By Virginia Winder

It took 100 years for the executive members of the National Council of Women (NCW) to gather in New Plymouth a second time.

During the first visit, the assembled women faced hostile reactions from men. In September 2003, there was not a flicker of opposition to the gathering of high-profile women at Scotlands Hostel, New Plymouth Girls' High School.

The NCW was formed in 1896, three years after suffragette Kate Sheppard led women to getting the vote. Believing women needed to build on their new-found rights, she became the first president of the NCW.

Leading Ladies: The 1896 executive of the National Council of Women in Christchurch. Suffragette Kate Sheppard is seated in the middle, fifth from left.

Image: Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image

NP branch formed

In 2003, the prime minister, governor-general, chief justice and attorney-general are all women.

In 1903, in the face of male opposition, the women of New Plymouth formed a branch of the NCW, with a Mrs Gray becoming the first local president.

But the branch was to be short-lived - something Mrs Sievwright appears to have predicted.

When writing to a friend and fellow worker about the national executive meeting held in New Plymouth, she said: "The novelty of the council is over and it will take a long pull, a strong pull, a stony pull and a pull altogether to ride the storms of the next 10 years. Nor are storms perhaps the worst we have to fear - the apathy and cheerful indifference of the great majority is distinctly benumbing

NCW in recess

In 1905, Mrs Sievwright died after a short illness. Six months later the National Council of Women of New Zealand went into recess.

There are no more records of NCW activities in New Plymouth until 1930, when the indomitable Elsie Andrews MBE became president.

Since then, the women's organisation in the city has remained strong, tackling issues to do with education, the environment, social justice, women's rights and peace.

Going strong

The New Plymouth president today is Pat Alvis and the battle continues to make New Zealand a better place.

At this year's national gathering, Minister of Women's Affairs Ruth Dyson spoke about the Treaty of Waitangi as New Zealand's founding document.

She also talked about the importance of retaining the Ministry of Women's Affairs, especially in light of how other countries view Aotearoa. Being the first country in the world in which females were given the vote, New Zealand is held in high esteem by women's organisations around the globe, and is expected to continue on that path - with no slip-ups.

Bridging the gap between new Asians and New Zealanders was the thrust of Manying Ip's speech. The Auckland University Associate Professor of Asian Studies covered the history of Asian immigrants to this country and the role women had to play in breaking down cultural boundaries.

MP Tariana Turia addressed a wide range of issues facing Kiwi women, including housing, education, employment and health. She also focused on the Treaty of Waitangi, saying how it promoted unity among diverse peoples, leading to a cohesion that would enrich New Zealand.