November 9th, 1916

Minutes of Council Meeting held on Wednesday, November 9th at 3pm.

Members present -Miss Emily Cox (chair), Miss Ashton, Mrs. Simon, Mrs. Withington, Mrs. Findlay, Mrs. Ashwell Cooke, Mrs. G. V. Cox, Mr. G. V. Cox,  Mr. Herford.

The Minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.

Arising out of the Minutes, Mr. Herford reported that Mrs. Gordon Rylands was unable to arrange a drawing room meeting, and Miss Cox also reported that she had been unable to see Mrs. Woolley with regard to this matter.

The Secretary reported that she had interviewed the unions organising women in the engineering trade, and found that they were doing this work to the best of their ability. After some discussion Mr. G Cox moved, Mrs. Ashwell Cooke seconded and it was agreed that Miss Quaile interview Miss MacArthur, with a view to finding out what they proposed to do with the women after the war, in regard to the agreement with the A. S. E.

The Treasurer gave the financial report. The question as to the balance in hand at the end of the year was fully discussed and it was moved by Miss Ashton, seconded Mrs. Findlay and agreed that the Emergency Fund be transferred to the general fund. The responsibility of helping the union in emergencies was left to the Council ???

Correspondence. A letter was read from the Women’s International League inviting the Council to take part in a meeting to be held at the Friends Meeting House, and it was decided to notify the Secretaries of the Unions, asking them to get their members to attend the meeting.

A letter was read from the Labour Party with regard to the Annual Conference to be held in Manchester in January and the question of affiliation was raised. The Secretary was instructed to write and ask for information on the point.

Annual Meeting. It was resolved that as the Labour Party were meeting in Manchester in January, the Council should hold its Annual Meeting during the Labour Party week, and it was decided to write and ask Miss Bondfield if she could speak, and what dates would be most convenient for her.

It was agreed that the office hours be changed from 2-4 to 3-5.

The Sub-Committee minutes were read. A Secretaries’ Tea had been held at the office, at which Mrs. Aldridge had spoken on her experiences in Serbia.

Miss Quaile had addressed a very successful meeting of women railway clerks in the Milton Hall.

Addresses had also been given at the Collyhurst Girls Club, and the Levenshulme and Longsight Women’s Cooperative Guilds.

The women working at Blairs’ Corset Works had received an increase of 1d in the 1/-.

Emily Cox December 13th 1916.