WOMEN'S INSTITUTES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 125, 28 May 1937, Page 14

WOMEN'S INSTITUTES

SOUTHERN WELLINGTON The third annual meeting of the Southern Wellington Federation was held at Otaki yesterday. Every institute in the federation except one was represented by delegates and members. Mrs. J. Hume, federation president, was in the chair, and Mrs. Kelso, Dominion organiser, Miss M. C. Maddever, voluntary organiser and member of the Dominion executive, Mrs. Hopkins, president of the Otaki Institute, who extended a welcome on behalf of her institute, and members of the federation executive,' were present. A civic welcome was extended to the delegates by the Mayor of Otaki, Mr. T. O'Rourke, who stressed the benefit of the 1.W.1, movement in New Zealand. Mr. Lowry, M.P., also spoke in warm terms of the value of the institute movement as a social and educative medium through which the Government could carry out its policy for the improvement of conditions. Boxes of fruit, bouquets, and sprays were presented to Messrs. Lowry and O'Rourke, and Mesdames Hopkins, Hume, Kelso, Miss Maddever, and members of the executive. The annual report and balance-sheet was read,' and showed a very satisfactory state of affairs. An important point dealt with was money-raising in the institutes for outside bodies. It was pointed out that the institutes were mainly educational, and that while assistance in certain cases of distress was allowable, such help should be given with great discretion. The executive was elected as follows:—Mrs. Hume, president; Mrs. White Scott, secretary-treasurer; and Mesdames McLean, Nees, Synnott, Wright, Tabor, Gibson Young, and Miss Cotter, members. At a social evening held subsequently, elocutionary items.were given by Mrs. Ring. (Newlands), and.part songs by the Porirua Singing Circle, and a play, "Frigid Economy," by Mrs. Bain and Miss K. Stocker (Paraparaumu). DIVISION OF FEDERATION. In the afternoon session, Mrs. Kelso took the chair and spoke in an interesting manner of her organising experience throughout the Dominion, dealing with the growing importance and influence of the movement in matters affecting the welfare of the women of New Zealand. She explained the reasons for the division of the federation and the benefits likely to accrue from it. After giving valuable advice to delegates and the incoming committee, the speaker called for nominations, arid the ballot was taken, results of which have been printed above. A happy incident in the afternoon was the presentation by Mrs. Hume of a gold "honours" badge of the movement to Mrs.^ Kelso. In recognition of her three years' work as secretary, Mrs. White Scott was the recipient of a paua shell serviette ring, and Mrs. Gibson Young also received a Morocco leather hand-bag.