Newspaper Article: Women's Work in War: Emergency Committee meeting held

[Sept?]/39

EMERGENCY COMMITTEE.

WOMEN’S WORK IN WAR.

A large gathering packed the City
Council Chambers yesterday afternoon,
when a meeting of women was called
by the Mayoress (Mrs A. E. Mansford)
to organise the work of the local emer-
gency committee. Mrs Mansford pre-
sided and associated with her were the
Mayor (Mr A. E. Mansford) and Mr
C. V. Day (secretary of the men’s
committee).
Mrs Mansford said it was most grati-
fying to see so many ladies present
and ready to lend their assistance.
When the emergency committee was
formed it was not anticipated that its
work should necessarily be devoted to
war contingencies, but under the pre-
sent circumstances it seemed that that
was the work they would be called
upon to do. A scheme had, therefore,
been drawn up by which every woman
would be able to help in some way,
not matter how small, and such work
would be organised so that it would be
of real value.
Mr Mansford also expressed his
gratification at the interest shown.
The emergency committee had been
formed after the Napier earthquake
and the Government had intended to
send out an outline of a comprehensive
scheme to deal with such emergencies,
but unfortunately these plans had [not?]
yet come to hand. It had been [decided?]
to carry on the organisation in [the?]
same way for the war needs. [There?]
would be plenty of work for the women
to do, especially in the Maori battalion
were to be located at Palmerston
North.
After referring to the justice of the
British cause and the necessity for
stamping out the Nazi philosophy, Mr
Mansford reminded his listeners that
a nation could be made or broken by
its women, on whom its integrity of
character depended. They all knew of
the splendid work done by women
in the last war, and he was sure that
they would be just as willing this time.
Mr Mansford went on to outline the
work of the different committees to be
set up. He also mentioned that six
more men than women had enrolled
on the emergency committee, but he
hoped they would soon balance the
numbers.
The following officers were elected:
Chairman, Mrs Mansford; secretary,
Mrs R. Davis; treasurer, Mr A. G.
Lawson. All present were constituted a
general committee. Other committees
elected were: Finance, the chairwoman,
secretary and treasurer; executive
committee, chairwoman, secretary,
treasurer and supervisors of the sub-
committees.
The following sub-committees were
set up.—Mothers and babies: Super-
visor, Mrs M. Aitchison; organisations
co-opted, Plunket Society, Crippled
Children’s Society, Hospital Auxiliary.
Nursing V.A.D.: Supervisor, Miss L.
M. Banks; organisations co-opted,
District Nurse, Red Cross Society,
New Zealand Registered Nurses’ As-
sociation, St. John Ambulance, Free
Ambulance, Convent Ambulance
Class. Sewing and laundry: Super-
visor, Mrs E. C. Barnett; organisa-
tions co-opted, St. Andrew’s Guild,
St. Paul’s Guild, All Saints’ Guild,
Baptist Ladies’ Guild, Cuba Street
Ladies’ Guild, St. David’s Guild,
Lutheran Guild, Church of Christ
Guild, St. Vincent de Paul Society,
St. Peter’s Guild. Sleeping quar-
ters: Supervisor, Mrs N. V. Ballinger;
organisations co-opted, Manawatu
Women’s Club, Manawatu County
Club, Sunshine Club, Salvation Army,
Men’s Committee. Social activities:
Supervisor, Miss M. Jones; organi-
sations co-opted, Y.W.C.A., Business
Girls’ Club, Girls’ Music Club, Men’s
Committee, Repertory Society, Lit-
tle Theatre Society and all other
drama groups. Kitchen: Supervisor,
Miss C. Warburton; organisations co-
opted, League of Mothers, Mother’s
Union (All Saints), Mother’s Union
(St. Peter’s), Manawatu Federation
of Women’s Institutes, League of
Mothers (Terrace End), Co-op.
Women’s Guild, Women’s Central
branch of the Labour Party. Dining
room: Supervisor, Mrs L.A. Nor-
they; organisations co-opted, Towns-
women’s Guild, St. Vincent de Paul
Society, Girl Guides, [Manawatu] Cro-
quet Association, Terrace End La-
bour Party, W.D.F.U., National
Party. The supervisors were asked
to call meetings of their committees
to elect executive officers.
Mrs Mansford appealed to those
present to make Sunday, October 1.
a day of prayer for peace, and the
meeting closed with the singing of
“Land of Hope and Glory.”