PATRIOTIC COMMITTEE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 87, 6 July 1943, Page 5

PATRIOTIC COMMITTEE

ACTIVITIES AT OTAKIRI ANNUAL MEMING REVIEW The large attendance at the annua! meeting of the Otakiri Patriotic Committee which took plfk'e last week was an indication of the enthusiasm of tlie district which has ever been reflected in the local response to the appeal. Mr W. .1. Murray presided and welcomed the large crowd present. He thanked thct resident:-} of the district for their loyal support (hiring the last period, with special mention of the secretary and treasurer and committee members,, and Mrs Woodberry for attending to the distribution of wool and accounting for knitted articles, also to those who did the knitting and packed parcels. Socral : Committee's Work Mr R. Dunning, chairman of. the Social Committee, then read, his re- % port, which stated that the committee had this season held ..eight dances in aid of Patriotic funds, all which have been successful and very well received by the public. The committee had at all times attempted to keep expenses as low as possible, consistent, with giving the public a good, show that would encourage them to return. Mr -Dunning then thanked the members of the committee for their oyal support during past months, and. stated that it had been a pleasure to work with them; there having been no dissention during the three, yqars they had, been working together. Special* mention was made of Mrs Tickner as secretary, which duty she had carried out in a most efficient and pleasant, manner. The ladies of the committee and district were thanked for their help, with special reference to the supper committee for the way they had organised the suppers which were all

voluntarily given; it was a great effort and a most important one. The chairman made an earnest plea for the continuation of support to the supper committee in spite of the .threat difficulties under which the women of, the district were working. Cakes' Fetch £30 The effort of Mrs King, of Onepu, in sending an iced cake to be raffled at nearly all the functions during the year bringing in the grand total of £30 9s, was to be highly commended. The officers of the committee were now as under: Chairman, Mr Dunning; Sec re tar and. Treasurer, Mrs Tickner; Mr and Mrs Lord; Mr andj Mrs Peck; Mr and Mrs Missen; Mr and Mrs Cristall; Mrs Armstrong; Mrs Hutton; Miss J. Chambers; Miss Swan;, Mr Kedgley; Mr Mackrel.l; Mr O'Brien: Mr Ley; Mr Aston: Mr Caulfield. Farewell and Welcome Home The next report also came from Mr Dunning, as chairman of the j Farewell and Welcome Home Committee which drew the meetings attention to the fact that the Farewell and Welcome Home Committee! was in no way connected with the Patriotic Committee, although they j worked very closely together. The funds were quite distinct and at no time did they come together. The committee was elected by. the residents of the Otakiri district and was responsible to them alone. He. stated that such farewells had been given during the year, and at each the men leaving had been presented with £'2 and a money belt or its equivalent, in cash. They were also given an assurance that the committee intended, to look after, in so far as it could., the interests of their dependants while they were away. The men seemed to appreciate the personal touch very much. During | the year the committee bad investigated the treatment meted out to returned soldiers, with some degree of success. The committee also called for a general investigation by the National Patriotic Committee, which proved, of definite benefit to returned men. Election of Officers The election of officers to the Patriotic Committee for the ensuing year resulted as under:— Chairman. Mr WV .1. Murray; Secretary, Mrs Tickner; Treasurer, Mrs Cristall; Mesdames W. Murray, Armstrong, Lord,, Miissen, Peck. Hutton, Misses, J. Chambers, and M. Swan, Messrs Dunning, Kedgley. Maekrell, Lord,, O'Brien, Cristall, Caulfield, Ley, Aston, Woods, Leslie, Winters, Missen; Collecting Committee, Mr Murray,, chairman; Mrs Murray, secretary and treasurer; Messrs Woods, (Cojntiaued in next column)

Winters, Leslie, Cristal!, Mrs Gris-wo. tall. The -following motion which wasa recommended from the Farewell anc#:* YWk'ohie-.Home Committee was rat.i+_* (ied by the meeting: "That every soldier , fareytjell- rj ed from the Otakiri district on returning home invalided.- from overseas, and' also repatriated prisoners of war, be afforded: a welcome home dance and a presentation of £10 10s be toadie from Farewell and Welcome Home Funds. All others to* foe welcomed and presentations t» be made to them at the ead'ot the war."