GUILD BIRTHDAY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 146, 5 June 1936, Page 15

GUILD BIRTHDAY

Memorable Meeting Held in Napier

FOUR YEARS OLD

The June general meeting of tho Napier Townswomen's Guild was held in its new meeting place in tho upstairs, Foresters’ Hall, yesterday afternoon, and the hall was taxed to its utmost. The members of the W.C.T.U. were guests of the afternoon and contributing also was an extremely fine speaker, Mrs de Castro, a play reading, a parade, musical items and a happy tea. This meeting was the fourth birthday of the Guild.

A profusion of well arranged flowers by members of the gardening section decorated the stage, table and piano. Mrs Bruce Barnett Was in the chair, and seated on the platform also were Miss Jerome Spencer (president), Mrs C. J. Bagley (bon. secretary), and Mrs de Castro.

After the Ode had been sung and the Aspiration said, Mrs Barnett extended a welcome to all. Miss Spencer then told the 'meeting that she had just’come from a visit to Mrs Henley, the Guild chairwoman, who is ill, and reported that she was slowly recovering and sent her love and warmest wishes.

An appeal for books for boys in France House, 12 to 16 years, was read. Miss Spencer then spoke on the birthday of the Guild, saying: "We all feel the pleasure to-day of being four years old. Never before have the women of Napier been brought together in such a wide way. Cultural interests have been developed and short courses have been 1 ken in debating and procedure of meetings. A new spirit has risen and the women aro leading in the unity of Napier. Other Guilds have been formed and they, too. are carrying on the work." Miss Spencer said the Guild had done more than it had expected to, and a feather in its cap was the achieving of a pure milk supply for the city. The Guild was a wonderful instrument and should go from strength to strength. Mrs Barnett paid a tribute to ’ the "mother" of the Guild, Miss Jerome

Spencer; also to Mrs E. A. W. Henley, the Guild "foster mother,” and sympathy was expressed with her in her illness.

Mr Gordon Madigan attended for a short time and rendered two fine vocal solos, at the conclusion of which Miss Spencer paid a tribute to his work in connection with the Guild magazine.

An exhibition of members’ work was ou view, embracing many arts and demonstrations given at general and sectional meetings. Mrs de Castro, Havelock North, was the speaker of the afternoon. She is the founder of the English-speaking Union in Australia, New Zealand and parts of Canada, and honorary commissioner at headquarters in London, for Australia and New Zealand.

Prior to her address (reported elsewhere), the chairwoman read the following letter from Lord Balfour, which Mrs de Castro treasured deeply: "Dear Mrs do Castro. —I hear you are engaged in extending the Englishspeaking Union in Australia and NewZealand. May I wish you all success. Mutual sympathy and knowledge and the personal services which form their fitting arrangement are the very life blood of the Empire and an organisation like the English-speaking Union, which promotes them, may perform invaluable work to men of our speech and race throughout the world. — (Signed) Balfour.” The literary section followed with a play-reading exceedingly well done, which held the interest of all. It was entitled "A Little Bit of Life” and taking part were Mesdames Bruce Barnett, W. O’Connell, Gordon Madigan and Miss C. Fannin.

Two splendid items were given by the Guild chqir under Mrs Rosowarne, and a costume parade followed, each lady representing a character in literature. They were: "Scherezade" from "Arabian Night," Mrs G. Madigan; High Jinks and Low Jinks from "If Winter Comes," Mrs Bagley and Miss Leithard respectively; Mrs Squeers (Nicholas Nickleby), Mrs B. Barnett; Red Queen (Alice in Wonderland), Miss 8. Smith; Duchess (Alice in Wonderland), Mrs Orr; Haiawatha (Longfellow), Miss Maris Clark; Minnehaha (Longfellow), Mrs C. B. Hansen; Christian (Pilgrim’s Progress), Miss C. Fannin; Evangeline (Longfellow), Mrs C. Sweetapple; Haidee (Count of Monte Cristo), Mrs K. O’Halloran; Julia from "Freedom Farewell,” by Phillis Bentley, Mrs P. Sorrell; Isabella (Measure for Measure), Mrs A. B. Davis; Tom Sawyer, Mrs Perry; Betsy Trotwood (David Copperfield), Mrs L. Wood. All members contributed to tea, over which a happy time was spent. The meeting was indeed a memorable one in the history of the Guild.