WOMAN'S WORLD

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 152, 22 March 1919, Page 5

WOMAN'S WORLD

(Continued from l'agc 4) BURDEN OF DOMESTIC WORK ORGANISING HELP FOR MOTHERS WOMEN'S NATIONAL RESERVE CO-OPERATES A meeting of all interested in the formation of a Help Division of the Women's National Reserve was held in the Accountants' Chambers, Johnston Street, yesterday afternoon. Mrs. Corliss was voted to tho chair on the motion of Mrs. Porter, and a.speech outlining the aims oi' the proposed division was made by All's. Alexander Gray, who had first proposed a scheme of help. 'llie great need of help for tho mothers not only ot /Wellington but of the nation at-_ largo was stressed by Mrs. Gray, who said that if tho nation was to fully recover from the effects of the war the foundations must be laid by boginniug with the homes and providing sorely taxed mothers with help. Children, if they were to he healthy ana strong, must be looked alter and given attention, and this under present circumstances many mothers were unable to do. Domestic labour had to be placed upon another footing; it had to ba given its lost status, for after all tho womeiP and girls who 'entered into other homes to help with tile housework were truly the friends of the mothers and were doing a great and necessary work for the nation. Girls had said to her that when they went into other people's homes and undertook to do domestic work they were olten looked doivir upon. Such a thing should not he. To help in keeping ft home dainty and fresh, to lighten-the burden of tho mother, and to care for the children was noble work, and in doing this they, were "home-builders." It was proposed, to begin with, to use one of tile rooms in the W.N.11. as a rest room tor mothers who were shopping nud had to take their children with them, and later on it was hoped that a. matron could be secured to take charge of tho rest room so that the children could be eft there in perfect safety. It was also hoped to have a wardrobe from which mothers could bo supplied with garments m ■!?'!', cl "'dren if necessary. She thought that possibly some of tin;'women's societies might lielp in this respect by passing on garments for which they no longer had need. Their helpers would, where wanted, take children out for a little while, look after the wardrobe, anil where help was wanted in the house give it for a couple of hours or so. Mrs. Gray also read correspondence she had reccived in connection with the scheme. In reply to Mrs. Corliss's request for suggestions from thoso present, Mrs. Myers asked how lliey were going lo get their helpers. Were they going to adTOrtise, circularise for them, or what? Mrs. Gray said that mothers who could aliord t.) pay would pay a sum fixed upon ;? "}° W.N.IJ., and the latter would pay the helpers .who could not nll'ord to givo help voluntarily, as there might be many women or girls who needed to earn a little money in this way. Some women were good with their needles, and lliey might do sewing for the mother; others might bo good at cooking, at housework, or in caring for children. They could givo a little of their time iu whatever way they could.

Dealing with the recruiting of the helpers, Sirs. Porter said that'tho W.N.B, was giving a small room in their oliice, ami whoever they appointed secretary thiil; al'ternon would bo asked to give three days u week of two hours each to interviewing tho mothers who applied for help, and the helpers, who were willing to give their services for any time spocitied. In this way she would know exactly what. was wanted, and what the helpers wero iitted for. Where mothers could not personally see her, mutters would bo dealt with bv correspondence. They did not want to thrust lielp upon anyone. Those who' needed it could apply to them. It was intended to recruit helpers by advertising, and as soon as their proposed committee and officers had been appointed they hoped to definitely commence work, since, tho meeting had decided by resolution that such an organisation was urgently needed in Wellington. The work could bo commenced by securing six volunteers for six afternoons a week for two hours, and if they threw. their hearts into tho matter she was sure it would grow into a large and useful organisation. The new undertaking would bo a. division of tho W.N.It., and would wort under its auspices. The election of officers was as follows: President, Mrs. A. Gray; committee, Mrs. Coleridge, Mrs. Arthur Myers, Mrs. Darling, Mrs Adams, and Mrs. Bayfield. Mrs. Porter explained that Mrs. Ahearne, who bad dono so much for the Soldiers' Wives' Club of tho W.N.K., had offered to give her services gratuitously to the Mothors' Help Division for three months. This offer was gratefully accepted by the meeting, and Mrs. Ahearne was duly elected secretary.

lire. Myers Teferred to the fact that many women's organisations were now disbanding owing to there no longer being need for their services. Many of their members were, wonderfully capable women with much experience gained 'hiring tho past few years, and she 'would suggest that the committee enlist; their help if possible. Sho knew that some of tlieni were wanting some tangible workto do now that the war work had dropped from their hands, ntid she thought, that they would readily give their services in some way or another. The suggestion met with much approval from the meeting.

Mrs. jiethune (of .Tohnsonville), at .Mrs. Porter's request, told the meeting that a branch of this Mothers' Help Division was to be organised in .Tohnsonville, on precisely tho same lines, with the same rules, to meet with the universal need for help.

It was decided to hold a. committee meeting very shortly to make the necessary arrangements for gathering in helpers, etc.