WOMEN'S NATIONAL RESERVE
FIRST MEETING OP THE BRANCH. V ; ADDRESS BY MINISTER OP " DEFENCE. The first meeting of the New Plymouth branch of the Women's National Reserve was held in the Good Templar Hall on Thursday night. Sir James Allen was present, and 011 the .platform were Messrs C. 11. Burgess (Mayor) and 11. J. Okey, M.P., Archdeacon F. W. Evans and the Rev. W. A. Sinclair. There was a very good attendance of mothers, wives and sisters of soldiers, 'including a party representing the Waitara branch of tlie reserve, and also members of a juvenile band of "iris from the Chetwode School, organised by Miss Stanford, The Mayor said that although branches of the Reserve had been formed in other centres of New Zealand some time ago, it lmd not been possible to organise a local branch previously, though communications had passed between the New Plymouth organisers and the secretary of the Wellington branch for twelve months past. Arrangements were at length completed for the first injecting to be held that night, and when the Mayoress heard of the intended visit of Sir James Allen she had invited him to be present, and had received a wire in which he tfxpre.sed pleasure in accepting the invitation to meet New Plymouth soldiers' mothers and wives. He then asked the Minister to address the meeting. : Sir James Allen said he was glad to say a few words and would then go down from the platform and talk over individual matters with the members of the reserve who had boys or husbands at the front. He knew how every mother must feel who had a< son ready and Willing to do his duty for his King and country. Never before 'had the Empire passed through such times as those of the present. Had it not been for the Russian trouble and the Italian disaster the. end of the war would have been much nearer, but he, together with the ■wives and mothers, hoped for a speedy ending. In the last three years the boys of New Zealand had built up a liistorv for their country to be proud of. and he wanted that pride to increase as the war went on. But whether the war went on or ended soon, he hoped.the women would carry on in the courageous spirit of the past. Probably the New Zealand and Australian troops had had to face more difficulties in the fighting on Gallipoli and on other fronts than had any others of the Empire's troops. There was good stuff in them to have carried them through, and there was good stuff in those vrlio had brought them up. Tims- who 'had boys at the front would rejoice in the honor they had brought to New Zealand and those whoso boys were spared to see the war through would be proud indeed. He joined in %ie hopes of the mothers that, their hearts would be light when the war was over, but he was afraid that some hearts would he heavy. He himself had had some -experience of a heavy heart, but ho would remind t'liem that time was a great healer, no matter •how heavy the loss. There was no better death, and, could he so order it. he would die fighting in the trenches himself. The thought that a son or husband 'had died in that way, doing his duty, was alone a. great compensation. The thought must come to everyone who had suffered the loss of a near one that after all the men who had gone were not so far away. Did they not sometimes imagine that thev had spoken to thom? Those who had gone from us were, in a better and happier place. They could hold a sort of communion with them which, though imaginary, became very real to those who had known a loss. One of the duties of the members of the Women's National Reserve was to keep in touch with the wives and mothers who 'had lost husbands and sons at tho front. There was a great consolation in knowing that fellow women were sympathising and helping to lighten their lot. Moreover, it would be a pleasure for the woman who had lost no one'to alleviate t.lie pain of one who suffered. The women of the country had not been called upon to perform anv great services as vet, but the time might come when the Reserve would be called on to do much more. In England, women had enteital in'to the industries and had filled the places of the men who had gone to the front. He was proud to think that what the women of EnglnVid could do, the women of New Zealand could be safely called upon to do as well. New Zealand would not be behind the Motherland. If. the When were some day call'.tt wen *c do work that r'.igh* » dista i'.e'.l! i" -irov.'d bo the •Atrcy ftf T.cwm "o lev! and hoi*' aid encour.o.go them. -.van a Mian's privilege and duty f.« go away to Sght for his King and country and womenfolk; it was a woman's duty to fight at home. If the need arose the women could be relied on to take up the industries of the country, and when the men caine back to take up their work again the women would be ready to give up their places in industry for them. He looked forward to the time when the war would be over, when there would be greater sympathy between all men and men and women and women, a more common feeling among people and nations, and +,he realisation that after all men and Women were not working for themselves, but for the community generally—for the country and for the Empire, and the flag. The nation's duty was to put down the cruelty, the barbarism, the misery and the militarism of the present war for srll ti:ne. The boys who were giving their lives were doing so to protect those to come from the horrible experiences that men were going through at Hie present- time. In conclusion the Minister asked that all those who had boys away should communicate with him when need arose and hp would be pleased to help in any way lie could. ' The Rev. VY. A. Sinclair said he was pleased to voice the thanks of the gathering to Sir James Allen, Who was a very busy man, for sparing an hour of his time to meet the mothers and wives of New Plymouth soldiers. He could not claim to have a son at the front, but his boy would reach the military age in two or three months and would do his duty to his coutnry and would be pleased to do so. The public ljad followed the work of the Minister during the last three years with great interest and appreciated the work lie had done in the country's interests. They had felt that a. strong man was at the helm and one who had the best interests of the soldiers ill heart. Concluding, the Rev. Sinclair thanked the Minister for the comforting and heartening words he had spoken. Sir James Allen then descended from the platform and talked individually with members of the Reserve, lending a ready ear to trouble, and explaining difficulties. Pianoforte solos were given by Miss
Leatliam and a couple of vocal items by Mr. Hayden were highly appreciated. Supper was provided by the Women's Reserve, the girls of the junior band assisting in handing it round.
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Taranaki Daily News, 10 November 1917, Page 6
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1,262WOMEN'S NATIONAL RESERVE Taranaki Daily News, 10 November 1917, Page 6
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