GIRL GUIDES' ASSOCIATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21148, 4 October 1930, Page 23

GIRL GUIDES' ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Otago Girl Guides’ Provincial Association was held in the Town Hall yesterday afternoon, and was well attended by the ladies interested in the movement. Following is a summary of the annual report:—Our numbers have fluctuated this year, but a pleasing sign is the increase. in Brownies. New packs have been formed at Cromwell, Owaka, Clyde, North-East Valley, and Caversham, and in most cases the older packs have had to refuse to add to their numbers. It is most gratifying to report on the marked increase of first class and all-round cords gained this year, a clear indication- of the high standard of work. New Ranger companies have been formed at Dunedin and Palmerston. The. usual captains’ •class has been held by Miss Feichley, and is of great benefit. A Guiders’ Club has also been formed by Miss Feichley, any many, happy evenings have been held. The fine gift of a year’s rent from and Miss Greenslade enabled us to realise a cherished ambition, a Guide room, and we were fortunate in securing a central position. We are indeed grateful to those two ladies, for the . Guide room fulfils a long felt want and is of great benefit to all. The opening of it was celebrated on March.o, and we were delighted to have Miss Greenslade as guest -of honour. In October a Brown Owls’ Conference was held at Otimai, Auckland, and Otago was represented by four Brown Owlsfrom Dunedin, and to Miss Campbell fell the honour of being the first Hakoko, or Laughing Owl, in New Zealand—a well-earned; distinction. We wish to express our grateful thanks to Mr Cheeseman, who so kindly lent the association an office for three years, and for assistance in many ways;, Mr and Mrs Cheesemah have given us a silver cup in memory of their daughter, and a yearly competition in ambulance, childnurse, and sick nurse badge work will be held, to be competed for by all Otago companies. To the many friends who have helped up, in the furnishing of our Guide room we offer our thanks. During the year the Guides have collected and. distributed food and clothing to distressed people, and endeavoured in many ways to live up to the Guide law of helpfulness. Guiding in the country divisions has progressed welL The Provincial Executive has given a silver cup .to be competed for annually by the Guide companies in Central Otago, and we hope to promote annual sports, rallies in each division. These rallies are . the means of gathering the various districts together, thus enabling fresh ideas'-apd comparisons to be made.

The Mayor (Mr R. S. ’Black), who presided, referred to the death of Miss Phyllis Cheeseman in sympathetic terms, and called upon those present to stand as a. mark of respect, the request being complied with.

In his opening remarks the Mayor referred to the good work that was being, ably cirried out by the Girl’Guides’ Association, in connection with which dis : ciplinie, thoughtfulness, and care of the sick and aged were taught, and gave Mrs C. de R. Andrews a great deal of credit for: haying been instrumental in bringing this about. Mrs Andrews,’ he said, had been a wonderful asset to Otago. He noticed that the membership was increasing, which showed that the movement was appealing to young girls. Later, Mr Black moved the adoption of the report and balance sheet, which disclosed that the ; outgoings had been £391 10s fid, and that there was a .credit balance of £97 17s 7d.' This, he said;showed that'the work .had been.carried out on very economical lines. Mr C. B. Barfowclough, in seconding the,'motion, complimented the association .upon -the’ good work it had accomplished. It was very pleasing to know that the association was progressing. It was approaching a critical stage in its career, arid its progress was making demands upon its reserves. To him, the day seemed to be approaching when they might ask the public to give that support which the movement deserved. It deserved the support of the-citizens. .The only revenue they could rely upon was about £3O from donations, and against that they bad incurred considerable expenditure,. and they would have' recurring expenses. The point he wanted to make was that their affairs had reached the stage when they deserved more support from the. general public. He thought that there would be no difficulty in enrolling members from amongst the business community. '■ The motiori- was carried. The following office-bearers were elected on the motion of Dr Borrie:— •President, the Mayoress (Mrs R, S. Black); vice-presidents—Lady Ferguson, Mrs Taverner, Mrs E, I. Halsted,- Mrs Macfie.Mrs A. Barnett, Mrs R. H. Stevenson, Mrs P.' R. Sargood, Mrs T, 0. Ross, Miss F. Ross, Mrs Borrie, and Mrs Vivian ■■ Jacobs; committee—Mesdames Cleghprn, Davies, Stuart Moore, Beath, A. Cameron, W, Keith Cameron,'Gray, Gilmore, and Miss J. -Bauka-Wilaon. Mrs Andrews, provincial commissioner, reviewed the work that had been done. The Dominion camp, she said, had done much, to widen their views and sympathies,. The disastrous weather had been the means of bringing into special prbmirieiico the Guide law of cheerfulness. This year they had been trying to work up the Lone Guide Division for those who were unable to join Guide divisions, bn account Of the remoteness of their , homes. In the Girl Guide movement the greatest thing of all was the cultivation of a spirit of friendliness. A monthly class for captains had been of great benefit. They were looking forward to-the visit of the Chief Scout and Chief Guide, Lord and Lady BadenPowell, who would be in Dunedin on March 13, 14, and 15. Their-greatest need for this year was Guiders, and .in an appeal for girls to take up the worit of officers of companies it would be foolish to pretend that the work was light, or easy. Mrs Black' moved a hearty vote of thanks to the speakers, to all those who had taken part in the meeting, and to the City Council for the use of the Council Chamber,