ANNUAL MEETING OF WANGANUI NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN

Wanganui Chronicle, 1 June 1949, Page 7

ANNUAL MEETING OF WANGANUI NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN

Evidence of a busy year’s work was contained in the annual report of the Wanganui branch of the National Council of Women at the annual meeting on Monday night. It was presided over by the president, Mrs. A. H. Mac Lean, who welcomed a good attendance of delegates and representatives of other organisations, who were present at the invitation of the council.

The report stated that the affiliated societies numbered 26, with 39 delegates and 12 associate members. Subjects submitted for consideration during the year and results forwarded to headquarters included delivery of bread, transferring all mid-week holidays to Monday, humane killing of animals, allowing beneficiaries to hold positions as housekeepers, humiliating conditions imposed on recipients of age benelits, abolishing the means test for recipients of age benefits, universal pensions for age beneficiaris, abolishing of butter rationing, punishment for criminal abortion, making woollen goods mothproof and nonshrinkabie, and putting on the market flour containing 100 per cent, of the wheat berry. Matters of local interest considered were the duties of taxi drivers and bus service to public library. The subject of capital and corporal punishment has been recommended to affiliated societies for careful thought and study. Activities of affiliated societies included helping with the sale of health stamps, organising stalls for the Paddy’s Market to help the Old Folks’ Association funds, aid for Britain. The associate group of the branch has been enthusiastic in its efforts to establish free kindergartens in the city. As a result of its efforts a Free Kindergarten Association has been formed and one kindergarten opened, a second one opened on Tuesday, and a third will open shortly. Talks on various subjects have been given during the year, and a successful social afternoon Jield in August was most enjoyable an" was a help to the finances.

the election of officers resulted as follows: —President, Mrs. A. H. MarLean (re-elected); secretary, Mrs. P. S. Whitlock (re-elected); treasurer, Mrs. A. E. Gould; vice-presidents, Mrs E. J. Chesswas, Miss M. E. Baker and Mrs. J ,C. Wickham and Mrs. Stockdale; representative to Aid for Britain, Mrs. M. A. Archibald; Immigration Committee, Mrs. A. H. Mac Lean; C.0.R.5.0., Miss Baker; Dominion councillors, Mrs. Whitlock, Mrs. C. S. Ryan and Miss J. Sewell. The annual report presented by Mrs Whitlock and the balance-sheet bv Mrs. C. S. Ryan were adopted. Mrs. Mac Lean thanked delegates for their co-operation and attendance at meetings during the year, saying that some had been with the council for some time and that there would be changes of delegates from the affiliated societies. She specially mentioned Mrs. Major Houghton (Salvation Army Ladies’ Home League), who is shortly leaving for Hawera. Quoting the motto of the council “to devote sympathy and understanding among all women,” Mrs. Mac Lean said all had worked and helped towards that end. She took the opportunity of congratulating the Wanganui Girls’ College Old Girls’ Association on the success of the jubilee function and the number of old girls who rallied round and came long distances to attend. This showed how much they thought of their school. Thanks were expressed to the retiring ertasurer, Mrs. C. S. Ryan, also to the secretary, Mrs. Whitlock, for her excellent report and her work during the year. In returning thanks for her re-election to office, Mrs. MacLean said she thoupght a change was good and hoped that someone else would come forward next year. Paying a tribute to the president, Mrs. J. C. Wickham said all had a great appreciation of the work Mrs. Mac Lean had done and of the pleasantness of the meetings. AU had been happv under her leadership. She presented sprays to the president, secretary and treasurer. The guest speaker for the evening, Miss H. M. Rice, re p‘ resentative of “Childhaven Auckland, and a member of the N.Z. Council of Christian Women, spoke of some of the social conditions and moi al problems in the Dominion and told oi the social service work the council was doing. She gave figures which showed that New Zealand, on - <mulation basis, had the hignesi *“.;.ber of abortions yearly. The public conscience had been stirred, but no official notice was tiiken. It was through this the N.Z. Council of Christian Women started their work. She stressed the increase in alcoholism as a big factor leading to the delinquency of youth. Mrs. Mac Lean thanked the speaker for her talk and the information they had gained. Miss Rice was presented with flowers. Supper was served at the conclusion of the meeting. It was decided to hold the June, July and August meetings in the afternoon. A vote of thanks was passed to the chair and to the scrutineers. Societies affiliated io the N.C.W. are: Trinity Methodist Ladies' Guild, N.Z. Registered Nurses’ Association, Social Credit Movement (women's branch), Wanganui Federation of Women’s Institutes, Wanganui Mothers’ Helpers’ League, Wanganui Townswomein’s Guild, Wesley Ladies’ Guild, Women's Christian Temperance Union, Women's Division Federated Farmers (Wanganui Provincial Executive), Women Teachers’ Association, Young Women’s Christian Association, Housewives’ Association, Wanganui Theosophical Women’s Association, Associated Group National Council of Women, Student Nurses’ Association, National Party (women'" section), St. Barnabas’ Mowers’ Union Wanganui Girls" College Parents’ Association, N.Z. Humic Compost Club (Wanganui branch), Wanganui Old Folks’ Association, Salvation Army Ladies’ Home League, Wanganui Business and Professional Women’s Club, Wanganui Catholic Women’s League, Women's branch R.S.A., Church of England Mothers’ Union (Archdeaconry group).