Kaitaia Institute’s 15th Birthday Party

Northland Age, Volume XVII, Issue 62, 7 May 1948, Page 3

Kaitaia Institute’s 15th Birthday Party

There was a large crowd present to help members of the Kaitaia Women’s Institute celebrate the local Branch’s 15th birthday on Tuesday of this week, and a thoroughly successful and enjoyable function resulted from the efforts of many of those present. The party was opened with the singing of the Institute’s Ode, “Comrades and Friends,” followed by the reading of the Aspirations by the retiring President of the Branch, Mrs. Peter Wilkinson. Entertainment commenced with a musical parcels game, organised by Mrs. Colebrook and won by Mrs. P. Thompson. It was followed by playreading produced by Mrs. Dunne with a cast consisting of herself and Mesdames Dragieevich, Stan Holder, Len White ami A. H. Powell. A hoop game was won by Mrs. Kendrick’s team and was succeeded by two vocal items rendered by Mrs. Stan Holder. Mrs. Holder was accompanied on the piano by Mrs. B. McKinnon. While afternoon tea was being served, the fifteen candles on the birthday cake, made by Mrs. Knightbridge and iced by Mrs. P. Wilkinson, were lit by Mrs. I. Stanton, President of the recently-formed Waikuruki Branch of the Institute. They were blown out by Mrs. Ron Matthews of the Awanui Branch and the cake was cf# by Mrs. Shalders, President of the Northland Federation. While carrying out their pleasant duties, each of the visiting officers extended to” local members their best wishes for a happy and prosperous future. Two gift competitions followed and wgre won by Mrs. Goodhew and Mrs. Vallely respectively. Mrs. Vallely was a guest from Wanganui. A “something for nothing” competition was won by Mrs. B. McKinnon. During the course of the afternoon’s activities the newly-elected President of the Kaitaia Branch presented shoulder sprays to the retiring President, Mrs. P. Wilkinson, to Mrs. Shalders and to Mrs. A. H. Powell for her excellent work as Branch Secretary. Arriving just in time to be presented to members was the first letter from Kaitaia’s link Branch in the Mother Country, which had just celebrated its 18th birthday. Before the festivities were ended, members were informed that the "competitions for the June meeting would be : I—The best bloom ; 2 A toy for the playbox for Institute children. Notification was also given of the proposed visit of a handcrafts tutor in July. It is anticipated that the syllabus fo r the series of lectures will cover the basic Hand Arts and Crafts and will be of about six weeks’ duration (i.e., one to two-hour lectures once weekly). Persons who are interested in the course and wish to enrol as students, are requested to contact either the President (Mrs. A. Wf Bird), or the Secretary (Mrs. A. H. Powell).