VICTORIA LEAGUE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 166, 19 July 1946, Page 2

VICTORIA LEAGUE

YOUNG CONTINGENT HOLDS ANNUAL MEETING On Wednesday evening the annual general meeting of the Young Contingent of the Victoria League was held in the League Ivoms, Wakefield Chambers. The acting-president. Miss Jocelyn Turnbull, presided over a good attendance of members and extended a welcome to them. Sprays were presented to Mrs. N. R. Bain (president). Mrs. A. IL Boyes (past president) of the senior league, and to Miss L. McPhail, past president of the Young Contingent. An apology was received from T\liss K. Armstrong, retiring secretary of the senior league. The annual report and the balance sheet, read by the secretary, Miss J. Turn bull, were adopted. After the business concluded Miss S. Gilbert played for community singing. after which supper was served.

The election of officers resulted as follows: President, Miss J. Turnbull; hon. secretary and treasurer, Miss M. Murray; committee, Misses Ruth Ashcroft. P. Drummond. J. Gardner. O. and U. Jones, I. Mac Kay, and Joan Turnbull.

The annual report presented by Miss W’. J. Turnbull, acting-president, was as follows:

"In this first year of peace It. is not very easy to sound a jubilant note to accompany the presentation of our annual report. Although we have the gladness of welcoming our men-folk back from overseas we also look with pity and sadness on our kinsfolk in the United Kingdom and with a very real and personal feeling towards those of the London headquarters of the Victoria League—with whom our Contingent has had some contact during the war years. When the Victoria League was founded in 1901 its main purpose was thp promotion of closer union between British subjects living in different parts of the world, and it. would seem that if the aims and objects of our founders are to bo carried out, now is the time to rally round and promote a tangible link with our co-workers in Great Britain.

“The heartfelt sympathy of my committee and all the members of the league goes out to Mr& Frank Rule, in the untimely*death of her husband. As Miss Lily Dunlop, she was a wellknown and popular member of our Contingent, and for a time served on the committee. NEW MEMBERS. “During the year the league has been pleased to welcome 12 new members, but as a counter-balance we have lost the same number, nine of whom were eitner married recently or have just joined husbands lately returned from overseas. Several of the girls have applied for transfers and we hope that they will take advantage of Victoria League hospitality in the towns to which they go. “In January of this year. Miss Louie McPhail, who has been president of the Young Conting*nt since June. 1942, resigned her position on account of ill-health. Those of us who knew Louie personally know just how much work she did for the league and my committee and I should like Miss McPhail to know how much we appreciated her loyal and splendid services. We shall look forward to having her with us again. As yet the position of president has not been filled, and tne secretary js acting-president until the elections to be held this evening. “I should like now to turn 1o my opening remarks. With the co-opera-tion of those members who brought along tinned foods to our gatherings last winter, the committee was able to pack up and send off some 16 parcels to the London Young Contingent as a tribute and as a gesture of goodwill. The profuse thanks we received from them made us a little ashamed of the plenty which we have been enjoying in our own countiy. and we resolved to make a bigger and bett effort this year. Towards that end vve circulated notices to all n.embers asking fof a straight out dona'.i m of cash to our “Food for Britain Fund,” in which manner the sum of nearly £2O

was collected. With the money m. committee is buying food ’. :)ic i

shall be packing up and despatch ng to the London headquarters 'or distrbution as they think best. "At. our first function this year we had the pleasure cf welcoming back Miss Sh’rley Gilbert, a formei sc:rotary of the’Contingent, w u o has been serving as a V.A. in Italy and tne Middle East. Miss Gilbert 'gave a tall: on her work and experion-es wh overseas, and she very kindiv showed us some of the lovely articles she had brought back with her. "Before concluding my report, ma> I thank the senior league for the use of lhe club rooms, and our especial thanks are due to Mrs. Bain, Mrs. Boyes, and Miss Armstrong for their continued interest and personal <□- operation in our activities. With the 10v.’.l support of fne committee assi red, and also ‘hat of the members. t.i“ Young Contingent looks forward to a happy and a busy year."