THE GUIDE MOVEMENT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 31, 30 September 1946, Page 5

THE GUIDE MOVEMENT

ACTIVITIES IN WHAKATANE ASSOCIATION’S ANNUAL MEETING There are now 117 Guides and 156 Brownies in the Whakatane district, and units of the movement are now active in Awaken, Whakatane, Otakiri, Waiohau, Edgecumbe, Opotiki and Te Teko. This information was contained in the District. Commissioner’s (Mrs W. H. Rushbrook) report to the annual meet ing of the District Association which took place in the Parish Hall last Friday afternoon and marks a splendid numerical improvement over the past year.

The meeting was well attended and was presided over .by Provincial Commissioner Mrs R. Balfour, of Gisborne, who extended the warmest congratulations to the district as a whole on the remarkable progress which had been made. The meeting was a particularly pleasant one in that a number of items were also supplied, the artists being Mrs Larmer (violin solos), Mrs Hepburn (elocution) and Mrs Rushbrook (vocal solos). Mrs K. Stewart acted as accompaniste. The District Commissioner’s report emphasised the' consolidation which had taken place and also the fact that there were now\7 Guide Companies and 8 Brownie Packs in the district. The Whakatane unit had made excellent progress under Misses Righton and Boon, while at Taneatua Mesdames Moore and Ricketts were also giving splendid service. At Opotiki Miss Doreen Adams and Miss Jeanne Davies were imparting good training to a growing Company and Pack. Awakeri Guiders Miss E. J. Cain and Mrs D. Thompson, were also great workers, while at Edgecumbe Mesdames Radcliffe and Spence deserved full credit for their enthusiasm and application. Misses Shirley and June Mayo were in charge at Otakiri and had made fine progress while at Waiohou Mrs Judd controlled the only all-Maori Company in the district. 'At Te Teko Mrs Newman was making good headway with an allMaori Brownie Pack. Mrs Rushbrook expressed her deepest thanks to all Guiders who had given so much of their time and services to the movement and to all committee workers and others ‘ who had assisted her during the year. The balance sheet which was presented by the secretary, Mrs H. Brabant, was read and adopted, and the ’ election of officers resulted as under:—

President: Mrs W. N. Drake. Vice-president: Mrs C. KingsleySmith. Committee: Mesdames R. Chadwick, R. McNaughton, P. Gartshore, B. S. Barry, C. G. Caisley, K. Smith, L. Littlejohn, K. Hannah and S. N. Armstrong (Whakatane) plus district delegates to be appointed later. Secretary (held over). Auditor: Mr L. R. Spring.

In the course of her talk on the activities at Headquarters, Mrs Balfour mentioned the effort which was now being made to secure a training house for Guiders. To this end Marton House, had been secured and the cost was £IO,OOO. Already £2,500 had been donated by public-spirited citizens. The balance had been lent the Association and had to be repaid within a few months. It was hoped to see this sum come spontaneously from the public in recognition of the Guides splendid war record of service which had resulted in a total of nearly £20,000 being raised in cash and kind. The quota on ths province was £3OO, and she appealed to Whakatane to assist in this direction.

Speaking of the progress made in Whakatane, Mrs Balfour added that no other district in her province could show such a record which was really amazing and which was due mainly, she felt certain to the energy and enthusiasm of the District Commissioner. (Applause). The meeting concluded with a delightful afternoon tea, and a hearty vote of thanks to Provincial Commissioner Balfour.