THE W.E.A.

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 53, 4 March 1922, Page 9

THE W.E.A.

SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING

SATISFACTORY PROGRESS.

The seventh annual meeting of the Wellington branch of the Workers' Educational Association was held in the Trades Hall last evening, the president, Mr. M. J. Forde, being in the chair. There was but a moderate attendance.

' The; chairman; in. moving the adoption of the report, said that, all things considered,, the year had been satisfactory.The elementary economics class, 'however, had been poorly attended, and the Lower Hutt classes 8,. "fizzle.". The council had a busy year ahead'of it. The fortnightly,lectures during the year had proved of great value, and it; was intended that similar lectures should be given during the : coming 'year. ' , Tha financial support given during the year he considered fairly good, as had alsobeen the affiliation of industrial bodies, but the attendance of members of industrial associations at the classes had not been satisfactory. ..Apparently industrial /bodies believed that if they paid their guineas they had dona enough, but the council wished to see aa many members as possible in attendance. The report stated that the work accomplished by the centre during the year must jbe considered satisfactory, when the disadvantages under which the association worked Avere considered.Satisfaction was expressed at the' success which had followed the appointment of a full-time tutor- for the lianawatu district, and the council w- \ seriously considering the question of the appointment of further full-time tutors in- other parts of the district. A tutor had been appointed for the Westport district for, half a term, and the success achieved warranted further consideration. ,The question of finance was th« chief obstacle. . . '

The number of classes in operation during the session was twenty-two, one more than last year, while the year had also shown an increase in the number of effective students. The greatest increase in the number of classes was on the West Coast, which district offered afruitful ground for the iiiovement •it sufficient finance could be obtained to continue the work. There had been a decrease in 'the number of classes in the Manawatu district, but it was gratifying to note that the number of effective students in that district had exceeded) tha* of last year. The movement, it was considered, should ,be'placed on a stronger basis in Hawkes Bay, and attention should also be paid to the Taranaki district that the-clasf might be organised to enable^ an earlier start to be made in the session. - The receipts during the year totalled £686 6s 9d, as compared with £703 6s 8d for the previous year, and the expenditure £614 17s as against £633 29 6d for the previous yeai. The following were elected representatives -of the body, upon .the district council: Mesdames Schofield and Forde, Messrs. Schofield and Forde, and Jjlus' Joosten. "'.' ■ ■-„'■ :;