NOW INDISPENSABLE.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 12 March 1930, Page 6

NOW INDISPENSABLE.

WOMEN’S REST INSTITUTION. FINAL LIABILITY CLEARED OFF A HAPPY CELEBRATION. Two and a-half years ago a band of ladies set about establishing in Levin a building which should serve as a Women’s Best and as headquarters for the local branches of the Plunket Society, the Women’s Institute and the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union. With constant zeal and admirable co-operation r,hoy worked, raising money both by direct appeals and by the organising oi. entertainments, and in the last month of 192« the convenient little building in Oxford Street was officially opened. It had been completed some time before that, however, and was actually in use on the night of the general election, November 14th, when the happy idea of serving refreshments during the long vigil of the crowd was put into effect. From that time onward the institution steadily grew in popularity, affording a quiet retreat and restingplace" for ladies and children visiting or passing through the town, whether from the surrounding district or further afield. They have always found a good friend in the custoddm Mrs Fiegler, and have carried away with them the most favourable impressions. The cost of the building was slightly over £IOOO, and at the time nf the official opening the committee had a debt of £2OO to clear. Several efforts during the past year reduced this considerably, and with the committee **s share of the catering proceeds from the A. and P. Show this year and some donations by business people the liability was recently wiped off. To mark the event a gathering of the committee took place in one of the rooms' ycstcijday afternoon, and this was mads the occasion, of some happy speeches and appropriate presentations. There was an attendance of about thirty, ladies, and Mrs T. Hobson, president of the committee, occupied the chair. Apologies for absence were received from Mrs H. Denton, Mrs C. G. Wilson and Miss MeKeg g- , In opening the proceedings, Mrs Hobson said they had met together to celebrate the, liquidation of the debt on the Rest Room, and she felt sure that the committee thought this was the greatest event that had ever happened. It had been accomplished as the result of very hard work, but she believed that the members had all enjoyed it and realised that they had accomplished something worth while.

The balance-sheet and a report covering the campaign were read by Mr H. L. Jenkins, Town Clerk, who had acted as treasurer, and were adopted on the motion of Mrs M. Gorringe, seconded by Mrs R. W. Percy.

PRINCIPAL SOURCES OF FUNDS,

The report stated that, in the bal-ance-sheet, all the items shown were nett. The total actual receipts from all sources were £1129 6s, which must bo considered a very creditable effort for two years’ work. The first moneys raised were derived from the creche and sundry other undertakings at the 1928 A. and P. Show, and the proceeds from catering at the 1930 A. and P. Show virtually saw the completion of the effort. The main sources of revenue bad been straight-out donations, which produced £365 11s 4d, the Baby Carnival, which, together with the Wind-up Carnival, produced the creditable total of £4ll 10s 7d, and the three Show efforts, which realised £129 16s 3d. The balance of the funds had fruu. functions, c-.di of which had returned a quite respectable sum. In regard to the payments, it would be seen that the back rent paid on the leasehold property in Oxford Street, resumed by the Borough Council, amounted to £26 16s 7d. Interest paid bn overdraft at the Bank of New Zealand was" £6 8s 6d, .and trophies for the Baby Carnival cost £3 12s. The small amount of £8 15s 8d was expended on printing and advertising, postages, and other sundry items, leaving a nett balance of £1039 3s 3d. Of this balance, £IOO6 6s 5d had been expended on the building, and £32 16s lOd on furnishing.

GROWING POPULARITY OF THE RESORT. "It may interest the members of yonr Committee." the report added, "to learn that good use is being made of tlio room-- i.y the general pao.ic The total number of visitors for the first year, according to the attendant's reports, was 4118. The increasing popularity of the institution may bo gauged by the following tally of visitors for the months of January and February, 1930, the figures for the corresponding months of last year being shown in 484 (340); February, 480 (237)." FINANCIAL PARTICULARS. The details of the financial statement were as follows: RECEIPTS. I s. d.

PAYMENTS. £, a. d. Printing, and stationery 5 12 0 Postages, telegrams, etc .. 2 6 2 Back rent on leasehold .. 26 16 7 Trophies re Baby Carnival 312 0 Interest on-Bank overdraft 0 8 6 Bank charge 15 0 Stamping Bank guarantee 2 6 .Erection of building £IOO6 6 5 Furnishing .. 32 16 10 Total £IOB4 16 0 GENEROUS PUBLIC RESPONSE. Mrs Hobson said that, although the times experienced when the campagin was hold had not been very good, every effort had brought in a satisfying return, and it had often been a wonder to her where the money had come from. The thanks of the committee were due to all who had supported them. In most movements there was a certain amount of opposition to contend with, but in this case there had been very little. The total of over four thousand visits to the Rest Room last year and the fact that the attendance last month was double that of February, 1929, showed that the institution was a necessary adjunct to the town. The business men had given very liberal support to the project, and the committee’s thanks were due to them, also to the people who had willingly worked for the movement, none of whom had sent in a bill for their services. If money had had to be raised to pay for all that help, the liability would not have been cleared off as soon as it was. There had been times when the speaker had wondered whether ail the money*, needed would ever be raised, but everything had gone well Prior to the last Show, the committee owed £6B, and after the receipts from that fixture she raised the balance by a brief canvass among business and other people. At the same time she recognised that, had another effort been necessary, all concerned would have turned to without any hesitation. Thanks were due to ladies interested in the A, and P. Association for the help which they had given the committee at the Show. All engaged in that effort had worked like Britons, and no matter what had been asked of them, they did it; that was why the whole enterprise (had gone on sso smoothly. The committee had to thank the guarantors of the overdraft, some of whom had evidently been signatories unknown to the committee. The overdraft could not have been obtained without the backing of the guarantors, each of whom by signing became responsible for the whole amount. A vote of thanks to the guarantors, to be communicated to each of them in writing, was passed on the motion of Mrs P. W. Goldsmith, seconded by Mrs F. R. Wright.

