SPLENDID IDEAL

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 227, 25 October 1929, Page 8

SPLENDID IDEAL

LADY ' ALIC'E EERGUSSON'S EXAMTLE. TRIBUTE BY MOTIIERS' UNION. "Sho has set a splendid ideal of womanhood in this country," dec-lared the Bishop of Waiapu in referring to Lady Alice Fergusson at tlie aimunl meeting of the Jlothers' Union yesterday. ln the annual report of the Dominion Council, the Lady xYlice said, "ln laying down the offiee of Dominion president, whieh 1 have had Ihe honour to hold for tbree years, L woukl iike to take the opportunity of thanking my fellow-membens of the council for ihe loyal help and co-operation during my term of offiee. It has heen a real pleasure to ino to have heen nhle to take part in tlie work of tlie Mothers' Union in which I have ahvavs taken niueh interest, convinced as 1 am ot its great usefulness, for T ain sure that wliercver there is a strong and energetic branch • of tbe union it is a real and vital help to the clnircli. 1 earnestlv hope and Itelieve that tlie Ylotliers' Union will contimie to make steadv progress in the Dominion." Her Excelleiicy, said the Bishop. had done a great cieal for tlie Mothers' Union and sho liad set a inagnifieent ideal of splendid womanhood in New Zealand. It was not so niuch what she liad done, but it was what she was that was the secret^of her success. The meeting decided to forward to Her Excelleiicy a resolution conveying the tmion's appreciation of her good work in tlie past. Furtlier appreciation of her Exeel-Ic-ncy'.s services was contained in tlie farewell message ot the Dominion C'cuncil. which said, "What the Lady Alice Fergusson lias meant to tlie Mothers' Union these last( five years only those in close tduch" with her can bstimate. Sbe has not contented lierself with being a mere figure-head, whicli might liave been all we might bave expeeted from oue who has such otui loss calls on her tiine and interest in everv direction — tbough, indeed, she has beeq tliat, too — a cliarming and g; acious figure-head, wbo bas re,ioiced our hearts at many a iunction. But the wavs in wliich shp. will be hest rememhered are G) her intense love of the work, which we all knew and t'elt sprang from lier deep religious conviction of its value to the mothers o!: the Dominion ; (2) her ever ready sympathy and interest in individual members of lonely branches ; ( 3) her splendid business capacity niu! attention to tlie smnllest detail. She, made a wonderful chairwoman at council meetings, with" her tho rough grasp of the constitution and.working of the union."