WORK OF THE Y.M.C.A.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20113, 26 November 1928, Page 11

WORK OF THE Y.M.C.A.

PAST YEAR REVIEWED.

SOCIAL SERVICE ACTIVITIES.

MANY FIELDS EXPLOITED.

A year of activity which lias been productive of much educational and social work is reviewed in the 73rd report of tho Auckland Young Men's Christian Association, to be presented at the annual meeting to-morrow evening by tho president, Mr. VV. J. Iloldsworth, and tlio general secretary, Mr. Vernon T. Drew. The report states that tho annual revenue had not como up to expectations, house receipts having dropped. Expenditure had been kept within the estimates, but the year ended October 31 showed a deficiency of £762. The overdraft at tho bank was £4333, compared with £3488 the previous year, tho amount increasing somewhat owing to the winding up of the Glen Eden branch and tho disbursement of certain trust funds. Lack of funds had made it impossible to keep the building in tho efficient state it should be in. There was urgent need for renovating and refurnishing and the recovering of floors was also becoming a serious matter.

Numerically the association maintained its standard, the report adds, members at present totalling 1778. Of these 601 were boys, 241 belonged to tho young men's division, 760 to the senior men's section, and 176 were classed as sustaining members. An outstanding feature of tho past year had been the completion of the Camp Lodge at Hunua, made possiblo by the action of the Rotary Club, which had collected £BOO toward tho total cost. Tho lodge would make for comfort and efficiency at future camps, and its design was a tributo to tho architect, Mr. B. B. Hooper. A Good Investment.

Referring to community work, the report states tho association was sometimes criticised for soliciting financial help, but all activities under this head were financially unproductive. On tho other hand, it was felt they returned great profit ns community servico investments. A special secretary had distributed 1304 letters of welcome among immigrants and individual servico had also been rendered many new settlers. Association representatives attended 23 different military camps in the Auckland district, ministering to tho needs and entertainment of over 7000 trainees. A total of 112 boys had been cared foi under the Big Brother movement. These boys, who had appeared bcforo tho Children's Court, were all given free membership and a special interest was taken in them by an appointed senior member. The work as a whole had been very much worth while. The appointment of the general secretary as an honorary child welfare officer had enabled him to attend tho Children's Court and to assist in various ways. As a result of grants by tho Costley trustees and the Child Welfare branch of the Education Department, 15 boys from the boys' hostel wero being given a secondary school education. Five of these boys, who wero sitting for matriculation this year, intended to pursue either medicine, journalism, architecture or engineering. Many Other Enterprises.

The association had acted as local representative for the Flock House scheme, as well as being closely associated with the Rotary Club in its sponsoring of Christ's Hospital boys and tho Church of England public school boys' scheme. In numerous other directions the report makes reference to widespread social work throughout the community. It adds that many club and gymnasium leaders had been provided and scores of pulpits had been filled during tho year. Over 860 books wero now in circulation in the library and about 300 lectures of an educational nature were given during the year. Several debates had also been held. A new organisation, known as the Optimists' Club, had done mucb excellent work. The young men's division, organised specially to retain in the Y.M.C.A. youths over 18, was performing creditable work. The gymnasium section had improved its finances, but a large group of boys catered for at small fees made it impossible to make this work self-supporting. There wero now 354 class members, although over 1000 were cared for, both within and without the building. A busy year was experienced by the athletic section.

The house department had not returned the expected revenue, owing chiefly to the large amount of private board offering and to the fact that the association took in many young men earning small wages at reduced tariffs. However, definite service had bepn rendered, and during the year 1201 different men passed through the building. .All wero small or moderate wage-earners.