SPECIAL, SERVICES. Mrs Hobson added that the committee were also indebted to the president {Mrs Wright) and secretary (Mrs Gorringe) of the Levin branch of the W.D.F.U., the secretary (Mrs W. Smaill) of the'local Plunket Society, and the secretary (Mrs D, Malcolm) of the Levin "branch of the Women’s Luslitute, who during the Baby Carnival, had taken all the work on their own shoulders. Then there were the members of the general committee, who had pulled together excellently; although they had been, together for two and a-half years, they were just about as good friends as when they hadstarted —a fact which spoke well for every one of them. The members felt that they each had a plank in the building; they had helped to put it up. To the secretary, Mrs Bartholomew, the speaker was unable adequately to express her appreciation; that lady had been wonderful secretary and a good business woman, and had treated the President with unfailing courtesy. If they had not agreed on some points, they had always been able to talk them out and come to some decision. She hoped that if she had any work to bo done in the future, she would have the same secretary. Mr Jenkins had taken all the financial worry off the committee’s shoulders; the money had simply been paid to him from time to time and he had balanced it an banked it. He had been a pillar of strength to them, and they owed him many thanks. The Press were to be thanked for publicity given to the movement, Mr W.. Capper for transport, Boy Scouts for giving their useful services at the Show, and a number of generous friends for having donated furniture and other-articles to the Rest Room, thus saving the committee the need of further money-raising efforts. There wero many people whose names had not been mentioned, because of their number, who had helped the cause along in one way and another, and to all of them the promoters were very grateful.

TANGIBLE TOKENS OF APPRECIATION. A pleasing ceremony was then undertaken, when Mrs Hobson present ed Mrs Bartholomew with a rhinestone necklet and Mr Jenkins with a pipe in token of the committee's appreciation of their services. A pretty posy was also handed to Mrs Bartholomew, on behalf of tho committee, by Mrs GorringO;, A graceful tribute was paid to the President when Mrs Wright, at the request of the committee, made her the presentation of a handsome leather suit-case, inscribed with the initials “A.E.H.” The speaker said that it gave her much pleasure to carry out this duty. The ladies wished to acknowledge in a small way Mrs Hobson’s splendid work in connection with the building of the Rest Room, and to ask her to accept’this gift from her committee in remembrance of tin t Jmpny but hard-working days together. it was grand to know that the Rest Room was really built and paid for, but better still "to know that all the work | connected with it had gone oil so I smoothly and happily. Mrs Wright did not thinkgtlint this could have been done without Mrs Hobson's kindly influence among them. The result of the combined efforts had shown that women could work together harmoniouslv ;r>d ‘'llic'cid : y end Hint they could | successfully achieve what they set out | to do. The. members all Imped tint] Mrs Hobson w»u ! d find their little gift j useful lha! 1: would accompany her

on many happy journeys and always bring her back to Levin,.

Mrs Hobson was also the recipient of a beautiful posy from the committee.

The presentations were followed in oach case by hearty applause. Mrs Bartholomew briefly but feelingly returned thanks for the committee’s kiddness.

The President was emotionally stirred by her co-workers’ mark of esteem, which, she assured them, she would greatly treasure. It would be with her on a trip id a fortnight’s time to Dunedin, where she would attend the diamond wedding of her parents (Rev. C. H. and Mrs Statham). Mr Jenkins said he appreciated very much the present to himself, which had taken him by surprise. He had had about the easiest time in the enterprise, and would not have liked to ox-, change places with any of the ladies engaged in it. He was very pleased to know that what he had done had given satisfaction, and the gift would help to remind him of his association with the project. If in the months to conic there was no more trouble in the maintenance of the institution than there had been in the erection of the building, he would be well satisfied.; The meeting, on the motion of Mrs Bartholomew, accorded a vote of thanks to Mr F. J. Ramsay for having acted as auditor.

Mrs Hobson declared the committee disbanded, its work having been finished and the building taken over by the municipality. All present were then entertained to a capital afternoon tea. The townspeople who contributed in response to Mrs Hobson's appeal to clear the balance-of the debt after the Show were Messrs W. S. Park J. W. Rimmer, W. Falloon, J. Dunn, W. Davie, A. W. Allen and A. Dempsey, Mrs L. J. Hunter, and Mrs H. Hannan. The posies, which were much admired for their artistic effect, were the work of Mrs M. Gorringo.

Donations 365 11 4 A. and P. Show effort, 1928 40 6 3 A. and P. Show catering, 1929 46 0 0 Do., 1930 43 10 0 Tennis parties 23 12 0 Levin Tennis Club tourney 10 5 9 Night Carnival, Levin Park Domain 23 17 0 Sale of cakes 16 2 Proceeds Children’s Dance 8 12 6 Refreshments on election night, 1928 10 5 9 Proceeds Shop Day (1) .. 15 4 3 Do. (2) 15 0 0 Interest Post Office Savings Bank 12 8 2 Women’s Institute, for chair o 5 0 ; Sale of gift stock .. .. 13 10 6 1 Croquet afternoon 10 9 o' Card party (1) 5 13 6 Do. (2) 6 2 6 Competition 8 9 0 : Chevrolet competition, 1930 1 Show 11 6 9 Baby Carnival — Plunket Society £64 14 6 • . Sports Baby 115 3 11 Partners’ Babv 93 14 4 ■ Wan aka u Baby 70 4 2 : - - 343 16 11 Wind-up. Carnival .. .. fI7 Pi ( ’ Total £1084 16 0