ANNUAL REPORT

Hokitika Guardian, 26 July 1933, Page 3

ANNUAL REPORT

iOR WOMEN’S CONFERENCE.

CHRISfCHURCH, July 2G. Tiie annual report of the New Zealand Federation of Women’s Institutes, presented to the conference in Christchurch to-day stated that the movement had progressed beyond all expectations. There were now 035 •institutes, with an approximate membership of '30:,0c0. .This membership covered fdtoon -federations, an increase of two, with several more to be formed in the near future.

A gratifying development,:with the remarkabie progress during;: the year had been the co-operationwith Agri’"a&id: Horticultural Societies, and T-it-lje institutes had the privilege j ofijpyf'tfcipating in the Home. Science j E|ijtension Scheme under the guidance op;Miss'Violet Macmillan, B.H.Se., holder of the Sarah Ann Rhodes Fel- ! lowship. The Institutes had made close contact with the New Zealand branch of the British Drama League, MSsr,» Jerome Slpencer. (having' been i elected to the council and Mrs Kelso jto .the executive. Jn November of last year the first Dominion handicrafts exhibition wap , staged in Wellington. ! • The standard of workmanship in crafts was steadily improving, and wo- : men were using :the : ifiaterialft at band—"wool and skins,especially being utilised I 1 in many practical forms. -An: enjjdeavour was made tii' find a wider 'j market for New Zealand butter and i; honey, many Institutes sending gifts ■; to their “links.” A gratifying reI sponse had been received in the warm I interest shown in New Zealand through i the medium of letters: and gifts. The social side of the 'lnstituted had advanced alongside ’with' the: work,j Following the:, friendly arbitration I of the Governor-General, the; constitu- ! tion as adopted at the last conference • had been amended. The executive desired that constitution be tried 'out for this year at leaet. In .this connection the Dominion.: executive* desired to place on re- , coi'cl .its,.very great appreciation of the interest in women’s institutes shown ~h,Y His ..Excellency ...the. ..GoYer.n.qrG.enefal, not drily iin this, matter;'hut at all times. In view of My 3 *s Spencer’s forthcoming visit to England the executive asked her to represent the New Zea- ■ land. Women’s Institutes at the in- . ternational conference of 1 countrywomen’s organisations at Stockholm, associating with lier Miss Largo, official representative on the liaison committee, London. The rest cottage scheme inaugurated at Paraparaumu ; Reach in September 1932, 'aroused imuch interest and proved a stimulus jto other federations, an outstanding j example being the. cottage opened I at The Mount by the Bay of Plenty . Federation. ’’’A* i The scheme has been well backed by j members, and the-cottages appear to meet a want in ', their areas. Some kind of .insurance or welfare scheme seemed to be indicated in connection with, rest cottages, to enable those who most need the change to take advantage of it, if not* in a financial position to do so themselves. The executive requested the Institutes to look into the question of headquarters finance and to ease the constant strain on the energy of those at headquarters who have been endeavouring, not unsuccessfully, to malm bricks without straw; - '