged her hearers to take a keen and practical interest in the social problems which were likely to arise and so prepare themselves to meet them when the time came.” “I think that the National Council at the present time has a very definite and great task to perform," Miss Havelaar said. “It is said that because there is a war on the National Council has little to do. But the council is a national council —part of the nation, and women should be the first to throw their weight into the needs of the nation." The women of the Empire were all bound together with common interests, and while they could do little, perhaps, to help those in the Old Country who were facing great privations, the women of faraway New Zealand had 'their part to play. The National CotincU was sort of reservoir through which flowed the accumulated knowledge and experience of all the affiliated societies and a source of constant help to the women of the country.

Associate Members Miss Havelaar made an appeal for more associate members. It was impossible for all members, she said, to be delegates of affiliated societies, but an associate member could bring to the council her individual problems and knowledge which would be of invaluable help to the council as a whole. It was pleasing to note that the number of associate members had grown considerably because they felt although they had no personal vote they had a definite place to the council. Dealing with directions in which the activities of the organisation could be extended, Miss Havelaar mentionedthat in England the National Council of Women conducted civilian information bureaux. At certain times members were present at the bureaux to give information to women on any problem with which they Were likely to be confronted. Now that the men were away on active service all sorts of questions cropped up—legal, educational and medical—on which women could not turn to their menfolk for advice. The speaker said that it was a work which the National Council could well undertake to a town the size of Christchurch, where there were many women who would be helped by such a service. While there were a number of advisory organisations, women generally did not know where to find them.

Many Problems There were many problems, such as labour, housing and unemployment, which were likely to become acute to the future, Miss Havelaar continued and women should begin to think and plan about them now. That interest should not be superficial, but a live interest to which the problems were earnestly studied so that they would be able to act when the time came. Women were not fully alive to their community responsibilities. They did not express their opinions soon enough. Perhaps they had been given

However busy women found themselves, Miss Havelaar said, they should strive also to sit still and learn. If they were to equip themselves for service, they should first be prepared to absorb knowledge. She advised her hearers to select their interest and then study it, not only with curiosity, but thoroughly and practically and to make whatever use they could of study circles. The women of New Zealand were part of the Empire and Whatever they could do would be something for the general cause, however small that contribution was. Miss Havelaar. who at the commencement of her address was presented with a posy, was accorded a hearty vote _of thanks. .