Y.W.C.A.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19800, 18 November 1919, Page 3

Y.W.C.A.

ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual meeting of the Christchurch branch of the Y.M.F.A. " ns held last evening, Mr A. W. Benven presiding over an attendance of about thirty-five members. An apology tor absence was received from the. president (Mr T. C. Field), who is absent

in Australia. The annual report said that the association was faced with bright prospers. The eab-tide which depleted membership in wartime had given pi aco to it healthy in-How, which "as accompanied by an all-round revival of association activities. Enterprising plans bad been made for the summer months, including a continuous camp at IVninoni Park, and preparations were already maturing for the next winter programme. As far as possible the association was applying to local work the most successful features of the Ked Triangle on Active Service, ihe members of the secretarial staff had without exception rendered lengthy terms of service abroad, which not only established a. strong point of contact with returned members, hut brnughi to the association valuable esperiencr for future work. The- return of membership as at September 30 was as lolloWS:—Full -22-1, bath 137, social 126 country-11. returned soldiers -100, sus miners 130; total 1113. The renewee life of the association bad been greatly encouraged by the renovations eifectec through the medium of the Ladies Auxiliary, under the presidency of Mr Uhilton. Much could be written of tin vnlinnt efforts of the Ladies’ Auxiliary

to raise the necessary funds, and es--1 pccially to the great success of the novel birthday party in September. The physical department had concluded the most successful season since the outbreak of war. the average attend- i once in the men’s classes being the largest since lfM4. The class was being continued during the summer months. • The house department had undergone the strain of a record year, owing largely to the arrangement which was made'at the urgent request of the Defence Department to accommodate a number of soldiers undergoing orthopedic treatment at the Chalmers Military Hospital. During the last, six months of the financial year there was i an average of thirty soldiers in residence in addition to an average of thirty members. The returns for the twelve months were;— Meals served SRJ4P. • beds provided 16.33?. The hoys’ work had been carried on j under trying conditions and had sui- | fered somewhat considerably in conseI quenre. The rooms at present necu-

pird wore far behind the old quarters in accommodation and attractiveness, but the boys wore accepting it as an opportunity to do their "bit ’ by these fellows who were still suffering from the effects of wounds received on active service. The athletic activities had been very brisk during the year, the ball teams both in the cricket and' football doing well. and t maintaining the reputation of the. hoys’ department The fourth grade Association football team, annexed the "White Cup tor this season. The gymnasium classes were the largest that had been on the floor up to the present time. 'This season over 17*3 boys playing 0 in tbo Lengno competitions every Saturday. Tins ! innovation wa,s going to mean a, lot to Canterbury cricket in the years i to come, ns the standard of play already developed' among the boys a.ipply demonstrated. The balance-sheet showed; —Assets £19,099 Is, including freehold property £15,131 3s 7d; and liabilities £7OOO Tile chairman said that the f.M.C-A. had stood all these years for. good health in manhood and Christian life,

and it had never had better opportunities of currying out its ideals than in the war. * Those opportunities, he thought, had been vaKeii lull advantage of, and they should all be extremely gratelul to the men who had carried on the work of the association at the front. There was a. retrograde movement in the religious life of the world, and from those young men who had worked with the Forces they must get their religious leaders of the future. I'lie social life of the association must lie. developed. The general secretary was able and willing to take the lead iu that direction, and they must all hack him up as much as they could. | ( Applause-) Vacancies oh the Hoard of Directors wore filled by .the election of Messrs A. F. Carey! G. A. Dawson, and S. Wilkinson. Messrs M • .1011165011 and were re-elected lion, auditors. The general secretary (Mr R. A. Kenner) drew attention to several items in the association s programme, including the summer camp to he hold from December to February in Wainoni Park, and the effort, to help young men. employed in city establishments by the : formation of a salesmanship circle. Votes of thanks were passed to the staff, the directors and the Press. Following the annual meeting, members of the Y.M.t'.A. Ladies’ Auxiliary were entertained at an enjoyable social gathering, arranged in appreciation of their assistance in rc-dccorating the building. Mr A. W.' Heaven presidedIn an excellent musical programme, the principal items were: Solo (soprano), Miss .Nellie Smith; ragtime (comedian). “ That Old Home Town of Mine,” Mr Sid. Phillips; song (tenor). Mr Colin Gray: violin solo, Mr R. Clarke; duet (humorous). “Do A'ou Like Ale?” Miss ! Tessa Reading and Mr F. W Barker; | song (baritone), “ A Bachelor Gay.” , 1 Air R. S. -Moloney: solo (contralto), i Aliss Aanes Richardson; duct (humor- | mis), " Don’t We, Reggie?” Alossrs Phillips and Barker: song (tenor). “Rioses iu Picardy.” Afr D. J. Evans; song (humorous). Aliss Tessa Reading, and the National Anthem. The accompanists were Aliss Lillian Harper and Air Jas. Simpson.