New Guinea

Women

Much Valuable Work Done

MUCH valuable, unpublicised work has been done by the New Guinea Women’s Club, of Sydney. The story was told on July 4 at the club’s first annual general meeting, held in the rooms of the Feminist Club, when the president, Mrs. H. H. Page, made the following report:— When I came to Australia 18 months ago I felt I would like to do some war work; and, as so many New Guinea folk were in Australia, why not band together and work for the men of our Territory.

I talked about it with Mrs. Brinston and Mrs Perriman, who urged me on with the scheme and we organised a meeting at Vere Matthews on April 16, 1940, when 16 women were present and the office bearers elected were: President, Mrs. H.

H. Page; vice-president, Mrs. B. B. Per riman; secretary, Mrs. H. G. W. Brin ston: treasurer, Mrs. S. A. Lonergan; auditor, Miss I. Grant.

Committee; Mrs. Kelly, Mrs. Newport, Mrs. Lamb, Mrs. Rowe.

We decided to write and ask Lady McNicoll if she would become patroness of the club, to which request she graci ously conceded.

It was through the courtesy of Mr.

Robson, of the “PIM”, that we were able to contact Mrs. Cameron, president of the Feminist Club, who offered us the use of the club rooms each Thursday at the nominal rent of 2/6 per week.

In the interim, I had written to Mrs.

Gordon Thomas, who was then president of the New Guinea Comforts Fund, to ascertain if we could work in conjunc tion with that body. Mrs. Thomas and her committee were delighted with the idea and sent us a £lO draft, but alas! we were soon to discover the New Guinea Security Regulations did not permit of an auxiliary even in the Territory; and, apart from that, any body by the name of Comforts Fund in Australia must work under the Lord Mayor’s Fund.

What a dilemma! » We then called a general meeting on July 17. and we decided with much regret to sever our connection with the New Guinea Comforts Fund and return the £lO and to call ourselves the New Guinea Women’s Club.

It was unanimously decided that the entrance fee be 5/- and 2/- per month and 3d. weekly to enable us to pay the room rent. This arrangement has worked admirably and we have been a very happy group of women. It is amaz ing how the membership has grown.

When we commenced we had 16 mem bers. Now we have 70 financial mem bers, which is far beyond our wildest dreams.

Of course, it has been due to extra ordinary circumstances. Firstly, the evacuation of all New Guinea women; and, secondly, because of the amalgama tion of the New Guinea Comforts Fund with our club. I should like to record our very great pleasure at that amalga mation, for “united we DO stand”.

The Comforts Fund brought with them a quantity of knitted goods and wool, and many other items suitable for sol

diers’ parcels.

We then decided to double our room rent and pay the Feminist Club 5/- per week.

Our very special thanks are due to Mrs Cameron and all members of the Feminist Club for their wonderful help and understanding at all times. We were complete strangers to them, but they extended the warm hand of friend ship and any words of ours are quite inadequate in expressing our gratitude and appreciation to them.

During the year we have had several very fine ‘ entertainments, the first given by Mrs. P. J. Martin, in the form of a bridge party at the Feminist Club, which realised £ll/10/3. On September 5 this same lady generously arranged an Ameri can tea at her home in Chatswood, which realised £9/2/-. Later in the year. Mrs.

Perriman and Mrs. Rowe combined forces and organised a bridge and games after noon, realising £l4/14/6—a truly great effort. On August 14, the Entertainment Committee, led by Mrs. C. H. Maclean, held a delightful card and games after noon. making £B/3/6. Our biggest effort was in November, when the Feminist Club held their Victory Fair and invited us to hold a New Guinea Stall. This func tion was held in the Sydney Girls’ High School picturesque grounds, and was an unqualified success, our wares bringing in £36/14/6. On Melbourne Cup afternoon Mrs. Brinston and Mrs. Lonergan placed their fiat at our disposal and a very plea sant afternoon was enjoyed with radio, chat and “housie-housie”. The last and very successful party was held in the Lyceum Club, on June 27, when £lO/8/7 nett was realised.

The magnificent gift of Dr. Price and Mr. Downing, of Kieta, in donating us 33 Buka baskets, realised the handsome sum of £l2, after expenses had been paid.

I think this generous donation should be placed on record. Thank you, gentle men!

We would like to place on record the services of Mrs. Brinston, who resigned the secretaryship in November. We indeed lost a good secretary, but Mrs. B. B.

Parkes came to our aid till January, and we cannot speak too highly of her busi ness capabilities. Since then, Miss June Ewen has been our secretary. Mrs. Lon ergan, our former treasurer, also resigned in November and her place was filled by Mrs. Harry Adams. Our gratitude is due to Miss Grant, who has been our honorary auditor since the inauguration of the New Guinea Women’s Club.

We gratefully acknowledge the goods

brought in each Thursday for disposal by the various members. They have been quite a source of revenue.

The president and the committee were invited by the Trade Agent to meet the evacuees from the Territory in a purely

social manner, and I think most of the women were glad of familiar faces greeting them.

During the year we have posted to our men 287 parcels containing m all: 228 socks, 35 Balaclavas 48 Aniip 0 /n« 12 scarves, 11 pairs gloves, 47 skull c p ,

pairs garters, 8 pairs mittens, and a

quantity of papers, soap, powders, choco

late, tobacco, cigarette papers, towels,

razors, shaving sticks, handkerchiefs,

singlets, housewives, pegs and shoe laces, We have received a large correspond ence from the recipients of these parcels.

All have been most appreciative and some very touching. I should like to read you one “ln common with so many other soldier New Guineans with whom I have come into contact since the loss of New Guinea to the enemy, I that I should write and express something of thP s y m P ath y we all feel for those friends and others who have lost their homes, posses sions and probably much more, since the inva sion took place. The only way at the moment that this can be done appears to be through your club, as I know of no other organisation representing the interests of Territory ex-resi dents in Australia, “My last communication from New Guinea l T + °\ De f ce ™ bei ; last ’ and having just returned to Australia from over seas, I have heard no news of what has trans pired since the evacuation, other than the meagre news that has been cabled abroad, “At the present I am endeavouring to obtain news of personal friends from some points of contact, but it is too early, as yet. for replies to r me ’ y p * .

A number of Rabaul soldiers just recently were talking together regarding the unhappy events that have so recently been enacted in the Territory, and someone gave expression to the thought that he wished he could return the many parcels (or their equivalent value) that we have received from time to time from gen erous donors, as there must now be consider tunate ex-residents at the present time. This comment received the emphatic endorsement of all Territory men present.

“ If there is any way in which we could be of any assistance to the cause at any time, we hope that you will circularise all of us ex-Ter ritory men to that effect as we really feel we

would like to do something in return in the hour of adversity.

“With best wishes for the club’s future and looking forward to the ‘Blue Horizon’ of hap pier times with you all. Very sincerely—

George Casbolt.”

It is letters like this that make us feel we are doing something worth while.

It is with much sadness we record the passing of so many of our New Guinea folk. We offer their bereaved our heart felt sympathy and pray that time will bring some solace to their aching hearts.

The following were elected as the executive committee for the coming year:— President: Mrs. H. H. Page.

Vice-presidents: Mrs. C. H. Maclean and Mrs. Perriman.

Treasurer: Mrs. Adams.

Secretary: Miss Ewen.

Committee members: Mrs. Coote, Mrs.

McDonald, Mrs. Peadon, Mrs. Hamilton, Mrs. Foxcroft, Miss Mills.