THROW OFF APATHY

Chronicle (Levin), 16 July 1947, Page 5

THROW OFF APATHY

-Press Association

Ciarion Call To Country Women

By Telegraph

WELLINGTON, July 15. A challeng'e to members to concern themselves more with the important problems affecting women today, was issued by Mrs. W. Elliott (Otago), Dominion president of the Women 's Division of Federated Farmers, at the official opening of the Division 's Dominion conference tonight. Women needed to throw : off their apathy and become much more aetive in future, she said. "I am forced to believe our apathy is created because of fear that our aetions will be misconstrued and we will be declared party political," she stated. "Our organisation is' nou-party political. It is a national organisation. I consider we are failing in our duty to each other if we do not interest ourselves in these questions and use our united efforts to influence the powers that be to reetify existing eonditions that are causing us deep concern. ' ' Domestie help in country homes was of much more serious concern than met the eye. The primary producers of New Zealand were the bac-lcbone of our national prosperity till it could be provea otherwise, she said. The country women of the Dominion were anxious and prepared to do their share for national prosperity but tfiey were not going to attempt tasks that were fast approaching the stage beyond their physical ability. The difiiculty of getting domestie help in the country, espeeially where there were small children, was making it impossible to maintain let alone increase primary production. Domestie workers being brought from overseas would not help the country women who could not offer the inducement of a city with its 40-hour week and ever increasing enticements. The forced closing of many private nursing homes and the inconveniences facing prospective patients, were another matter for concern, stated the president. A maternitv hospital should be a building apart, not a ward in a general hospital. "I have been told of patients being transferred one day after deliveranee of a child to another hospital 30 miles distant," she said. "This is wicked and a disgrace. Why should the mothers of our race have to submit to this treatinent. If we are prepared to accept this sort of thing that is meted out to some of our women, we are not worthv of our place in a women 's organisation. ' ' The shortage of electricity was something.else to consider, Mrs, Elliott said.' It was bringing acute diseomfort ' to many c-ountry women who depended entirely on electricity for eooking anu water heating.