NATIONAL COUNCIL

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 52, 24 May 1927, Page 4

NATIONAL COUNCIL

ANNUAL MEETING RECORD FINANCIAL YEAR The annual meeting - of the National Council of Women was held last evening, when the retiring president, Dr. Hilda Northcroft, presided over a good attendance of members. The honorary secretary read the annual report, which showed that the Auckland branch, constituted m 1918 with 11 affiliated societies sending 22 representatives to the council and having a roll number of 13 honorary members, had now almost trebled its affiliations, there being 32 societies sending 58 representatives to the council, and 65 honorary members were enrolled. The report showed that the National Council of Women of New Zealand now represents a very vast body of women, the affiliated societies embracing between 5,000 and 6,000. Regarding the work of the association, they have this year worked quietly, their one big effort being the Child Welfare Conference. This conference entailed a terrific amount of work on the sub-committee set up to formulate a scheme, and to them and the speakers who so willingly responded and to those who generously subscribed funds for initial expenses, the council acknowledges a very deep debt of gratitude. Most of the work discussed at the general meetings throughout the year has been of local interest, and has been brought in by various societies in the form of remits. The topics dealt with included the following: Improved scheme of garbage collection in city and suburbs. Installation of penny-in-the-slot gas rings on our beaches for the use of mothers with families. Prohibition of the sale of tobacco and j intoxicating liquors to minors. A plea for the preservation of our fisheries. Necessity of a woman relief officer to confer with necessitous women applicants. Concrete floors —dangers arising from same to workers. Better protection and encouragement of British films. Importance of buying New Zealandmade goods. Formation of women’s institutes. Need of prison farms for sexual offenders. Hawkers in city and suburbs. Miss Cox read the financial balance sheet, showing that this year had been a record one financially, there being a cash balance of £3B 16s to the credit of the council. Dr. Northcroft, the retiring president, in addressing the meeting, said that she was doing so for the last time, as she had now been president for four years. The help that the executive and committees had given her was described by Dr. Northcroft as being loyal, whole-hearted and enthusiastic at all times, and their splendid cooperation had been a thing appreciated' by her in a way she could not give expression to. A number of new honorary members were welcomed by the president, who gave for their benefit a brief but concise outline of the object of the council, which she described as being to unite different bodies of women in every possible way in which they could work for the welfare of their country. One of the benefits attaching to the council she declared to be the fact that

the members were affiliated to the International Council of Women, which included representatives from 39 countries.

The motto of the council, Dr. Northcroft said, -was the Golden Rule, and even though the council sometimes failed to achieve its objects all the members must surely be the better for their striving. Dr. Northcroft then dealt with the various committees and the officeholders, and the splendid work they had accomplished, thanking them all for their willing assistance. Mrs. John Cook moved a very hearty vote of thanks to Dr. Northcroft for her splendid, untiring service throughout the years she had so wonderfully served the council as its president. Thanks were expressed to Miss Cox for her work as the financial secretary and the thorough, painstaking way in which she had carried out the arduous duties attaching to the position. The remit was received from the honorary members’ association and was carried in,a slightly altered form. It read: —“That all retiring presidents and all executive officers who have given at least five years’ service shall be appointed honorary vice-presidents of the branch when not holding active office; by this means keeping before the branch the names of those who have given considerable service to it, and also establishing an advisory board whose experience and advice might still be of service.

The election of officers then took place, resulting as follows:—President, Miss Carnachan; vice-presidents, Dr. Hilda Northcroft, Dr. Buckley Turkington, Sister Hanna, Mrs. N. Ferner, Mrs. J. Cook, Miss Basten; Dominion executive, Dr. Plilda Northcroft, Dr. Buckley Turkington, Mrs. A. Kidd, Mrs. N. Ferner, Mrs. Benfil, Mrs. McNair, Mrs. J. Cook, Major Gordon, Sister Hanna, Miss Carnachan, Miss Melville, Miss Jackson, Miss Cox, Miss Basten, Miss Flatt, Miss Begg; secretary, Miss Flatt; treasurer, Mrs. McNair.