ACTIVITIES OF Y.W.C.A.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 September 1933, Page 3

ACTIVITIES OF Y.W.C.A.

TWELFTH ANNUAL MEETING PROPOSED EXTENSION OF HALL. APPEAL FOR FUNDS TO BE MADE. There was a large attendance at the twelfth annual meeting of the Y.W.C.A. at New Plymouth last night Mr. F. J. H. White presided. Apologies for absence included one from the Mayor (Mr. E. R. C. Gilmour) and Mrs. A. Alexander (the president). . The following officers were appointed for the ensuing year: Board members re-elected, Mesdames C. G. Bottrill, J. MacGregor, A. G. Johnson and D. Menzies, and Miss Drew; president, Mrs. A. Alexander; advisory board, Messrs T. H. Bates, T. C. List, J. McLeod, P. White (re-elected), Dr. P. C. Davie and Messrs F. Amoore and R. J. Deare. The report, already published, and the balance-sheet were adopted. The club account showed a debit of £74 10s 7<L Donations and special efforts had provided £229 10s Id, membership subscriptions and donations, £57 5s 4d (Y.W.C.A.) and £47 6s lOd (Y.M.C.A.), hire of hall £4O ss, classes and sundries £24 17s Bd, bank interest £3 7s 2d. The main items of expenditure were rates £24 7s, salaries £123 6s Bd, national quota £3O, advertising, printing and stationery £53 Is 2d, petty cash and general expenses £4O 4s 3d, electric light £23 14s Bd, repairs £l6 17s 4d, delegates’ travelling expenses £l7, depreciation £135 18s 7d. The hostel account showed a total ex-, penditure of £1245 8s 4d and a debit of £67 8s sd. The balance-sheet showed liabilities valued at £4721 4s 8d and assets valued at £9498 19s 3d.

FORWARD OR BACKWARD. Commenting on the balance-sheet Dr. Davie said it was gratifying to know that the local was the' most financial in the whole of New Zealand. Those responsible for the management of the finances were to be congratulated on this achievement. However, more" funds were needed, for they could not stand still; they must either go back or forward. He commended the splendid' work of the secretaries, Miss M. Greenwell and Mr. Ledgerwood and their assistants, Miss Bates and Mr.- Lucas. Dr. Davie went on to review the manysided activities of the association. The adoption was carried on the motion of Miss Drew, seconded by Mrs. MacGregor. Speaking of the growth of the Y.W.C.A.' and Y.M.C.A. the chairman pointed out that it was 70 years ago that Sir George Williams founded the YJM.C.A. The Y.W.C.A. followed shortly afterwards. In the comparatively short time since then the two associations ha<f accomplished much, but they wantec to accomplish more and it was up to the public to help. Mr. White said the problem of occupying the increasing leisure time was a real one, but the associations provided' a solution. Their varied activities , were “the ways out,” and they deserved every possible support. Mr. J. Ledgerwood reviewed the ‘growing activities of the Y.M.C.A. at New Plymouth and stressed the need for increasing the accommodation-at the hall, which now was very cramped when used by the boys, youths and men’s classes in physical drill, boxing and wrestling. Such an enlargement wduld cost £lOOO, he said, in urging public support for an appeal when one was made. Mr. Ledgerwood said that though the hall accommodation was taxed at present it was the future they were concerned about, for it was expected the number of men and boys to be catered for would grow considerably.

BUILDING REQUIRED. The urgent need to make the building adequate for the purposes of the combined associations was stressed by Miss Jean Stevenson, national Dominion secretary of the Y.W.C.A. She had been gratified at the way the men of New Plymouth to whom the needs had been explained recently had offered their support. There had not been one who opposed the projects; all had been optimistic. Miss Stevenson said that the youth of the community was the one national asset that should not be allowed to deteriorate. The best way to prevent that was to provide youth with the opportunities to employ its leisure in some such suitable and useful way as those provided by the Y.W.C.A. and Y.M.C.A. The building of Christian character was a work of national importance. It was this work that the two associations had undertaken at New Plymouth as in other parts of the Dominion and throughout the world. New Plymouth was a pioneer in this matter, for it was the first place in the Dominion in which the work of the two associations had been amalgamated. She hoped that the people of New Plymouth would assist the work by responding to the forthcoming appeal to enable the extension of the hall. The ideals and activities of the Y.W.C.A. were incorporated in an interesting manner in a poster demonstration by the Girl Citizens and some boys, and in two short sketches—“ Ducats,” by members of the junior round table club, and a ceremony and frieze by the Tike Tike and Mahetike clubs.

Mrs. Davie proposed a comprehensive vote of thanks to all who had assisted the movement, special mention ,being made of the voluntary workers and the staff.

The meeting was opened with prayer by the Rev. F. Copeland and closed with benediction by Archdeacon G. H. Gavin.