WOMEN’S INSTITUTES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 185, 6 August 1936, Page 2

WOMEN’S INSTITUTES

M ORE OF CONFERENCE The last week has given us some interesting details concerning the | work of women’s institutes which have been holding their annual con- ■ ference in Dunedin. The delegates were welcomed to the southern city by the Mayor, the Rev. T. Cox. The conference was thoroughly well arranged, making it possible for a number of subjects to be brought forward and discussed. The delegates set to work, going into matters affecting the general welfare of women and children. Miss A. Kane, Wellington, presided, and associated with her on the stage were members of the Dominion Executive, Mrs. Elliot and Mrs Drake (representing the Women's Division of the Farmers’ Union), Professor Strong, Miss Violet' Macmillan (organiser of the Association for Country Education) and Miss Bonnie Apple, of Texas (an exchange tutor of the association). In welcoming the delegates, the Mayor spoke of the change in thought regarding the value of women’s work that had taken place during the generation. The good wishes of the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union were expressed by Mrs. Drake, who said that there was a close relationship between the two organisations, which both aimed at creating friendship, understanding and toleration. Need for a Goal Professor Strong stressed the possibilities for good of such organisations as women's institutes, but added that they must have a definite goal. Recently she had been investigating the cost of illness in Now Zealand and had found that the maintenance cost of hospital services amounted £2,000,000 annually. When lost working time and the cost of illness in the homes was added the cost was nearly £10,000,000. It seemed to her that here was an opportunity for women’s organisations. It was in the hands of women to see that families had the right nourishment. and care, which would save some of the money to which she had referred, so that it could be put to better uses. The matter of nutrition was so important that it was being taken up by the League of Nations. Time would be saved if homes were mor ■ ronvemer, i.ud illneu; could be prevented if they were more sanitary. Miss Apple said that she brought greetings from the country women of the United States. In her native Stale there were 45,000 women enrolled in rural clubs, and 25,000 rural girls and 26,000 rural boys were also organised. Miss Apple added that there was little difference between the people of Texas and New Zealand, hut there was a difference fn their diet. Everywhere in Otago, for instance, she had seen plenty of milk, but no one drinking it. She hoped to take up this matter and its effect on the teeth of the people when visiting institutes I at a later stage. Purity of Milk A resolution was forwarded by the , Patea Institute “That, in view of the i importance of milk as a food of the i people, the Women’s Institute mem- j bers should endeavour 1o educate pub- j lie opinion to demand milk that is I clean and free from risk of contamination by tuberculosis germs, and to support the autorifles in seeing that it is supplied. Further, this meeting urges housewives to realise that, clean milk can be made dirty by carelessness in the house.” Moving the motion the Patea delegate remarked that milk had always been rightly considered as one of the most valuable foods. Recently the Napier Borough Council had passed a set of model by-laws dealing with the question of a pure milk supply, and these were considered to be in advance of anything else at present in operation. The housewife was in a position 1o enforce that, legislation be passed that all milk should be from tuberculosis-tested cows. If every woman asked her supplier this question. and refused to deal with him until he had answered in the affirmative, legislation would be almost unnecessary. The solution of the problem lay in the hands of the individual. The gravest danger from impure milk was the conveyance of tuberculosis germs, and it. had been stated by a New Zealand scientist that 2 per emit, of the milk sold in the Dominion today contained living tubercle bacilli. If the disease was eliminated among cattle, a considerable proportion of surgical tuberculosis would be prevented. She then proceeded to outline the by-laws passed In Napier, the main points of which were the testing of all cows for tuberculosis and the marking of all sound animals. The sale of milk for human consumption from non-tested and marked cows was forbidden and the subject of manorial | contamination was also covered. The seconder of the motion stressed the active part that every individual could take in bringing about the testing of cows from which milk was supplied for human consumption. If the motion was passed, she said, the meeting would have done something to give life more abundantly to the rising generation. The motion was passed. From the Dominion Executive Committee: ‘‘That the conference of Women’s Institutes be held every other year.” From the Ruapehu Federation and the Rissington Institute: ‘‘That in alternate years there be a meeting of one delegate from each federation committee and one voluntary organiser from each federation, it being understood, in preservation of the democratic principles of the movement, that any such intervening meeting shall have no constitutional status or power, but shall be in the nature of a conference only.” From the Haumoana and Waimumu Institutes: “That the resolution passed at the 1934 conference providing that the conference be held in the four centres in rotation be rescinded.” It was pointed out that the effect of the last resolution would be that it would be open to the delegates to decide where the next conference should be held, whereas they had been bound for a number of years by the resolution now rescinded. An interesting address was given by Miss M. Grant Palmerston North) on some of the features of the Washington Conference of Associated Country-Women of the World. Miss Grant was one of the New Zealand delegates to this conference, which is held triennially. Another interesting address was