WOMEN'S NATIONAL RESERVE.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 February 1920, Page 7

WOMEN'S NATIONAL RESERVE.

DOMINION CONFERENCE. YESTERDAY'S (PROCEEDINGS. The annual conference of tho New Zealand. Women's National Reserve was continued yesterday at th? Borough Council Chamber, there being a full attendance of delegates. The first part of the session was devoted to a consideration of the scheme for the establishment of a Residential Nursery and was by Mrs. Porter (organising secretary), who has been successful in bringing the scheme practically to fruition. Tlie nursery is situated in South Wellington, and is designed to help sick mothers by taking charge of young children. The great dearth of domestic servants has made tome such scheme as this an absolute necessity. On account of this scarcity many mothers have been unable to receive tho proper medical or surgical treatment through being unable to arrange for the care of their children during the period of their enforced absence from home. The nursery scheme should not only be a help- to the mothers, but should also benefit the children as wellThe home is ideally, situated, having a sunny aspect, and being adjacent to the \>ark. The matron and sub-matron are fully-trained and experienced nurses, and are devoted to children. The committee wishes it to be distinctly understood (hat the nursery is not a creche or daily nursery, where motherg may leave their children when they go out to work, but a residence for them while their mothers are ill. Their time at the home will be only for a limited period, not exceeding a month, except for special reasons, when necessity demands an extension of time. The nursery can never he self-supporting, though every child will foe paid for, and there is nothing of the nature of charity about the movement. The cost of living and the price of all goods is so very high that the Reserve cannot carry through the project as they wish unleßs the pu'blic give support.

MEDICAL SERVICE DIVISION. Another very important and far-reach-ing aspect of this versatile organisation's ramifications is the medical service division. Briefly, it consists of (a) all persons voluntarily enrolling for service and instruction in the several technical sections designated "The Medical Service Corps"; awl (2) detachments, under their several commanders and superintendents, will be formed for service and properly trained, in readiness to cooperate. with and assist the Public Health Department in periods of epidemics, more especially the spheres of sick-nursing and hygiene. The difficulty experienced in the influenza epidemic of 1018 was not in getting helpers, but in getting helpers who knew what to do, and that is precisely what this branch of the Reserve's work is designed > to provide. The Public Health Department appreciate the position fully, as all the organisation is provided and all they have to do is to provide tho nurses to give the instruction Classes arc being arranged all over the North Island. The instruction is free to members of tho Reserve, and to those who are not Jhembers a fee of Is is charged for a course of several lectures. At the end of the lectures a demonstration in practical cooking for nursing purposes is given, and it is hoped to enlarge this to a coarse of classes on the subject. The Department's nurses travel to any district where classes are formed, and it is considered the quick check in cases of influenza now cropping up al! over the Dominion is in a very great measure due to the knowledge, of what to do acquired by those who have undergone training in this connection.

The objects are: To meet emergency demands of epidemic or war conditions by establishing hospital wards, technical nursing, cooking schools, also trained embulance detachments, tiick nursing classes supplementary to the regular establishments. The distinguishing badge of the medical service sections will be worn on an armlet 'above the elbow on the right sleeve. PROVISION FOR THE BLIND. A lengthy discussion took place on the question of pensions for persons afflicted with blindness. A petition is presently to be presented to Parliament urging the Government to take action in the interests of these unfortunate people in New Zealand, and the Reserve passed the following resolution yesterday, which was moved by Mrs. Burgess and seconded by Mrs. McLean: "That the Women's' National Reserve in conference assembled decide to support the petition to the Government asking them to consider the advisability of granting State pensions as subsidy to the earnings of the blind and to care for those totally incapacitated by that, infirmity. - ' The prayer of the petition is as follows:—(1) Your petitioners view with compassion the helpless condition of those persons who through blindness are unable to provide for their own necessities; ('2) your petitioners agree in believing that the people of the Dominion are both willing and able to tear such cost as may be incurred in providing: pensions for the blind. (3) That your Honorable House will during its present session take into consideration the condition. of persons afflicted with blindness, and pass such legislation in amelioration as may in the wisdom of your Honorable House be deemed advisable. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The election of officers took place yesterday, all the Executive of the Dominion Council being re-elected with acclamation as follows:—President, Mrs. Corliss; organiser, Mrs. Porter; secretary, Mrs. Hope; treasurer, Mrs. Boden. By a new rule all the presidents of centres, sub-centres, and local branches are ex-officio members of the Dominion Council- The following were elected vice-presidents: Mesdames Burgess (New Plymouth), McLean (Auckland), and Goring (Hastings). SOCIAL FUNCTIONS.

At the conclusion of yesterday's business session the delegates were entertained to afternoon tea at the New Plymouth Soldiers' Hostel. They were shown over the institution, with which they expressed great delight. In the evening the visiting delegates and local members of the Reserve were entertained at a social by the Mayoress (Mrs. Jas. Clarke), at Kawarca bungalow. A very enjoyable evening was spent, made up of musical items and brief interesting addresses. Supper was handed round 'by the girls of the New Plymouth High School, who constitute the junior members of the Reserve. During the evening Mrs. Corliss gave a most, interesting account of her impressions of London as she saw it on the outbreak of the war. while the description which Mrs. Goring '(Hastings) gave of the work ! the Reserve there was thorsughly en-

fertaining. The musical programme was opened by Miss Alma Shaw with a pianoforte solo. Mrs. Mo Alloy sang "An Old Fashioned Town", and gave "Invitation" as an encore. Mrs. Evans gave a recitation, "Jerry the Jarvie," following with nn extract from "(.linger Mick." Mrs. List, sang "Mother Machree," and as an encore "I 'Passed by 'Your Window." Miss Dora Bedford entertained with a monologue, "I Want to fio With Daddy," and gave "A Melo-drama" as an encore.