NATIONAL COUNCIL

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 73, 27 March 1934, Page 13

NATIONAL COUNCIL

INTERESTING EVENING

WORK OF SOCIETIES

A very interesting evening was spent by the members of the Wellington branch of the National Council of Women yesterday, when, at the monthly meeting, three members gave an account of the work of the society they represented.

Miss C. E. Kirk, J.P. (president), was in the chair, and said that it had occurred to the hon. secretary (Mrs. Porde) that it would be a good thing for the members to have some idea of the work of each society- represented, there being_ eighteen of these. Therefore it had'been arranged to ask three nrembers each evening of meeting to speak about their work.

After the formal business Mrs. Peryuian gave a brief account of the recent conference of the Women's Christian Temperance Union. She remarked' that the conference was -unique, as it was the first time a women's society had held a fifty. years' celebration in New Zealand. There were 162 delegates, and with others interested the attendance had amounted to 200, while tea was served the first day to no fewer than 400 people. There wore 15,000 members of the union in New Zealand, and 1,500,000 in 57 different countries in the world, so they could claim that their interests were widespread. During the recent deputation to the Prime Minister the subject of wider film censorship had been discussed, and the matter of posters was included. / Mrs. E. Moore, J.P., spoke on the subject of the After-care Society, and explained what was being done for the children who left the special classes, and also for those who were unable to attend those classes. She invited all to visit the club held at the Spiritualists' Hall, Kent Terrace, and paid a tribute to that society and to the Rotary Club and others who helped the little club, which meets twice each week. A number of questions were asked and much interest shown in the work, which had been little understood by some present. '

Mrs. M. H. Chatfield, J.P., gave an account of the work at the Borstal Institute at Point Halswell, * explaining that it was the only place of the kind in the Dominion, and that the girls there, eaine from all over New Zealand. In answer to questions she stated that the girls were paid by the Government, that each had a nice little sum to help start her in life when she left, and that the committee usually tried to ' get each1 girl to put the money in thol'Savings' Bank to make a nucleus, realising 'that they enjoyed !th.o feeling of having something of the kind. ' The girls worked the statutory eight hours a day only, and the rest of the time,was de-voted to Governmental education, and to games under the same teacher. The Borstal committee worked with the Dcpaitment in an endeavour to raise the status of the girls by kind and firm treatment, and by teaching them . on" lines that were useful to each when they left the institution.. The 90 per cent, of success attained; showed the wisdom of the treatment. '" On .the motion of Miss Kirk a heaity ! vote of. thanks was given to the speakers. •■■.■..'

Miss Kirk then said; that a special picture film would shortly be shown in Wellington, which was anticipated with much: pleasure by women, and said she hoped that all would make a special effort to attend and show .appreciation of the fact that an effort had been made to provide something of the kind.

Good,wishes were given to the delegates, who will attend the conference in Christchureh; : .-V