ADVANCE OPAWA.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16420, 14 January 1919, Page 8

ADVANCE OPAWA.

WELFARE ASSOCIATION FORMED. In St. Mark's schoolroom, Opawa, last night, there was a good attendance of residents to discuss a proposal for tho establishment of an Opawa Community "Welfare Association. Mr George Scott presided. The chairman, in expressing the object of the meeting said that the proposal to start an association with tho object of caring for tho welfare of tho community was the outcome of the experience gained during the influenza epidemic, many considering it undesirable that tho organisation should ba dissolved, in view of great need for improvements in different parts of the district. A committee, consisting of! Messrs J. A. Poulton, W. G. Aldridge, and 0. Anderson, had been set up to go into the matter, and it had drafted a constitution and rules, and had called the present meeting . _ The proposed constitution and rules were then discussed. They .provide*} that the name of the organisation, should be the Opawa Welfare Association ; that the Association should forward the interests of the district generally, should increase its attractiveness, should protect public health by exercising supervision over sanitary and) living conditions, should co-operate w't-h, existing relief organisations for the bettorment of the poor and the unfortunate, and should be strictly non-political and non-sectarian. The objects as more particularly defined, were as follows: — (1) To obtain a proper deep drainage scheme and an efficient water supply; (2) To urge upon local authorities more frequent and thorough inspection of property and of drainage; (3) To urge judicious tree planting, skilled care oil river and its banks, and to generally encourage a sense of pride in the beauties of tho district; (4) To take all necessary steps to see that tho provisions of the Public Health Act and its amendments are obeyed; (5) To creato bv voluntary subscription a fund to be used for the relief of distress caused by sickness or misfortune; (6) To inform itself of the financial conditions of homes believed to he in need, and, if desirable, to render or recommend monetary aid; (7) To investigate cases of sickness involving undue hardship, and, if desirable, to procure medical, nursing, or domestic help; and (8) To inaugurate or encourage any. educative movement which is considered to be of possityo bonelit to the district.

The scope of the Association's work is to extend over the Opawa, St. Martin's, and Hillsborough. districts. The constitution and rules, as submitted were agreed to, after discussion. Officers were elected as follows:—President, Mr W. H. Tisdall; vice-presi-dent, Mr A. Selwyn Bruce; hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr Oscar Anderson. Area committees were set up as follows:—West Opawa: Messrs F. C. Robbins, Scott, Dowdle, T. W. West, andf Misses W. Chapman and Wills. East Opawa: Messrs H. Manning, J. W. Hillary. W, F. West, J. Tresize, and Misses E. Bowron and B. Thornnson. St. Martin's: Messrs Bracey Wilson, Robertl Wilson, H. T. W. McLennan, Mrs Ferrier, and Miss Batchelor. Hillsborough: Captain Munro, Messrs Woodroffe, Garland, Rev. F. Copeland, and.Mrs Collee. The meeting elected Messrs Poulton anct Clayton as members of the executive, which will also include the officers , and) one delegate from each area committee. A vote of thanks was accorded tho chairman and all others who had as-< sisted in forming the Association. The chairman, in 'acknowledging the vote of thanks, referred to the desirableness, of encouraging social intercourse between the people of tho district, and recalled tne time when the schoolroom was filled on the occasions of monthly social gatherings. He urged the Association to give especial attention to the question of more direct tramway communication with the city, and referred to the railway improvement scheme which, he said, included a traffic bridge over the railway at Walfham road, and over this bridge the tramway should be brouaht.