WOMEN’S NATIONAL RESERVE

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 171, 7 April 1923, Page 11

WOMEN’S NATIONAL RESERVE

ANNUAL MEETING _The annual meeting of the Women’s Reserve was held in St. John’s Schoolroom last evening. Mrs. L. 0. H. Tripp (president) was in the chair, and among those present were Mrs. Corliss (Dominion president) and Mrs. Porter (Dominion organising secretary). Apologies were received from Mrs. 'McArthur, Mrs. Staples, Mrs. W. Nathan, Mrs. Murray Gard’ner and Mrs. Coleridge. The report of the year’s work, presented by Mrs. Coghlan, hen. secretary, showed that good work had been done in all branches of reserve activity. The banking account showed a balance on the right side and membership generally had increased. The branches were numerous, and as each had its own statement of activities, the report was somewhat lengthy. The Mothers’ Help Division reported that from January, 1922, to January, 1923, one hundred and fifty-nine different homes had been visited, many receiving a number of visits at one period of time, and others having weekly or bi-weekly assistance, according to tho necessities of the mothers. There were four helpers whose conscientious work was highlv valued by the committee, viz., Miss White, Miss Whishaw, Miss Thomas and Mrs. Rose, and a new helper was shortly to take up her duties, as the increase of work made it impossible to fill all calls with the present staff. The report of the Girls’ Club stated that the year’s work again centred in the care of the graves at Karori Military Cemetery, and it had been found difficult to enlist the active help of new members to replace the loss of old ones. A strong effort was to be made to induce senior pupils leaving school to join up with the club as members. The schools continued to assist with the graves, though their attendance has been somewhat erratic during the year and it is hoped that better arrangements could be made for the forthcoming year, and also that the services of volunteer pupils might be enlisted during the holidays and recess. The club had now in hand a sum of £29 2s. 4d. The sub-centres of Gisborne, Hastings, Dannevirke, Hawera, Te Awamutu,' Featherston, Feilding, Kimbolton and the Thames were reported as active and keen, keeping their individuality though co-operating with other societies for the good of the district in which they ■worked. Feilding reported that over 20 families in unfortunate circumstances had been helped and £2O had been donated to the Residential Nursery. Tho most important work of the Hawera branch (luring the winter was the distribution of clothing to those in distress. Work similar to that of the Mothers’ Help Division, save that it is all honorary was also carried on. A record of excellent work was shown by the local branches. In many cases they had surpassed their efforts o“ the previous year. The branches included Khandallah (which had raised £76 6s. Bd. during the year) • Seatoun (which had raised £l9B 4s. 6d.); Karori Road, Northland and Kelburn (£53 9s. 5d.); Wellington South, Hataitai (which had given great help to the Sailors’ Mission);. South Kilbirnie and Lyall Bay; Lower Hutt (which raised £79 Os. Bd.) ; Wadestown (which paid £2O into the .Residential Nursery and £3 in subscriptions to headquarters office,' and also evolved plans for helping the unemployed and their famiL ies); Kelburn Girls’ Branch; Karori branch (gifts in kind to the nursery); Island Bay, Berhampore and the Emergency Effort branch. The balance sheet showed receipts amounting to £ll2 7s. 4d., and expenditure amounting to £6l Ils. 2d., leaving a balance in hand of £5O 16s. 2d. In moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet Mrs. Tripp traversed some of the activities of the reserve. Referring to the Mothers’ Help Division she pointed that it was not by any means a self-supporting work. They had to rely upon subscriptions to keep it going. The election of officers resulted as follows:—President, Mrs. L. O. H. Tripp (re-elected) ; honorary secretary, Mrs. Coghlan: assistant secretary, Miss Cooper; honorary treasurer, Miss Buxton; executive committee, the presidents of all the branches and different divisions, or their representatives. Eulogistic reference to the work. . of Mrs. Florence Porter as organising secretary, was made at the meeting. The executive expressed gratitude for help from the trustees of the McCarthy Fund; to Sir John Findlay and his staff for legal help and advice; to the returned soldiers for help on Anzac Day; to all the schools that helped with the Karori Memorial Cemetery; to Mr. Alexander, the honorary auditor; and to everyone who helped on the work in any way, however small.