WORK OF THE Y.M.C.A.

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 256, 26 July 1935, Page 2

WORK OF THE Y.M.C.A.

Wellington Membership Increases by 200 IMPROVED FINANCES The membership of the Wellington Y.M.C.A. has increased by 200 iu the past 12 months, ami the roll of tho boys’ department has reached the highest figure it has been at for some time, 415, according to a report presented by the general secretary, Mr. L. J. Greenberg, at the monthly meeting of the board of directors this week. The association had organised the Wellington programme of the Rev. Dr. Toyohiko Kagawa, which, excluding the Hutt Valley, had represented 21 services, receptions and meetings in eight days, with an aggregate attendance of 10,000, it was reported. The association had given its services free, and after meeting expenses a small credit balance would be available and would be forwarded to Dr. Kagawa for his settlement work iu Japan. In addition to the membership of the boys’ department it was reported that a* supplementary roll of ex-delin-quent boys was receiving the special attention of the association.

Reports from the boy employment committee showed that for the present year to date 461 boys had been placed in permanent positions in the city, 145 in temporary city positions and 64 on farms, leaving 247 still on the roll. These were mostly’ older youths of 18 and 19 years of age. Y.M.C.A. boys’ extension work had been done at Karori, where there was a membership of 35. Gymnasium enrolments had reached a total of 409, and in the residential department patronage had exceeded 90 per cent, of the available accommodation.

Public Appeal in August.

The finances of the association had shown a similar improvement. The finance committee reported that all current accounts, including interest, were now being paid, and it was hoped that before long the finances would have so improved that the directors would be able to reduce the mortgage on the main property in Willis Street. As in previous years, the association would have to look to the public for sufficient support to enable it to meet its current budget. The organisation in Wellington was nearly 90 per cent, self-supporting, but in view of the community value of its services it was felt that the association’s annual appeal was a quite legitimate claim on public philanthropy. The directors decided that this year’s appeal should take the form of a home collection to be carried out by the New Zealand Corps of Commissionaires In August. Simultaneously with an “ugly men’s” competition to be conducted by members, the members of the ladles’ auxiliary will conduct a home science afternoon early in August, and the annual spring fair is to be held in September. Following his recent visit to Christchurch Mr. Greenberg reported that he had completed arrangements for the Christmas and New Year holiday tour for members of the association and their lady friends, which would be by bus from Christchurch—a 1200mile tour including the Hermitage, Waitaki Hydro, the South Island lake districts, Queenstown, Dunedin, Timaru and Oamaru. The boys’ camp would be held at Otaki.