NAPIER W.E.A.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 80, 16 March 1933, Page 5

NAPIER W.E.A.

PAST YEAR REVIEWED. THE ANNUAL REPORT. The annual meeting of the Napier branch of the W.E.A. was held last night at the Athenaeum Hall, Napier. The president (Mr J. Clark Thompson) in his report stated, inter alia:— "Your executive in placing before you the annual report of the year 1932 wishes to take this opportunity of thanking all who have supported the W.E.A. movement in Napier in the session under review, and trusts that the activities as outlined in the report will warrant continued support in the session just commenced. "Financial support for W.E.A. activities has declined markedly with the present economic depression. This is felt more particularly by the district council, which suffered a severe reverse with the withdrawal of Government assistance, but the branch itself has not regained its numerical strength since the earthquake and donations by local bodies and other kindred organisations are still discontinued. In consequence the balance sheet once more shows a slight loss on the year’s activities but much less than the previous year. During the coming session it will probably be decided to curtail expenses, and it should therefore be possible to show a small surplus. "Taking everything into account the branch membership must be considered most encouraging. The number of subscribing members during the year and the average attendance was most satisfactory. The executive wishes to record its grateful appreciation of donations received from Messrs G. Husheer, C. Douglas, R. C. 8. Foster, J. H. M. Meek and E. Bartie. "In conclusion we wish to impress upon members that the welfare of the organisation depends to a great extent upon their own efforts, and it behoves us all to endeavour to enrol at least one member. If this practice is adopted there can bo no doubt as to the future prosperity of the W.E.A. in Napier.” The election of officers resulted as follows:—Patron, Mr G. Husheer; vicepresidents, the Revs. McCutcheon, F. de Lisle, E. T. Olds and Messrs J. Clark Thompson, C. Douglas, A. G. Pallet, W. E. Barnard, M.P., J. Mason, J. A. Hart, W. Somerset-Smith, H. W. Lee, M. F. Constable and W. T. Foster, and Mesdamcs Meek and Henley; executive committee, Mrs Ritchie and Messrs B. 8. Barnett, J. Clark-Thomp-son, J. McLean, J. H. M. Meek, A. K. Goss, R. C. Foster and C. W. Nash; secretary and treasurer, Mr C. W. Nash; auditor, Mr A. R. Goss; trustees, Messrs C. W. Nash and J. H. M. Meek.