NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 1015, 7 October 1903, Page 3

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN.

AT NEW PLYMOUTH.

At the usual monthly meeting of the local council, Mrs Sievwright read the following report of the meeting of the executive of the National Council, held at New Plymouth "At the last general meeting of the National Council, held in May, 1902, it was resolved to hold a meeting of the Executive only this year, the place of meeting to be either Nelson or New Plymouth. New Plymouth invited, but for various reasons the mooting was postponed from 1 May till September 7tb. I reached Now Plymouth at about 7 on the morning of that day, amid pouring rain, but my j host and hostess were on the platform to roceivo me and take mo to one of the well-appointed, beautiful houses of which that town seems to possess a larger share than other towns of the same size in the colony. In the afternoon about forty-five out of the sixty invited guosts came to meet my colleagues and self at Mr G-ray’s introductory “At Home.” One wonders, on these occasions, why such gatherings are so infrequent; one longs to prolong the function; one regrots to part with those whom two briof hours of talk have brought witbin the possibilities of lasting friendship. Deny it who will, the average woman’s thought is set on higher things than the mere circulation of the news of the day; the single woman’s heart is glad of any genuine sympathy and encourage - ment to strengthen her admiration for self-reliance, self-help, and self-respect—-her legitimate, laudable, though perhaps scarcely admitted longing foruntrammelled self-expression ; the married woman’s heart is, more often than we are aware, athirst for such knowledge as the books and utterances of the leading thinkers of the day are popularising for those, who havo more leisure than themselves to investigate and assimilate. “ In the evening the Mayor kindly took the chair in the Borough Council Chambers, when I gave an address, partly on the objects of our work, partly on the dignity of labor. The Telegraph inf

lormed its readers that I evidently looked upon girls as ‘ prospective hands ’ rather than prospective mothers. I replied that I considered girls as prospective women first, as prospective mothors second, as prospective ‘ bands ’ never. I regret to say the local papers were most uncritical. Mr Maunder proposed a vote of thanks, remarking that he* fully agreed with the President that 1 military ’ drill should be omitted from our school work. Mrs Atkinson seconded, and Mr Buttle, Wesleyan minister, 1 heartily supported the Society.’ Mr Courtney and others having spoken, the meeting closed with thanks to the chair.

“On Tuesday evening Mr N. K. McDnirmid presided, while Mrs Hill (Napier) read her paper on ‘ Woman’s Influence in Education,’ and Miss Henderson read another forwarded by Mrs Bracher, of the Sanitary Institute of Great Britain, on tho ‘ Hygiene of School Life.’ Disoussion followed.

“ On Wednesday evening Miss Hendorson opened with a most interesting address on 1 State Children.’ (Miss Henderson is on the Executive of the Children’s Aid Society in Christchurch.) She was followed by Mrs Atkinson on the ‘ Eights of Children in Eelation to the Drink Traffic.’ The first right of children was to be well born ; the second to be born in good surroundings ; the third to have instruction in scientific temperance. Mrs Williamson, among many other sensible things, in the course of a short speech, said that wo did not seem to grasp the fact that childron were growing up every day and going forth into the world—only too frequently their course being one of mischief throughout. She believed the Education Department had boen honestly trying to do its duty to the children, but the mistake was that only men were appointed to do the work. [Since Mrs Williamson’s appointment on the Wanganui Charitable Aid Board it is pleasant to learn that another woman has been asked and consented to join it.J “ Thursday evening was dovoted to a conversazione (by invitation of the Deception Committee) in St. Mary’s Hall, a goodly gathering and universally voted a great succoss.

Continued on page 4,

There is no foundation for the popular dread of night air. It is as good as day air, and in towns often far purer. To dock, paint, and scrape one of our big ironclads cost# on an average £4OOO, and this has to be done often twice a year. Neither male nor female convicts in English prisons are permitted to see a mirror during the period of their incarceration —which is considered very rough on the females, although probably, it is doing them a kindness.

No married man in Vienna, it is said, is allowed to go up in a balloon without the formal consent of his wife and children —quite a large number of married men evince a desire to take on the risks of ballooning. A baby has died at Rugby'from poisoning through sucking a rag doll the body of which had been stuffed with dyed material. It is stated that a man who let fchairs in the church of Santa Brigida, Naples,, has died, leaving a sum of £7,«00. Two hundred additions were made to the inmates of the Zoological Gardens, Regent’s Park, during the month of June.

The total amount of taxes paid by the railways of the United Kingdom in 1902 was £4,227,593. In great, cities, says Health, the night air is often the best and purest to be had during the twenty-four

hours. Naturally, the largo recent developments of the dairying industry in the Bay of Plenty have considerably taken the edge off the farmers’ appetite for a freezing works enterprise.—Tauranga Times. The strong demand for land has- been followed by selectors being willing to take up holdings mile 3 away from the beaten track, but in time to come this may not be so, and the Government will then bo forced to give consideration to the quest tion of roading.—Greytown Standard. NEW SPRING AND SUMMER GOODS, imported direct —Now on 1 view. A lovely lot of the Latest I Novelties bought by our London buyer. Be sure and see them at 1 C/P.QSIB & .CO.’S.