WOMEN’S FAREWELL

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 862, 4 January 1930, Page 14

WOMEN’S FAREWELL

GIFTS TO LADY ALICE FERGUSSON WORK IN NEW ZEALAND Women of Auckland filled the Town Hall yesterday when a striking tribute was paid to her Excellency, Lady Alice Fergusson, speeches in farewell expressing appreciation of the services she had given and the deep regret which was felt on her departure from these shores. Three gifts were made, including one from the Maori women. On behalf of the women's organisations of Auckland, the Mayoress, Mrs. A. D. Campbell, presented her Excellency with a gold inkwell set in a greenstone block and inscribed. The women of Auckland wished to convey to Lady Alice Fergusson an expression of their very deep regret that her stay was drawing rapidly to a close. In the official valedictory speeches to his Excellency, Sir Charles Fergusson, mention had been made of the able and gracious support her Excellency had given him in the discharge of the duties of his high office. None but women could realise the strain these public engagements occasioned, and the women of Auckland admired the manner in which her Excellency had fulfilled the exacting duties she had to perform, while gra.clousness and courtesy had enendeared her to all sections of the people. 'We wish to thank you for your kindly interest in our various efforts to improve existing conditions, to alleviate suffering, and to uplift and encourage the young life of the community, and we acknowledge with grateful thanks the help and encouragement your patronage and interest has been to us. We are not insensible of the sacrifice in your family life that the term of his Excellency’s service has imposed upon you both, and can imagine that you thoughts must frequently have been toward your home and your ‘ain folk,’ but we trust it may he some consolation to you to know that you have won your way to the hearts of the people of this furthermost corner of the Empire, and will letive behind you a record of efficient anti helpful service.” GREENSTONE MEMENTO

A memento in the form of a greenstone paperweight carved with the figures of a Maori mother and child—a symbol of what their association represented—was presented to her Excellency by Mrs. J. T. F. Mitchell on behalf of the League of Mothers of the Auckland Province.

A deep debt of gratitude was owed to her Excellency for her support of th-s movement, said Mrs. Mitchell, a movement which had drawn women together in a splendid fellowship, and which had given them the opportunity of helping each other with the great responsibility involved in the upbringing of their children. The effect of her Excellency’s efforts to raise the ideals of home life in New Zealand would never be lost. The presentation of the Maori women was marked by native ceremonial which made a picturesque though pleasing note in the function. Led by Mrs. Karaka bearing a taiaha, five members of Te Akarana Maori Association, all attired in Maori costume, filed on to the stage, where they chanted a Maori farewell call, a distinction given to only those of high rank. The gift was a parchment on which was engrained with characteristice decoration a Maori song of farewell written and composed by Mrs. Maewa Kaihau, who made the presentation. The words, both in English and Maori were sung by Miss Etta Harris. Her Excellency shook hands with the members of the party and added the Maori form of salutation. Lady Alice Fergusson returned thanks for the kind sentiments and for the gifts, and said she had ;iot fytpected such a wonderful meeting. She found great difficulty in finding adequate words to express her thanks for the great kindness they had shown her. She believed that 60 women’s organisations were represented, and she would treasure the day in her memory for the rest of her life. INSPIRATION FOR FUTURE What she had been able to do, although it was not half so much as she w ould have liked it to be, was repaid by the knowledge gained of the splendid work the women of New Zealand were doing through the Plunket Society, the Girl Guides, the Young Women's Christian Association, and many other organisations. The devoted efforts which they were putting into all these w-ould be an inspiration t-> her in the future. It had been her privilege to help in the formation of the League of Mothers, which was simply an extension of a much older society, the Mothers’ Union, with v.-hich the speaker’s own mother had teen associated when she came to this country more than 30 years ago. Her Excellency bade farewell to the Maori women in their own tongue. She said that since the days when she travelled about New Zealand with her father she had taken a great interest in the Maoris. t They were leaving Aurkland ’with sad hearts, said her Excellency, but this sadness was being much weakened by the kindness with which the people were saying good-bye to them. On leaving New Zealand in 1897 it haa seemed too much to hope that she would be able to come back. As her children grew up she had taught them that there was only one country which . ould compare with Scotland, and that was New Zealand. Now she had come back and spent five years, which had been as happy as the first five years. She hoped to be able to visit the Dominion again.