WOMENS' CLUB

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 78, 23 November 1931, Page 6

WOMENS' CLUB

FINAL MEETING EVENING GATHERING IN GOVERNMENT GARDEN S ENDS SEASON, PROPER PLACE IN POLITICS | The final meeting for the year o: I the Rotorua Women's Club was hel on Thursday evening in the Tea Kiosl in the Government Grounds. Instea of holding the usual social afternooi the members took advantage of th cool summer evening and the las meeting, though business was exten sively dealt with, assumed the plea santly gay aspect of a purely socia function. The president, Mrs I. M. Davidson controlled the gathering and in hei opening address spoke of the forthcoming unemployment relief drive stating that members should know of the negotiations being carried oul by the club in association with the local Unemployment Relief Committee. The local committee had undertaken to pay on the club's account any amount over and above their expenditure on benevolent work in normal times. Money spent on such work ordinarily was about £10, for Oetober, however, demands upon the club's funds had amounted to £34. The extra £24 would in future be paid by the

central committee, otherwise, funds being extremely low, it would have become necessary for the club to ask for funds to carry on the work. It had been decided that relieving families would be the particular work of the Women's Club while the central committee would arrange for the single men. The funds of the central committee, however, were sinking also and in an endeavour to arrange these funds pietures were being arranged on Sunday night at the Majes'tic Theatre. Moreover on November 28 a most extensive street and house-to-house collection was being made. This latter movement was being arranged systematically, beginning at 12 noon and continuing until 4 p.m. There would be a break for an hour after wlreh collection would continue until 8 or 9 p.m. Assistance had been promised by various organisations. Community Gardens. "In connection with this benevolent work, "continued Mrs Davidson, "while it is gratifying to see some helpers respond so willingly to our efforts to establish a community garden I cannot but feel that some of the married-men could devote a little more of their spare time to the gardens. Next winter we hope to have enough potatoes to provide for all the unemployed in Rotorua. "In the matter of the doss house, there has been a eertain amount of criticism about the way in which things are being arranged. People ask 'Why not make the single men selfsupporting ? ' This is exactly what the central committee has been trying to bring about. A letter has been forwarded to Wellington through which single men working one day a week had been given 15/- instead of 8/-. Of this 15/- the central committee had planned to take 12/6 leaving the men 2/6 for pocket-money. On 12/6 the committee could house a man at the "doss house" for one week. Thus the single men would not be a burden to the community. These suggestions however were not accepted by the Government." Mrs N. M. Keane, on behalf of the entertainment circle, introduced the subject of the forthcoming concert to be given to the patients of the Sanatorium. It was decided to make this concert a kind of Christmas festival and contributions of sweets, cigarettes, etc. would all help towards this end. Women in Politics. Mrs A. T. Coates, secretary of the club, then read a letter from the secretary of Miss E. Melville's Par-

liamentary committee. Among other things the letter asked the club to join with other women's organisations in an attempt to gain Miss Melville a seat in Parliament. It was well known that New Zealand, one of the first countries to receive the franchise was one of the last to have women in Parliament, said the writer, yet women were taxed equally with men and the money paid in taxes was often used for the benefit of men. Miss Melville had worked hard

in the interests of women, irrespective of party. All women, had they any sex-pride should strain every nerve to see Miss Melville in Parliament. Funds of course would be necessary and the writer asked that the Rotorua Women's Club assist in any way possible. Notes submitted by a visitor, Miss Hewitt, who is in close touch with Miss Melville and her committee, j showed that it was only after consMerable discussion that Miss Melville had decided to stand. Some of her chief aims were the alleviation of the unemployment of boys and girls leaving school and the reduction of maternal mortality. It was well known that whereas New Zealand's infant mortality was the lowest in in the world, her maternal mortality was 'among the highest. To this end she advocated a better training of young girls so that they might not be afraid of the housework part. Another scheme of Miss Melville's was J a complete revision of the ways of spending public money. Mrs Davidson, in view of the fact that the club had advocated women in Parliament, thought that something should be done by members to assist in this political campaign. "This," sa4d Mrs Davidson, "eoncludes the business for this evening. As this is our last meeting I should like- to have any suggestions that * might improve the working of the club. I want to congratulate you upon your good attendances throughout the year and to remind you once again that this club is not the committee's club. We are here to carry J out your wishes and I want each member to feel , herself personally responsible for the good of the club." During the evening elocutionary items were given by Mrs Jean Drew, of Masterton, who recited two of Masefield's poems, "Dukesbury Road" and "Roadways." Miss Hitchon gave a clever monologue entitled the "Pudding."