Y.M.C.A.

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3146, 26 July 1917, Page 6

Y.M.C.A.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE. The annual conference of the Y.M.C.A. was opened in Welliugton yesterday. There were thirty-three delegates present, Mr. H. W. Kerslcy (Wellington) presiding. • • The secretary reported that there was a. total adult membership, in Now Zealand of 2230, and 1520 at the front. The boys in the junior department numbered 1743; grand total, 5493. The statement of assets showed buildings valued at £118,000. The national treasurer stated the Association's average monthly expenditure in New Zealand on. camps and troopships was iSITOO. The total receipts for the war fund were £95,000. Of that £12.200 had been spent on soldiers in New Zealand, .£46,000 remitted for the benefit of soldiers in Europe and Egypt, and there was a balance in hand of over £20,000. ' Messrs. A. Varney and H. M. Smeeton gave an account of their visit to England and the front. The conference passed a motion deprecating the National Committee being made an avenue for the sending of money 'from New Zealand to individual soldiers— tho opinion being that the banks and the Government provided more suitable channels. It w:as also decided to canvass throughout .New Zealand to secure promises of sustaining subscripto.ns for stated periods for the funds of the National Committee. Mr. C. M>. Luke opened n dicussion on tho returned soldier problem by presenting the report of the Association's Commission on returned soldiers. Speakers considered it desirable to extend the work of the organisation to tho country, and it was resolved to appoint the Wellington Executive as a committee to select rural secretaries. The conference will continue to-day.. '.