COMING CONFERENCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 June 1938, Page 4

COMING CONFERENCE

PAN-PACIFIC WOMEN’S " ASSOCIATION. MISS E. ANDREWS TO VISIT MASTERTON. The Pan-Pacific Women’s Association has as its objective the strengthening of the bonds of peace among Pacific peoples by promoting a better understanding and friendship among the women of all Pacific countries. The association also endeavours to promote co-operation among the women of the Pacific region for the study and betterment of existing conditions. The association organises conferences as an essential means of attaining its objects, for only by personal experience and meeting face to face can these be achieved. For this reason the conferences are held in various countries round the Pacific Ocean as circumstances make it possible. Several have been held in Honolulu, in 1937, in Canada, and in 1940 New Zealand will be the meeting place in her centenary year. The tremendous interest aroused in Vancouver and other parts of Canada, as well as in the adjoining parts of the United States of America, shows, beyond doubt the special value to the women of the hostess country of such meetings. Countries which are charter members of the association, haying sent delegates and prepared material for the previous conferences, are Australia, Capada, China, the Dutch East Indies, Fiji, Hawaii, Korea, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, Samoa, the United States of America, and Malaya.

Probably representatives of all these countries will be visiting New Zealand in 1940 to co-operate in the study of the two chosen topoics for the conference —economic interdependence, and the cultural contribution of Pacific countries —two of the most important subjects of study at the present time.

Miss Elsie Andrews, M.8.E., is visiting Masterton on July 2, doing preliminary organisation work for the forthcoming New Zealand conference, of which she is programme director. She has first-hand knowledge of the personalities and work of the previous delegates to such conferences, and her address will be well worth hearing. The Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union and the Women Teachers’ Association are joint convenors of the local meeting, and are joint hostesses for the evening.