Women's Representative Committee and the National Council of Women - Tauranga moments in history

See also: Archive collections: Ams 22,  Ams 160 and Ams 190.

Women's Representative Committee, 1935-1946

The Mayoress (Mrs Wilkinson) was automatically chairperson. In her absence a replacement was elected for the meeting.

1946 June meeting:

Representatives attended from Red Cross, Registered Nurses, R.S.A. Women's section, Happiness Club, W.C.T.U., Fighting Forces Club, Provincial Executive W.D.F.U., Tauranga Federation of Women's Institutes, Tauranga W.I., Tauranga W.D.F.U., Presbyterian Women's Guild, Catholic Women's Guild, Anglican Guild, and National Party. And the Mayoress Mrs L.R. Wilkinson. Apologies were received from the Girl Guide Association, Air Force Relations, Lady Galway Guild and St. John Ambulance.

"As the W.W.S.A. had disbanded the Women's Representative Committee would in future handle the business once administered by the W.W.S.A....  

During last year hospitality had been extended by the different organisations represented, to visiting servicemen and their next of kin, when in Tauranga.

The question of changing the name from "Representative Committee" to "National Council of Women" was discussed" and decided to draft a report.

1946 September 24 meeting: Name changed to National Council of Women - Tauranga branch. Mrs R.A. McNaughton was the President.

1946 October: Branch formed, winding up of Representative Committee, at a meeting in the Lyceum Club concert room. "...it had been realised that its activities would become more effective if carried on with some national organisation. This could be done through the National Council of Women."

Organisations represented were Tauranga Federation of Women's Institutes, Provincial Executive of the Women's Division of the Farmers Union, Women's Christian Temperance Union, Methodist Ladies' Guild, Catholic Women's League, Registered Nurses' Association, Lyceum Club, and the women's branch of the National Party. Adverse weather conditions prevented other representatives from attending.

A selection of images in Pae Korokī:

National Council of Women, Tauranga Branch, 1959. Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Photo 03-145

National Council of Women meeting, c. 1969: Mrs Margaret Gresham, President Tauranga NCW, Mrs Mary Christian, and Dr Phyllis Guthard.

Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Photo 06-508