WOMAN'S PROGRESS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 94, 7 May 1937, Page 50 (Supplement)

WOMAN'S PROGRESS

Part in Civic Life STORY OF THE HALF-CENTURY

J^IFTY YEARS AGO women were Jis important to tHe well-being "of the village of Hastings aa they aie today, and ire liave still living among us fine women who helped to make our town and its civic environment what We are proud of n6w, and who ean r«call elder times Btill, when the first railway came through.^ -|iyhGii t duc.ks swam 011 a pond by the Garlton Ciub, when St. Matthew's Chureh was in the rnain street, .and when distances were long and there was no means of trann. pori but by walking, travelling adventurously by coach, sailing down rivers in small boats, or jogging on a horso through muddy tracks, rivers, and bnsh. Tn those d^ys there were no Plunket linrses. Mothers relied on the experience of Tdndly* neighbours when baby "ailments came; "and there wBre jtio Kindergartens, so large families managed aa best-they could in the matter ■of training. Pleasures" were simple, «nd only the people with money couhl

study music and'art, and meet travelled people. And after a while women began to change, their outlook, and they realised that they could help the whole life of the district by organising and forming societies forc mu tuai welfare and entertainment. Thus the great nmrch of civic progress began in Hastings. , Leaders came forward. Some of the first leaders are still taking an active part in the -important work that is steadily earried on, and in nearly every instance the work is voluntary and no reward is given in money. This is pure philanthropy. Some of the first names that are 'recorded as women who sponsored the carly work in Hastings to help on the betterment of women are those of Mrs J. H. Williams, Lady Russell, Mrs Mc-Dnff-Boyd, Mrs E. Newbegin, Mrs W. Keith, Mrs J. Gamett, Mrs J. A. Millery Mrs T. Grosse, Mrs J. S. McLeod, Mrs William Nelson, Mrs Holdersworth, Mrs Shrimpton, , and Jdrs Boyle, besides a great njany, others whose name are no* recoraed, but who also gave of their best. Leaders of To-day. A leader, by fine chara« tei, apait from civic position, is our Mayoress, Mrs George Maddison. Simple, kindly, and unostentatious, Mrs Maddison has greatly endeared . herself to the Hastings people who know her. Sho Jias been onr Mayoress "for the past fiv«j years and, at a former penod, for six years. The duty of weleoming onr prcseat King and Queen, and also fhe Dufce- of Gloucester, was worthily sustained by Mrs Maddison and her huaband. Many do not appreciate that, . when- we eloct u Mayor, much work devolves on his wife, and the position of Mayoress is one in whicli fine women

.ean. work hardest without any compensating hororarium. It was Mrs Maddison who roalised the need for relief work about twelve years ago, and she it was who originated . the work of the distribution of clothes here, and peisonally helped to give them out. This was the beginning of the great work of the Hastings District Nursing Associatioh, and later of tho present Welfare Committeu. Prominent in the imblic liie of Hastings women is Mrs T. H. Lowry, Qf Okawa, worthy of the great honour of her office as Dominion President of lted Cross, and Patroness of Red Gross in Hastings. As president^ of , the Hastings Women 's ' Community Club, Mrs Lowry urges the members to realise the responsibility of women to their f ellowcreatures. With infectious enthuisiasm Mra Lowry works hard in organising members of the club and other organisations. to raise money 'for such good causes atf Red Cross work — particulaTly in the relief -of the erippled, blind, and

sick — and she has insisted on women recognising the importance of claims that need national help. Her work has been noteworthy in the annals of New Zealand in the raising of funds for the campaign against cancer, and to lessen maternal mortality in bringing forward a professor for the obstetrical chair in Dunedin. Above all, Mrs Lowry stresses the need for women to bring up thOii children with an international outlook, and to realise that the Red Cross is the "window through which to look for peace." Another fearless and enterprising worker in all women 's spheres in Hastings is the hon. secretary of tfce Hastings Women 's Community Glub, Mrs H. J. Lovell-Smith. She is strongly of the opiuion that women 's ideas and experience should be ntilised with men's mutually to help in the community, just as in a home the mother is as necessnr-*-to ite well-being as the father. Alrs Lovell-Smith has done- much to mahe practical the club's motto: "Mu tuai Help, Education and Entertainment." It was due to the initiative of Mt& T. W. Lewis that the Hastings Women 's Community Club was begun. Those first meetingg, when women were too shy to speak, have given place to forceful activities, interest, and leadership, and that first bare room, with only forma for seats, is now replaced by a large and comfortable suite of rooms, with comfortable modern furnishings. Miss Elsie Williams, of "Frimley," a daughter of one of Hastings 's first pioneens, has been president y of the Rlunket Society for 28 years. Well and ndbly has tho PluJket Society earried out the'ideals of its founcier — "To Help the Mothers, and Save the Babies." As the residents in the Hastings aistriet

!increase, so also do the energies of a committee of voluntary workers keep pace with the demand for still more organisation and welfare adnunistration. The Plunket Society has the honour of being the oldest of the women 's organisations in this town / The Guild. After years of pioneering work in . setting women 's organisations into being, those. who live in Hastings can now lind outlets in. every. cultural and welfare channel.for tlieir. inclinations and . talents. The Tawnswomen 's Guild, inaugurated by Mrs Henley, of Napier, has a definite and practical way of developing into wider spheres the lives of women who have perhaps been restrieted in their interests. This flourishing guild, with its hundreds cf. members, has brought ideas on civic work, entertainment, and mutual help to a large and approciative group of women citizens. They aim at the pmmotinn oi' art, musfc, literature, play-readingr t'olk-dancing. the lovc of gardening, and homc crafts. Since its foundation in 1933, many most interesting speakers have addressed. tho members at the inonthly meetings of the guild. The Guides. There are many moro organisations in tho town whieh have character-build-ing in our youthful citizens as their objective. The Girl Guides, who are proud to have the Dominion Headquarters of the Guides in Hastings, wero first sponsored by Miss llodge, in 1924; and now, with Miss Ruth Herrick, Dominion Commissioner, in the lead, aud witlL many onthu.sia'Stic Guidors to give their time freely, the girls are taking Jiheir place in tho march of progress. Mrs Lovell-Smith and Mrs Leo Hall founded the first Guide companies in Hastings. The Kindergarten.

Starting with the children ot' ti — 5 years the same ideals govern the Council of Hastings Women, and the League of Mothers, whb" are responsiblc for the Hastings Free Kindergarten. This was founded in'1928, and after the work of Mrs T. B. MeNeil (the first secretary^. Miss Helen Ford, prcsont secretary, has caTried on this great huinanitarian duty for seven years, and has done great work for the well-being of both mothers and children in the -town. And thus Hastings continuos with its reciprocation between women and the different societies to which so many hundreds belong. 'We have our Girls' Friendly Society, a luncheon club with interesting talks for women, our outstanding dramatic and musical work

that women achieve, besides associations for trained nurses. ' Powerful semi-country organisations such as tho Women 's Division of the Farmers' Union, together with tho Women 's Institutes, form links which bind town and country women together.