THE Y.W.C.A.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21578, 25 February 1932, Page 8

THE Y.W.C.A.

The Young Women’s Christian Association has for many years occupied a recognised and honoured place in the community. It performs year in and year out a social service of a very valuable kmd, and it carries on its work efficiently and quietly under the stimulus of a Judicious guidance and an enthusiasm which never wanes. Only those who are conversant with the inner working of the Association and the nature off its operations are in a position to appreciate fully the extent of the services which it renders. The Association does not function in the strong light of publicity, but the citizens will need no assurance that when such an institution does bring t prominently before the public the cause iwhich it represents as one requiring assistance, the need of a helping hand! is very real. The activities of the Y.W.C.A. are various, but of these only that which is represented in the hostel is self-supporting. Out of current revenue the Association has to provide for the maintenance of all its other departments, meet the cost of administration, pay groundrent and, since it is neither a wholly educational nor wholly religious institution, it must pay rates as well. The income which it derives from subscriptions can go only a short way towards meeting the obligations which it incurs in the conduct of its work, and its resources must be otherwise augmented. The Association really ' requires between £4OO and £SOO li year in order to be able to continue its activities, and the only source to which it can look for! the necessary finance is the community which it serves. Last year iit refrained from launching a public appeal in Dunedin because of the prevailing economic conditions, and as a. result has overrun its resources and incurred an indebtedness to the extent of about the amount which it might have expected to receive had it made Such an appeal. Its financial position now impels the Association, however, to come before the public and ask for a replenishment of its funds in order that it may pay its way and carry on ifts work, and the appeal to this end that is to be made in the city to-morrow; is deserving of all the support that oan be given it. It may be suggested tjhat the time is not particularly favourable for making a street collection, but, as has been pointed out, the public ffias apparently no difficulty in finding money for amusements and for various purposes through the medium of lotteries and art unions. Moreover, it should be safe to assume that the people of Dunedin hold the Y.W.C.A. in too high an esteem to permit its useful work to languish for lack of a generous contribution to its Lunds now that this is specifically invite*!. It is just at such a time as this that the form of social service rendered by the Y.W.C.A. is particularly important. It is easy to see that, if in normal times the demands made upon the Association are great, the call under present conditions for its helpful and alleviating ministrations Is magnified, and the need for providing it with funds is augmented. The fact that many young women are , out of employment in the community at the present time itself involves an increased demand upon the Y".W.C.A. to do what it can for those who seek its assistance. Last week an, appeal on behalf of the Y.W.C.A. in Christchurch —which has found Itself financially in the same position as the Dunedin Association —resulted in the raising, mainly by street collection, of over £550. The response to the appeal of the Y.W.C.A. in Dunedin should not reveal that this community is less liberal in assisting a cause so deserving.