A WAR EFFORT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 147, 3 April 1941, Page 7

A WAR EFFORT

'WOMEN’S INSTITUTES OF COUNTY

WIDE EXTENT OF WORK.

FEDERATION ANNEAL REPORT. /‘As usual, wlum called upon to servo, our-members’ throughout The Federation have.responded marvellously to the cal) for Institute war work.” states the report to be presented at the annual meeting of the Mid-Canterbury Federation of the Women's Institute to-mor-row. “Ijp till the half-yearly council mooting- in October the following work

had been done:—£oo sent to the War Purposes Fund. £320 collected in liou.se-to-liouse eanvasS for .Fighting Services Fund, donations to Sick, and Wounded Tund, 134 up addressed parcels sent to® local .meh.’oversbas, quantities, of garments sent to Lady Galway Guild, dozens of pounds of wool knitted for Red Gross, sewing clone for Red Cross, eggs, cakes, biscuits, jam, etc - ., sent to Burnham Gamp.Hospital and overseas; donations of money to Red Cross. Most members belong to Red Cross branches, i “Institutes have sent more than their quota of unaddressed parcels to the Patriotic Cquncil.” continues the report. “As the Canterbury Patriotic Council , has now undertaken to send 111 Canterbury’s quota of parcels from patriotic funds, the Institutes have been relieved of this Undertaking. The executive lias recommended that Institutes should now send parcels to the sons and husbands of their members.

Petroil Shortage Reduces Activities. “The members of the Executive have given good service to the movement during the year. Because of petrol restrictions and to save expense a subcommittee was formed to deal with, tile minor workings of the Federation and so # reduce the number of full meetings to three against six last year. During the year the Dominion Council member was co-opted to the Committee so enabling members to be in closer con-tact-with. the affairs at headquarters. '-Members have attended all Institutes to assist with annual meetings and the hospitality- they received was most cordial. They all report progress and goodfellowship’ among the members of the 22 Institutes in our- Federation.”

i All (Group Convenors have organised Successful happy,meetings duirag their Term of office. At one group meeting an auction,, sale was held, and the proceeds (£3 10s). handed to the. federation treasurer as a special donation, i Mrs M, A. Constable was elected to the Dominion t Council in place of Mrs F.. Curtis who did not seek, reelection. We extend our thanks to Mrs Curtis for the help she has given us and for the reports she has brought back from-the meetings she has attended in Wellington. “During 1940 no General Conference was held,” the report continues. “The cost of running a conference is very great and the money thus saved was sent by Institutes to a central fund which was given by the Dominion Executive to the Government for war purposes. Tho institutes in-this Federation are,commended for the willing way in which they • forwarded this money ; £6O being sent from Mid-Canterbury. - ■ “During the year our Dominion org-

aniser ,(Mrs Kelso) retired from office. We have had many happy associations with "Mrs Kelso and your executive forwarded a donation to headquarters towards -lieu* presentation. “Over the past five years Mrs J. MeQ nil kin lias rendered yoeinau service to our Federation both a.s an executive member and as editor, of the journal. Tito Executive at its October meeting presented Mrs MeQuilkiu with a, good service badge, the first to he presented in Mid-Canterbury.

“A request was made by the Christchurch Returned Soldiers’ Association that we should give hospitality during the school holidays to the children of soldiers, sailors and airmen. Although the names and addresses of prospective hostesses were sent to Christchurch we heard no more a limit the matter. Should the scheme be put into operation,in Mid-Canterbury at some future time, your Executive hopes to receive more offers of hospitality as these were I'cw. .

“During the year the finances of your Federation wore at a low ebb because of our inability to hold a drama festival or entertainment; this was mainly due to the lack of a suitable hall. All Institutes nobly came to our assistance with a special donation of £1 and wo lieartly thank them for this generosity. All affiliation fees and Dominion levies were paid promptly and this greatly assisted the workings of the Federation.

“In conclusion your Executive is very grateful to all. Women’s Institutes in for the- manner in which they have carried on the good work of our movement throughout the past troublous year. They feel the women of our country can do much lpr the welfare of our Empire by co-ordina-tion and steady harmonious work. In the future as in the past wo feel sure that our members will uphold the motto of the Women’s Institutes of the world—“ For Home and Country.”