THE NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2818, 18 March 1908, Page 13

THE NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL REPORT. (Feom Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON Januan 24. On the 30th inst. the annual general meeting of the New Zealand Association will be held, and the report is just out. The secretaries mention that the eocial gatherings held during the past year met with an encouraging measure o f sucos, and proved that the association can ser.e a very useful purpose in promoting &oc.al intercourse among the members of the Ni'.v Zealand "colony" in London. Sir Joseph Ward and Lady Ward attended the as;ocution'e whi6t drive in March last, and icofc part in the tournament, the Prime Mir.i ster afterwards presenting the prizes to the winners. In April the members of Ihe association were the guaste of the High Commissioner for New Zealand at a reception given by him at the Westminster Palace Hotel in honour of Sir Joseph an.! Lady Ward. There was a large atteiviance of New Zcalanders, and the funcriou wae a splendid success. Several other reunions have been held in the couree of the 12 months, one of the pleasantest and nio*t successful beino; the Cinderella dance hi-id on January 6 of this year at the Holboru Restaurant. The committees l-egret that co little use has been made by members of the club room at the Westminster Palace Hot«i. Apart from the social gatherings already rtflerred to, the rooms are practically never used, and after two years' experience it is fully evident, they say, that permanent club rooms are a luxury, for which there is no real demand. The rent, moreover, is a heavy strain upon the somewhat slemlei resources of the association, and in view or the deficit on the year's working, the committee feels that it has no option but to recommend that the rooms be given up at the end of the next quarter. P.e leased from the heavy burden of an ajmuo, rent of £185. the association should then have ample funds at ite command to wipe out its present liabilities, and to promote more frequent social gatherings in .he coining year. The accounts show a deficit, which is chiefly due to the large number of subscriptions still unpaid, amounting to about £60. If the members who are in arrears will pay their subscriptions promptly, the whole of the liabilities lav easily be cleared off. Very few applications for charitable aid were received by the committee during the past year. Each case was inquired into, and about £18 was paid out to various New Zealanders in distressed circumstances. Of this amount tl.p »tim of £5 has since been refunded. Siibecuptions to the charitable fund wilt he welcomed by the committee.