WOMEN’S DIVISION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 April 1943, Page 4

WOMEN’S DIVISION

MEETING OF WAIRARAPA COUNCIL ALLOCATION OF HOUSEKEEPERS. WOOL FOR KNITTING. A meeting of the Wairarapa Council of the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union was held this morning in Masterton, the president, Mrs K. Groves, being in the chair. Motions of sympathy were passed to the relatives of Miss G. Heckler and Miss Gray.

A circular stated that if Dominion levies were not received by April 30, the branches concerned would be recorded as unfinancial and would lose thfeix- voting rights. A discussion took place as to the question of holding the annual conference, the concensus of opinion being in favour of the proposal. Mrs J. Andrews, housekeeping secretary, reported on the work of the housekeepers. The chief difficulty had been in providing help to mothers of small children about to enter hospital but who were not members of the Division. She felt that with the short supply of housekeepers, long-standing members of the Division should be given preference, yet it was hard to refuse help to non-members badly needing it. Those joining in order to secure help should not be placed in the same category as members of long standing who had worked for years for the Division.

A resolution was passed that housekeepers could be supplied only to financial members of at least' one year’s standing. Mrs Groves reported that the rest home was in good order, and the vegetable garden was flourishing. There were nine guests at the home, mostly middle-aged farmers’ wives. All spoke highly of the home and of the attention received there. There was an opening for more probationary trainees at the rest home.

A discussion took place on the allocation of wool through the Patriotic Committee. It was felt that some arrangement should be arrived at by which mothers of bona fide soldiers in camp could receive knitting wool for making comforts for their sons where these had not already been supplied by: the Patriotic Committee.. At present mothers, even when willing to use, their own coupons and do the

knitting, were often unable to get a supply of the necessary wool. The Mauriceville-Ihuraua branch reported sending to headquarters for the Merchant Service a further parcel of 43 flannel singlets, two homespun jerseys and three pairs of hand-knitted socks. The last named were knitted by the late Miss Gladys Heckler.