The White Ribbon. "For God and Home, and Humenity." WELLINGTON, MAY 8, 1945. “WHITE RIBBON” GOLDEN JUBILEE

White Ribbon, Volume 17, Issue 4, 18 May 1945, Page 4

The White Ribbon. "For God and Home, and Humenity." WELLINGTON, MAY 8, 1945. “WHITE RIBBON” GOLDEN JUBILEE

As most of the monthly meeting will he over before this is received, probably, a reminder for June meetings will be effective if given now It will be fifty years in June since the first number of the “White Ribbon” was published. This is probably a record for New Zealand women’s papers. Other organisations formed recently have had some difficulties to encounter in publishing an “official organ.** Some of these have had to be dropped alter some short period and others have considerable trouble involved in the financial and business sides. We are more than fortunate in having a practically unbroken history ot regular monthly issues o i our paper It is interesting to note that Mrs. l’er> man held the position of editor for nearly three-quarters of these 30 years and her name will long !>e associated with the publication. She was the fourth editor of the paper and as we were reminded in our President’s letter last month, many of us have not known anv other.

It is quite an interesting thing for a meeting to ask various members to prepare a short talk on what they think the “W.R” should do for the organisation as a whole. As a medium for learning what other local unions are doing and what is going on in other parts of the world, it has a definite function. For keeping Unions in touch to some extent with the Ijominton President it has great value. In a land of such long distances and somewhat slow means of transport we seldom have the pleasure oi seeing our officers except at Convention time, or if, perhaps, we are fortunate enough to live in their neighbourhood, and it would Ikt very difficult indeed for the

personal touch to be felt without this bond of friendliness.

Many other points will occur to those who care to think it over, and a very good afternoon’s programme can l>e compiled on these lines. Hut the matter of greatest im}K)rtance is to be sure that the paper is read. One ha*, evidence continually of Clftlw perusal If the "\\ K Ib worth the trouble of preparing, printing and sending out to its readers for the sum of 3/- annually, it is surely little to ask that it should be read with some appreciation of its value. This side should be really emphasised in any “W.R." afternoon it is proposed to hold.

One mure point !s that we do not have any revenue from advertisements, other than our own Unions require for their publicity. Not many magazines could run on those lines. It is generally assuiried that much of the expense of printing :s met by the advertising payments. We are unique in this. Isn't it really rather a pleasure to read through without constant requests to turn to another page liecause of intrusive advertising material? Of course, this also means that we have to be helped by the Unions for which we produce the paper, and by their generous support we are able to supply the official organ. We are hoping earnestly that all readers will be hel|*ed by the “W.R.” But it is of no u«*e to provide food for those who are not hungry. So plearse will all members >eek to whet their own appetite for this monthly meal?