The Good Work Goes On

Third Annual General Meeting of NG Women's Club of Sydney

ONE of the brighter aspects of the evacuee period for New Guinea residents has been the way in which the women of New Guinea have banded together in Sydney and elsewhere for mutual help and comfort. Without talk, fuss or publicity they got down to a job of work after the general evacuation of the New Guinea Territories, and the report presented at the third annual meeting of the New Guinea Women’s Club of Sydney, on July 8, by the presi dent, Mrs. H. H. Page, showed that efforts had not been allowed to flag in the year just past.

EXTRACTS from the president’s report on the year’s activities are as follow:

Membership

We commenced with a very small band of 16 workers. To-day our membership totals 173.

Our continued address has been the Feminist Club, where we gather together each Thursday to work and exchange all items of Territorial news so welcome to us all.

Service Parcels

Mrs. McMullen, in charge of the Service par cels, reports having distributed 597 parcels; 593 being posted to our Servicemen in England, Middle East, New Guinea and Australia, and to our Servicewomen in Australia. Four parcels were handed to soldiers on leave.

We were able to remember our Service men and women at Christmas time by sending a cake to each—27o in all, that being the number of names we had on our list at that time. Since then we have received a list of names of our Servicemen in New Guinea alone, which com prises 397 names—all ex-residents of the Ter ritory.

We made a special feature of a parcel to our 13 Servicewomen. We would be pleased if mem bers could hand in names and addresses of Ser vicewomen whom we may not have on our list.

We treasure letters from our Service men and women which all express their pleasure and gratitude in very generous terms. A hearty invi tation is issued to all to visit us any Thursday morning. They are assured of a warm welcome and we think they would enjoy the atmosphere that bespeaks New Guinea.

Knitting

Miss Mills, who has taken a keen interest in the knitting section, which is under her con trol, reports that 286 articles were knitted dur ing the year. Clothes rationing has made it imperative for people to knit more garments for themselves and therefore they have less time to knit for the club; but we have an adequate sup ply of wool, owing to the generosity of members.

Entertainments

Mrs. Foxcroft is to be congratulated for the capable manner in which she has coped with club entertainments and with hospital visiting.

There were eight entertainments during the year; Travelogue by Mrs. Dalgarnow (August, 1943); Pacific Territories Association Social (September, IS'43); Games Night (November, 1943); Children’s Christmas Party (December, 1943); Adult Party (December, 1943); Social Evening (February, 1944); Polynesian Concert (April, 1944); and Variety Concert (June, 1944).

A feature of the year was the Christmas party for the children, when 150 children gathered together and had a truly wonderful afternoon.

Each child received a gift and a bag of sweets.

There was a Christmas cake lit by candles and Mrs. Cameron, of the Feminist Club, arranged a delightful programme of children’s dancing.

The grown-ups get-together party which fol lowed was voted a marvellous success. Never has the Feminist room accommodated so many —it seemed elastic!

Members of the club have visited the 113th AGH each week and distributed cake and fruit amongst 120 New Guinea men, and pyjamas and socks were given where needed. At Christmas time, canteen orders were given to the men and the VAD’s who prepare a weekly list for us.

Evacuees’ Fund

Mrs. Foxcroft has distributed many parcels of

clothing to our people, who were most grateful for these timely gifts, and she would be glad of any clothing, particularly children’s clothing, which is in good order.

It has been a source of pleasure to us to be able to assist many of our New Guinea women, but we feel there may be others who are in need and hesitate to contact us. We have a fund for this purpose and consider it a privilege to help.

General

We have contributed to the Red Cross Prisoner of War Fund, the Australian Comforts Fund and the Merchant Navy.

We have worked hard to have the Common wealth Government’s loans to evacuees made grants; also that women be allowed to take a position without the allowance ceasing. Much correspondence has passed between the Minister and the club and although we have not yet achieved our purpose, we have reason to believe something will be settled in the near future.

Again this year, on January 23 and April 25 we assembled at the Cenotaph to pay homage to our glorious dead. May we be worthy of the ideals for which they gave their lives. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to all who have lost their loved ones. May they be comforted.

I would like to place on record the very fine work of our secretary, Mrs. J. H. McDonald, and our appreciation of our treasurer, Mrs. H.

Adams, whose work is arduous but is carried out most efficiently.

Our thanks are due to Miss Grant, who has audited our books since the inception of the club; Mrs. Ormunde, who has been responsible for our floral tributes and posies; Mrs. Cam eron, the president of the Feminist Club, for her wonderful interest and generous advice; Mr. Foxcroft, who is always a tower of strength to us; and the “Pacific Islands Monthly” for its generous support.

Mrs. McDonald wishes to express her appre ciation of the help given her with the circulars by Mrs. Saunders, Mrs. Allan and Miss Pamela Page.

In conclusion, I wish to thank the committee and all members for their courtpsy to me at all times and their whole-hearted co-operation, which has spelt success for the New Guinea Women’s Club.

Finance

THE financial statement presented by

Mrs. H. Adams, treasurer of the club, showed that receipts for the

year ending June 30, 1944, were

£1,131/17/2 (including a carry-over of

£603/15/8 from the previous year). Ex

penditure to June 30, 1944, was £Bl5/14/11, leaving a credit balance of £316/2/3.

Expenditure included: Purchase of goods

for Service parcels, £215/1/7; assistance to evacuees, £240/2/2; and Pacific Territories

Association affiliation fees, £2l/12/-.

Discussion MRS. EDGELL, supported by Mrs.

McMullen and Miss Mills, spoke on the desirability of increasing the knitted goods output. It was resolved that until further notice, knitting-bees would be held each Thursday morning.

Mrs. Doyle suggested that the Prisoners of War Relatives Association, through which all radio messages to POW must be sent, should be asked the reason for its recent decision that relatives of civi lian POW be debarred from sending such messages. This motion was agreed to.

Mrs. Page said that it had been sug gested by Mrs. Cameron, of the Feminist Club, that the NG Women’s Club should seek affiliation with the National Coun cil of Women. Several members spoke on the desirability of this and it was resolved that the National Council of Women be approached in the matter.

Office-Bearers, 1944-45

THE following office-bearers were elected for 1944-45: Patron: Lady McNicoll.

President: Mrs. H. H. Page.

Vice-presidents. Mrs. C. H. R. Maclean, Mrs. N. H. Foxcroft.

Secretary: Mrs. J. H. McDonald.

Treasurer: Mrs. H. Adams.

Auditor; Miss I Grant.

Leader of Entertainment Committee: Mrs. N. H. Foxcroft.

Leader of Service Parcels Committee; Miss Mills.

Committee: Mesdames Edgell, Allan.

McMullen. Meldrum. Forsayth. Ormunde, launders, Orde, Wallace-Brown and Miss Mills.