TO CANADA AND BACK

New Zealand Listener, Volume 11, Issue 261, 23 June 1944, Page 14

TO CANADA AND BACK

~ Y.W.C.A. Youth Secretary Makes Some Interesting Discoveries

EFORE the war Canadians hardly knew where New Zealand was. Now they know where it is, but many still think of . it only as the place where the Maori Battalion comes from, according to Miss Jean Campbell, National Youth Secretary for the Y.W.C..A. Miss Campbell, when we called on her, had just returned from a refresher course in America, and still had vivid impressions of the magnitude of that continent’s war effort and its interest in a better world when the war has been won. She herself is a Canadian, In her seven months’ stay in America she was able to spend only two months at home in Vancouver, the rest of the period being spent in Washington at the temporary world headquarters of the Y.W.C.A., at New York studying under the national board of the Y.W.C.A. of the United States, and at various smaller cities and towns studying conditions parallel-to those in New Zealand. We found her surrounded by illustrated pamphlets and coloured charts covering the work of the different voluntary organisations in America. "Have Fun Too!" "This is cute, don’t you think?" she said, as she handed us a six-page booklet issued by the National Board, Y.W.C.A., New York, for the benefit of girls in war work. It certainly was cute. The pages were crammed with pithy instructions and witty illustrations-a "Round-the-Clock" programme for sleeping; eating, working, and playing. When you sleep-it advised-Sleep Flat, Wear Loose Pyjamas, Open Your. Windows, Make Your Bed Daily, Use Light Wool Blankets, and most important, LET NOTHING LURE ‘YOU FROM SLEEP. When you eat-Do It Regularly, Think Before You Order. When you get fed up--Take Yourself in Hand, Keep a Sense of Humour, Look Up a

Friend, Get a Hobby, Be a Volunteer, Buy a New Hat. When you workPlan Your Off Time-Buy Wisely, Shop Regularly, Launder Often, Bathe Daily, Keep Glamorous, HAVE FUN TOO. But this is not the only encouragement the women workers of New York are given. The Y.W.C.A. has a round-the-clock programme so that girls working on the "grave-yard" and the "swing" shifts can refresh themselves mentally and physically before going to sleep. "The girls prefer their relaxation after the night’s work and before they go to sleep rather than before they start their work again," explained Miss Campbell.

Thus when they come off at 5 a.m. there is a Y.W.C.A. physical culture class at 6 o’clock for them to attend. But this isn’t just a series of physical exercises. It’s a time for skating, dancing, games, and general relaxation as well. Mentally as well as physically, it has a very refreshing effect on them. Co-Ed Activity "The amount all the war-workers do is terrific," Miss Campbell emphasised, "Every time you look out, almost, you see a ship being launched." This emphasis on war-time needs applies everywhere. There is an increased stress on co-ed activity, particularly for those under eighteen. "The Y.W.C.A. feels that these young people have been very much left out of the scheme of things with all the organisations and clubs devoting themselves to the servicemen and women. So with the idéa of hélping the undereighteens to adjust themselves, the Y.W. has organised mass get-togethers which split up later into smaller groups which (continued on next page)

(continued from previous page) Place the emphasis on creative workcrafts, sculpture, pottery, sketching-arts which offer real research and exploration, not the sort of thing you can do in a minute." There are also courses on home-mak-ing, interior decorating, and other preparations for adult life. The trend is to give them responsibilities they are really capable of carrying, and to convince them that they teo have a stake in the life of the nation. The Variety Club in Wellington has been formed to function along the same lines as these American Youth organisations. Interest in Trade Unions Side by side with these schemes runs an educational scheme for girls, covering their work, their leisure, their place in the community, and also teaching them . \

the principles and workings of the different labour unions and federations. Courses in the working of the unions have a very keen following. Because there is no compulsory membership in America, the tendency of some employers is to refusé to engage union labour, but most workers prefer to stand by their rights and belong to the unions even if it means unemployment. "In Canada," continued Miss Campbell, "the same spirit prevails. A clarification of their post-war relationship with the U.S.A. and Britain is what most Canadians are seeking at present, With this is also linked the French minority question, for of course one-third of the population are French. This concern for the role and position of their country is felt through every section of the community, and to help the people to become articulate the Canadian Association of Adult Education has organised an extensive radio campaign. Topical discussions are broadcast across the whole Canadian network and the people listen in groups, continuing the discussions after the broadcast is over. There is a great bond in this concentration of thought." .. The Canadian youth have a place in this plan too. The Canadian Youth Commission consists of voluntary agencies (continued on next page)

| BACK FROM CANADA

(continued from previous page) with Government support, and is engaged at present on a comprehensive research programme into the lives of young Canadians. The object is two-fold -to help youths to help themselves, and to furnish the Government with information useful for helping them to adjust themselves after the war. The Commission is tackling the job from four angles --through the Church Groups, the Youth Organisation, the Armed Forces, and the Labour Union Group. Conferences are taking place throughout the country in which students, war workers, servicemen and women get together and discuss

post-war jobs, minority groups (French and refugees), family life, men and women relationships, religion in the life of youth, and so on. They work out balanced programmes of work and leisure, "I went to one of these meetings in British Columbia," explained Miss Campbell. "It was for the 16 to 19-year-olds and there were 600 of them there. A panel of, research, specialists opened up the discussions and the young people came back with forceful replies. They really did talk with animation and intelligence." Canada and New Zealand "How then do Canadians feel towards New Zealand," we asked, "that’s if they feel anything about us at all? Their tendency seems to be to look eastwards rather than westwards." "Yes, that’s quite true. All Canada’s interests lie either in America or across the Atlantic, which is natural enough, especially considering her proximity to the United States. The people in the north just can’t figure out the southern hemisphere. ‘Don’t tell me you have _ Christmas in summertime over there,’ _ they say to me. You see all their life is centred in the northern hemisphere. England, too, the country many of them still call Home, is im the north. So altogether there hasn’t been much personal contact between Canada and New Zealand since the last war. But with the New Zealand servicemen taking up quarters in Canada there is a much more intelligent interest in New Zealand. I saw numbers of R.N.Z.A.F. boys in Canada and they were very popular. They’ve certainly made a hit. And I might add that there is no feeling in Canada against New Zealand boys marrying Canadian girls. By the way, for a real piece of New Zealand atmosphere, the New Zealand Legation in Washington would be hard to beat. The publicity that is being produced there is equal to anything I have seen anywhere. "But to get back to Canada, the Canadians know that Auckland and Wellington are in New Zealand, but as to which island they can’t say at all. However, social security is an important topic in Canada just now, and everywhere I went I was questioned about New Zealand’s policy. Everyone looks to New Zealand for guidance in this matter. The Canadians are also very much interested in the Maoris and their place in the community. Everyone has heard of the Maori Battalion, Few Signs of Shortages. "They were very surprised to hear of the food and clothing shortages over here, and they had no idea of the shipping difficulties, Rubber and chocolate are very scarce there, and canned goods are hard to get except in winter when fresh food is very scarce, but clothes, except shoes, are not rationed. When I arrived in Canada with my wooden comb and no ‘bobby’ pins it was all I could do to, control myself from buying up everything I saw. What I particularly noticed was the beautiful paper uséd in all the magazines, the fine photos, ahd the 26page newspapers. The Canadians thought there was a shortage but I couldn’t see much difference from five years ago, On the other hand, of course, the number of people doing essential war jobs just can’t be imagined out here, and the amount of work they put through is amazing."