WOMEN’S DIVISION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 May 1938, Page 4

WOMEN’S DIVISION

WAIRARAPA PROVINCIAL COUNCIL RETIRING PRESIDENT’S REVIEW At the annual meeting of the Wairarapa Provincial Council of the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union yesterday, warm tributes were paid by members to Mrs Arch Clark,- who had been Provincial President since 1930, but declined on grounds of health, to seek re-election, this year. Mrs E. H. Dagg (Ihuraua), succeeded Mrs Clark as Provincial President. In the course of a brief farewell address, Mrs Clark said that although their year had been a quiet one, their most important work, the supplying of housekeepers, had gone on and had increased. If they could only get more housekeepers, they could help many more people, but even with deputations to the Prime Minister and members of Parliament and meetings and conferences with other bodies, none seemed able to evolve a scheme whereby they could get more women into the Dominion. In spite of the scarcity of housekeepers, the council, she thought, had failed no woman who was absolutely up against it, and in desperate need of help. What she meant by a desperate need was that of woman in the country, probably away in the backblocks, with two or three small children who could not be left, with each day bringing the time nearer when she would have to leave them and go into hospital, and with no sister or other relative to take her place. As far as she knew, they had never failed to send help to a woman in that position. Their secretary, (Mrs C. C. Jackson) had always found help somewhere. That was work not only to be proud of, but to rejoice in. The members of the Women’s Division in general, Mrs Clark went on to observe, were doing day by day many kind deeds involving a certain amount of self-sacrifice and self-denial. They were thus casting their bread upon the waters without any thought of finding it again. The, members of the Division were doing work that was very much worth while, and she felt it the very greatest honour that a body of women that did work such as this had elected her as their president year after year. She had appreciated the honour tremendously. The first meeting aftei- she was elected president in 1930, Mrs Clark observed, was held in a big, cold, bare room —a much less satisfactory place than they were meeting in that day. At that time there were five branches affiliated to the Wairarapa Council. Now there were thirteeen, and 42 delegates were accredited to the council. Their organisation had progressed very quickly and at the same time very solidly through the intervening years. She thanked them all for their absolutely splendid support and loyalty during the years she had been president. She appreciated also, more than she could say, the atmosphere of friendliness, comradeship and Christian kindliness they had always brought to the meetings. Mrs Clark said she could not vacate the chair without paying a tribute to their secretary, Mrs C. C. Jackson, for her constant support and help. Some people said that Mrs Jackson had grown up with the Division, but she said Mrs Jackson had brought the Division up. It was really her fourth daughter. She thanked Mrs Jackson very sincerely for her loyal support and the benefit of her experience for all these years. Mrs Clark said she regretted that as her health had not been too good for the last year or two she had not the strength to continue in office. She had always been very fond of the Wairarapa Provincial Council, and hoped it would wax stronger and stronger.