Women’s Institutes

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 44, 20 February 1941, Page 10

Women’s Institutes

STANWAY The February meeting was held on Wednesday last at Mrs. Miles’ home. The business part of the meeting was held in the pleasant shade of a tent and a large lir tree. Miss Clere presided. Notice was given of the annual council meeting of the Oroua Federation to be held in Feilding in April. Mrs. A. Marshall and Miss J. Rosser were elected delegates to attend this 'meeting. A letter acknowledged a Christmas parcel was received from Mr. Ned Marshall who is now with the Middle East Forces. It was brought, to the notice of the institute that a soldier was also serving with these forces and did not receive mail or parcels other than those forwarded by the Patriotic Board. The members decided to adopt this boy and will forward parcels, mail and illustrated papers. Miss Clere thanked all who had helped with donating the contents of the soldiers’ parcels, ten in number, aud also with the two nurses’ parcels, also to those ladies who had packed same and to Messrs. V. B. Short and R. Hamilton for soldering the many tins. Miss Clere also thanked all members who liad helped with entries for the preserved fruit and vegetable exhibit in the Institute section at the Feilding Show and a report on the number of points gained was also read. . Notice was given of a garden party to be held at the W.D.F.TJ. rest home at Awapuni on February 19. Mrs. A. Callingham kindly offered to act as stall holder following the resignation from this office of Mrs. A. Green. Notice was also given by' Airs. V. B. Short that a meeting of the Stanway Women’s Sewing Guild would be held in the Stanwav Hall on Wednesday, February 26, at 2 p.m., and all womenfolk of the district are invited to attend. Members are also reminded that the Stanway Institute will be helping with conducting of the Feilding Patriotic Shop on Friday, February 2S. Donations of any kind will be gratefully rbeeived. Afternoon tea was served on the lawn by the hostesses, Mesdames J. Whitehead, M. Smith, R. Hamilton and Miss R. Marshall. A treasure hunt organised by Miss Grace Marshall caused a lot of fun and was won by Misses Jean Groves and Jean Rosser. The results of the monthly competitions w r ere as follows: Best bioom, Airs. Whitehead 1, Airs. T. Green and Mrs. Evered 2; cooking, three cream puff cases, Airs. Rosser 1, Miss R. Alarshall 2; bottled plums, Afiss Clere 1, Airs. Callingham 2; arts and crafts, a garment to lit a child up to syrs., Aliss J. Rosser 1, Aliss D. Callingham 2. These garments were forwarded to St. Alary’s Home, Wellington. The competitions for the March meeting will be best bloom, cheese straws, and something new from something old, these entries to be donated to the Lady Galway Guild. (Members are also asked to donate garments apart from this competition. The hostesses ■will bo Alesdames Parsons, Evered, Cole and Miss D. Callingham. Members were reminded that annual subscriptions are due in March. CHELTENHAM There was a good attendance at the February meeting presided over by Airs. V. F. Short, w r ho extended a welcome to members and visitors. Alembers who had arranged the displays at the Feild* ing Show were thanked. Cheltenham was awarded first place for the floral carpet and tied for second place in the handcraft exhibits. As the March meeting of the institute clashes with the Feilding Horticultaural Show it was decided to hold the meeting on the first Wednesday. As this will be the annual meeting nominations were received for the new committee for the ensuing >'ear. Nominations for tho executive of the Oroua Federation were also made. The council meeting is to be held in April. Alembers were asked to attend the Oroua group meeting to be held at Kim* bolton on February 19, when the competitions will be for a 21b. fruit cake, a scarf and a pair of socks. It is to be hoped as many members as possible will attend. Tho president expressed appreciation of the gifts of a tin ol tea and a box of chocolates from Miss Henaghan and Airs. Andrews respectively’. These would be used for competitions. Mrs. FOrd, who took the Golden Thread, gave an interesting account of early' incidents in the life

of Francis Bee, who later became Mrs. David Ross and was well-known in the Hawke’s Bay district. Next month the series is to be continued by Mrs. W. G. {Short. Baby Wenzell was welcomed to the meeting and was presented with a money box. It was decided to forward five parcels to the Feilding centre and in addition two parcels were sent to local boys serving overseas. A very welcome visitor to the meeting was Miss Jean Billman, of Wellington, who for many years was a member. During the afternoon an interesting demonstration in Victorian posy making was given by Airs. V. F. {Short. A finished posy of delicate coloured flowers and berries displayed by Aliss Short W’as much admired and the steps in posy making wero closely followed. The competitions resulted: Christmas cake, Aliss Kenny 1 and 2; 11 entries. Flowers, six blooms, Airs. Carrielc 1, Mrs. Andrews 2. Next month the competitions are for three decoratlvj dahlias and three worked buttonholes.

cotton on cotton, for which Airs. Barltrop has donated a prize. The hostesses for the afternoon were Alesdames Fitzpatrick, Ford, Edelsten aud Aliss J. Anderson.

The afternoon was pleasantly warm and fine for the first meeting of 1941 and the president extended a welcome to nmny members. Airs. Hall, who has been in hospital, sent her apologies and a contribution to parcel funds. Some interesting letters from soldiers overseas who had received parcels were read also acknowledgements from district boys for Christmas parcels. With the approval of the federation it was unanimously decided that £5 of tho funds in hand should bo placed in a National Savings account. Discussion was held

on the annual picnic, final arrangements being for a day at the Esplanade and Bledisloo Park on March 5. In view of the annual meeting and election of offi-

cers next month, members were asked to forward all nominations by the end of February. Airs. AlcClclland, on behalf of members, expressed appreciation to Airs. Davey for the w’ork she had done for the institute in the position of president and requested that she allow her nomination to be forwarded again. In view of her expected absence from the district for the Afarcli meeting Aliss Eglinton tendered her resignation, Airs. AlcClelland being appointed secretary till the election of officers for the ensuing year. The roll call brought forth useful gardening hints. The speaker

for tho afternoon was Airs. Alartin, of Kopane, who gave an interesting account of her visit to France just prior to the outbreak of war. Thanking Mrs. Martin, tho i-iresident also asked her to convey to tho Kopane W.I. Kairanga’s congratulations for their success at the Feilding Show. Competitions judged by popular vote were as follows: Baby’s knitted singlet, Airs. Prouse 1, Alesdainps Turner and Kilgour equal 2, Airs. Yulo 3; juniors, Miss Aleager 1, best bloom, Airs. AlcClelland 1, Airs. H. Turner 2, Mrs. L, Clank 3. The hostesses were Alesdames AlcClelland, Prentice, Kilgour and Alitchell. The following competitions were announced for Alarch:—Seniors, 3 kisses; juniors, 3 date scones; roll call “written suggesj tions for the improvement of the programme”; hostesses Alesdames Aleager, Prouse, Pedersen and Aliss Aleager.