VICTORIA LEAGUE

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27339, 3 May 1954, Page 2

VICTORIA LEAGUE

Visitor From London Headquarters

MISSION OF MRS P. K. BOULNOIS

Mrs P. K. Boulnois, an official representative from the headquarters of the Victoria League in London, arrived In Christchurch on Saturday on a 10day visit, and is the guest of Mrs J. Mowbray Tripp, president of the Canterbury branch of the league. Mrs Boulnois said there was a need to promote goodwill, friendship, and understanding throughout the world, and she believed that the Victoria League was doing much to achieve that aim, and that it was increasing in strength and influence, both in England and overseas. As a means of widening interest in the league's work, Mrs Boulnois said in an interview yesterday, headquarters in London had set up a branches’ committee whose sole Job was to form new branches in different parts of Britain, and this committee was meeting with great success. The decentralising of the league’s activities and the formation of branches in the boroughs of London had increased membership and stimulated good fellowship. ’’We have a very strong Young Contingent,” continued Mrs Boulnois, “and the members give splendid service. Every evening some of them are on duty to welcome visitors to the league. Every fortnight they hold a coffee party, where 250 young people, many from overseas, are entertained. They cater for all tastes by arranging film entertainments, concerts, square dancing parties and country expeditions."

Mrs Boulnqis said that in the year before the Coronation 2600 visitors had called at headquarters for the first time, and 10.000 invitations to various forms of entertainment had been issued. During Coronation year the membership increased greatly.

Mrs Boulnois’s present mission is to visit every branch of the league in the Southern Hemisphere. Since leaving England she has spent five months in South Africa and two and a halt months in Australia. She visited every branch of the league from Perth to Brisbane, travelling almost entirely by air, and then continued her journey to New Zealand. She arrived in Auckland at the end of March, and after spending a week there, she visited the new and flourishing branch at Whangarei. She next went to New Plymouth. Wanganui and Wellington, and last week she arrived in Blenheim, where she spent five days enjoying meeting members of the league and of its very energetic Young Contingent. Throughout her tour Mrs Boulnois has been impressed by the increasing Interest in the league’s activities and by the hospitality and kindliness of the members in each country of the Commonwealth.

CATHOLIC WOMEN’S LEAGUE

ANNUAL, CONFERENCE ' The annual conference of the Catho- ' lie Women’s League of the Christchurch diocese opened in Christchurch ' on Saturday and will continue today. ' Bishop Joyce, in his opening address, welcomed the delegates, including representatives from the Waimate, Tlmaru, Ashburton, Akaroa and Hokitika leagues. He commended their work ter their church and for the community and wished then! success in their deliberations. An address on the work of the league was givhn by the Dominion president (Miss K. O'Connor) and this was followed by a helpful address on the correct procedure at meetings given by Mr P. M. Mac Shane, who later answered many questions After lunch, at which delegates were the guests of the Council of the Christchurch league, an address on “ParentChild Relationship in Education” was &r by <ff^^C&U U a Ur fl i g 1 ’ “Loyola, the Soldier Saint,” was screened. *

BRITISH SAILORS’ SOCIETY

LYTTELTON BRANCH A deputation from the Lyttelton branch of the British Sailors’ Society will attend the next meeting of the Lyttelton Borough Council to ask that provision be made for an Association football ground on the new playing area near Erskine Point, Lyttelton. The matter was discussed at the annual meeting of the branch ,on . Thursday evening. Most of the crews of ships from Britain played Association football, it was reported, and it was considered that 70 or more matches a year could be arranged. The branch will write to the council asking it to receive the deputation. The following officers were elected:

patron, the Governor-General (Sir ' Willoughby Norrie); president, Mr Wallace C. Keetley; vice-presidents, Messrs A. K. Dyne and T. F. M. Gibson; secretary, the Rev. R. J. Witty; treasurer. Miss W. M. Hatchwell; board of directors. Misses J. R. Sneddon, B. L. Sanden, Mesdames J. A. Merry, D. E. Hansen, J. R. Wells, G. W. C. Smithson, A. K. Stuart the Rev. D. K. Boyd, the Rev. L. Divers, Captain R. ‘L. Warren, Messrs E. Fraser, P. J. Byrne, G. F. Phillipy, and L. J, Warren. The April meeting of the Christchurch branch of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union was held in the Cambridge terrace Methodist Sunday School. Mrs H. A. Hunt presided. Sympathy was expressed with Miss LovellSmith in her illness. Miss Howarth read a temperance fact Miss Thomas reported on the executive meeting and on that of the New Zealand Alliance. Arrangements were made for the annual birthday party in May, ~