THE YEARS AHEAD

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 82, 3 October 1941, Page 8

THE YEARS AHEAD

RESPONSIBILITY OF YOUTH

LADY NEWALL AT Y.W.C.A.

Dressed in the neat grey uniforms of their service, Wellington Y.W.C.A. members of the St. John Voluntary Aid Division formed a guard of honour for her Excellency Lady Newall when she arrived at the Y.W.C.A. last night for the annual meeting. Her Excellency is the association's patroness and the occasion was made a special one in her ihonour. The guard of honour lined the hallway from the entrance doors to those of the Blue Triangle Hall, ' where the meeting was held. The ' stage was bedecked with flowers, and a lovely bouquet was presented to her Excellency by one of the girls. The hall was crowded with members and there was a large official party, including the president of the Welling- ' ton Association, Mrs. J. S. Martin, Mrs. Peter Fraser, Mrs. T. C. A. Hislop, Mrs. David Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Leigh Hunt, Mrs. A. D. Priestley, Mrs. R. Pearson, Mrs. P. M. Cameron, Miss Ethel Law, Miss D. M. Lynn, Miss M. Chappell, Miss Norah Walton (who accompanied j her Excellency), and Mr. W. M. Page. . In welcoming Lady Newall, the president said that her interest gave great encouragement to the association., Its membership, she said, included girls of 13 to grandmothers of 80, and worthwhile interests were provided for one and all. Miss Lynn, general secretary, spoke to the annual report, and* Mrs. D. M. Cameron, hon. treasurer, to the balance-sheet, and a short address was given by Mr. Leigh Hunt, of the Advisory Board, who paid tribute to the capable and business-like lines on which the association is run. Young people of today, he said, were privileged to have social institutions such as those of the V.M.C.A. and Y.W.C.A. to cater for their leisure hours, and he compared their lot with those of boys and girls of 50 years ago. -Such institutions, with their Christian basis and good fellowship, were well equipped, said Mr. Hunt, to play a big part in the reconstruction of this unhappy world. TWO QUESTIONS. A very inspiring address was given by her Excellency. She said that she knew a good deal of the work of the Y.W.C.A.; and that the red and blue triangles were signs of welcome, warmth, comfort, and companionship the world over. She spoke of her interest in. young people, and stated that, in spite of all the horror, the present •day provided them with a wonderful, and thrilling experience could they but realise it. She asked them to ask themselves two questions. One was "Am I drifting or am I steering my ship as intelligently as I possibly can?" Each person had to make numerous decisions every day, said her Excellency, and each decision mattered. Day by day we built our own future and our own character, and the young people, through their own self-discipline, had it in their power to make New Zealand a great and wonderfulcountry. The second question was, "Is there anything else I can do to help1- in the war effort?" The Empire, said her Excellency, was fighting for her life. Fifth column methods fed on all that was weak and base, and only courage and sustained effort. would win this battle. • Mrs. A. D. Priestley thanked Lady Newall for her address, and she also extended thanks to many others, who, through their work and their interest, helped the association. A tribute was paid by Mrs. R. Pearson to Mrs. F. S. Martin, who was reelected president. Mrs. Knox Gilmer and Misses Toulson and Veitch were re-elected to the board of directors, and Mesdames T. L. Dailey, P. Gladstone Hughes, A.iLawson, and Miss L. C. Speedy were elected as new members. There were two musical interludes, folk songs being sung by the Campers' Choir, and before the serving of supper iAuh representatives were presented lone by one to her Excellency, each walking up on to the stage and ; curtsying.