SIR TRUBY KING GIVES LECTURE TO GIRLS AND WOMEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18887, 11 October 1929, Page 9

SIR TRUBY KING GIVES LECTURE TO GIRLS AND WOMEN.

BIG AUDIENCE GATHERS AT CIVIC THEATRE.

Sir Truby King spoke to an audience of 1200 girls and women in the Civic Theatre this morning on a variety of subjects of interest to women. Films were also shown, supplied by the speaker, depicting the physical relationship of man to the lower animals and plants, particularly in regard to reproduction, and the ante-natal care of babies, the latter film being shown for the first time in New Zealand. Dr H. T. J. Thacker, chairman of the Health Week Committee, said that there had been very good attendance* all the week at the Health Week lectures and addresses, but the full theatre that morning provided a fitting climax to the week. There was no need for him to say anything of the work of Sir Truby King. It was evident in the name “Karitane” and in the Plunket institutions. Three cheers were given for Sir Truby when he rose to speak. He said that in the films he would show he would come dangerously near the danger point of evolution which, stated in its very crudest form, meant that man evolved from the monkey. It had to be conceded, however, that there were extraordinary physical relationships between man, the lower animals, and even plants, and he would leave it to his audience to draw their own conclusions from the pictures. “Life More Wonderful.'* “One never has the opportunity of speaking to an audience of girls without feeling what a and responsibility it is,” he said. Nowadays people were in the habit of taking the view that life to-day was less romantic than it was in former generations, but that view was quite incorrect. Life was infinitely more wonderful now than it had ever been before. Taking the old Grecian nation, for instance, it was most probable that the people had never moved more than fifty miles from their homes, whereas if he were to review his audience ten or twenty years from now he would find them scattered all over the habitable globe. The physical side of life played a most important part, and they must realise that they must live according to the laws of God and Nature. Machinery had been gradually displacing man, and had placed him in a position to live idly. Physically, the Maoris had been a greater race than we were now. None of the modern disabilities had been evident among their women. The future of any race depended on the women of that race. A man might be a weakling, but rise to take an important part in. world affairs, such as, for instance, Mr Philip Snowden, who was most in the public eye. Had he been a woman he would not have risen to such prominence from the fact that women required a good physical condition to take their part in life. The women, and the men, too, owed it to themselves to attain a degree of physical fitness. This could be done by taking a cold bath every morning, followed by twenty minutes* exercise and taking every opportunity of swimming and participating in outdoor life. Open air schools were certainly a step in the right direction. “Chance or opportunity will take us anywhere,” stated the speaker, “and the question of living a happy and useful life depends on what we make of ourselves between the ages of eighteen or twentj'.” The films occupied an hour and a half, and dealt generally with the principles of reproduction in plants and animals, commencing with the amoeba and yeast plant and leading up to the higher forms of life. The last film demonstrated the ante-natal care a prospective mother should observe. Display of Posters. The invitation of the Health Week Committee to the School of Art pupils to contribute posters touching on appropriate subjects has drawn thirteen designs. First prize has been awarded to Miss Dorothy Caverhill and second prize to Miss Lily Wotton. These posters will later be exhibited in the windows of a city shop. At present they are on view on the social room of the City Council buildings and may be inspected there. The winning poster depicts a child carefully placing rubbish in a tin and replacing the lid. It is done in bright colours and gives a realistic effect. The Health Week slogan, “Live Clean,” is given due prominence.