Obituaries Australia

Passed away on February 1 a very old and energetic member of the Labor Party in the person of Mrs. Kathleen Werner. For many years, in spite of the fact that she was the mother of a large family, Mrs. Werner carried out most faithfully the detail work of the Labor Party in various branches of the metropolitan area. At Prahran in the war years as the president of the Women's Organising Committee of the State electorate she worked very hard in the interests of the unemployed of that city during the depression in 1915 and 16. A soup kitchen was established, and she catered each day in the week for the hungry children who came each day for soup and bread. In 1917 she acted as secretary for the Strike Relief Committee of the Waterside Workers, and later, in the year was a member of the Trades Hall Unemployment Relief Committee. On both Anti-Conscription Women's Committees she worked hard and devotedly, and was elected in 1918 to the first executive of the W.C.O.C.

For all of these years she worked hard at each election canvassing and carrying on the detail work of the movement for which so often no person receives any thanks at all.

Of late years she had lived in Coburg, and was associated with the West Coburg branch, assisting to organise it although she was then in failing health. Her health steadily grew worse, and for some time she had been bedridden. Her death was greatly mourned by those who knew her, and to whom her humor and good temper endeared her. The funeral took place at the Fawkner cemetery, and was attended on behalf of the Women's Organising Committee by Mrs. Buckingham, J.P., the president; Mrs. A. Williams, vice-president, and Miss Jean Paley, secretary, who has been associated with Mrs. Werner for many years.