GIRL GUIDES.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18410, 17 June 1925, Page 6

GIRL GUIDES.

FIRST ANNUAL MEETING. ADDRESS BY DOMINION .' PRESIDENT. The annual meeting of the Girl Guides (Christchurch and District Association) ■was held yesterday, the Hon. Mrs Tahu Rhode.*, Provincial Commissioner, presiding. Tho Dominion President. Lady Alice Fergusson, was present, and delivered an address on the movement. Apologies were received from Mrs W. S. Bran. Mrs J. B. Beckett, Mrs W. Irving, Mrs if. Y\'. Anderson, and Mrs A. W,'Andrew. Report and Balance sheet, The amiu.l report stated: -Tho Guide _..).:»vo:v«.!)t. started in Christchurch in May, I'iiil, when tho Dominion Commissioner Mrs AYilw,, visited th? city, and a Local Association v-aa formed. The Hon. Mra Tahu Rhodes confuted to becomo Commissioner for the p:.->vincc, and Mis* Foster was appointed provincial secretary. There were already in existence at this time several Girl Peace .Seoul* troops, and the first efforts oi tho Executive Cr.mrmtfeo were- directed towards putting in to Guide uniform such troops iis were willing: to be. reorganised as Guide companies. To cover tho cxpense-s of this change, a .Spanish Cabaret, was held, tho proceeds of which, together with those c; a jumble sale, wore only just, sufficient to put tho Association cut of debt. Avail-, tble funds having been spent, in this way,* a second cabaret was held in August in aid of general expenses. Meanwhile, effort* wore, being nuido by the committee to find suitable girls willing to be trained as Guide officers, and in a few months a satisfactory number had cfhred themselves in this capacity. In August, Mra J. Studkolmo. chairman of the committee, was granted a. year's lep.ve of absence, and her placo was taken by M>3 Henderson Begg, Mica Sanders at thesamo time becoming hon. secretary to tho committee on the. resignation of that office by Miss Bromley Cocks. It was now found necessary to appoint a siib-ccrnmitteo to deal with Badge, examinations, and Mesdamos Beckett, Irving, and Jellett, ■ and Inter. Mrs Honneh, undertook this work. In October Miss Bromley. Cocks was appointed District' Commissioner and sjavo up her office of hon. treasurer, her placo being rilled by Miss Boyle. On the occasion of their Excellencies' visit to Christchurch in October, ft combined 4 lly of Guides and Scouts was held in the Barracks and a reception was arranged afterwards in St. Margaret' 3 School by kind permission of tho Sisters. Tho Gv.idies paraded at the opening of tho Bridge of Remembraiico in November, and a. third cabaret vaa held this month, out of. fho proceeds of which £'so wad handed to ' the I'lunlTel Society. Owing to the growing demand from country districts for new companies to bo started and officers trained, tho committee in November appointed Miss M. Bennett as Balariftd Provincial Captain. Seven Guide camps wero held in December and January, and tho thanks of tho committee are duo for tho great kindness received on all Gides "by tho campers. Owing to the outbreak of infantile paralysis no company meetings could ,bo held in March hjul April, but prize competitions were organised for the benefit of tho Guides during tliis period of inactivity.- A bre.ach in the ranks of the "Ksecutiro Committee, has been made by tho departure to England of Messrs Henderson Begg, Thaokor, .Tcllett, and Misa Julius, and it is enly Guido etiquette that 'prevents the present committed from expressing publicly their thanks to those enrolled members of the f Guido community. Tho thanks of tho Executive Committee ore due to all Budgo examiners for the timo and trouble they have so unfailingly piven, and to the Matron of tho Karitane Home, for allowing tho Guides to visit'there for instruction. Tiny also desire to express j their gratitudo to'all who havo subscribed to i tho Guido funds, especially to Mcssis Beath j and Co. and Dixon, who gave the proceeds of an, entertainment to this cause, and to I tho members of the Jockey Club for the use I of their room on Thursday evenings. 1 The following companies are now registered lin Christchurch:— Sydenham, St. Luke's Ttangers, Cashmere Hills, St. Luke's, Sumner, Feudalton, St. Margaret's, Addington, Now Brighton, St. Saviour's, St. Anne's, Kaiapoi. Not yet registered: City, Burwcod. Brownie Packs:. St. Luke's, Sumner, Fendalton, Addington, St. Saviour s Kaiapoi (2). No. of Guides in Christchurch EGO, No. of Brownies 40, No. of Guide officers 41. Tho following Companies have been started in the country districts: Leeston (Guides), Leeston {Rangers), Darfield, Sheffield. Brownie Packs: Ellcsmere, Leeston. Officers in country districts: Twelve. ' The balance-sheet showed receipts £llß3 4s 10s (donations £l5O, grose proceeds of cabarets and entertainments £S72). tho balance over expenditure £24 33 lid. There was a balance of £G2 15s 4d /of assets over liabilities. .

In moving the adoption of the annual report and balance-sheet the chairman congratulated tho Association on its first annual report, of which she said the Council had every reason to be proud. Although it was against the etiquette of Girl Guides to praise the officers, she was going to do so because they deserved it. There was a lot ■of hard work to'be done in the movement, and many of those connected with it being, as they were', in the position of having to' earn their own living, had to make sacrifices iii) order to further the cause of tho Girl Guides, but they did so willingly. She was glad to bo able\ to state that the Guide . spirit was increasing. In seconding the motion the Ven. Archdeacon Taylor 1 praised the Association, which, he said, was doing valuable work for the community, besides providing something for young women to do themselves. The effect was entirely on the good side. Tho Guide spirit was are uplifting one There were branches of the movement connected with some churches, but on the other hand there were other troops which were not bo attached, but they were all working for the general good, and ho wished them continued success. Tho annual report and balance-sheet were adopted.

Election of Officers. The election of officers resulted as follows:—President, Mrs J. P. Studholme; vice-presidents, Lady Ehodcs, Mesdamcs Norton Francis, J. A. Fleshor, W. Irving, and H. Jellctt; committee, Mesdames .T. K. Archer, J. B. Beckett, James Hay, Miss ■- Barbara Webb, Miss M. Bennett; honorary treasurer, Miss Boyle. Dominion President's Address. The Dominion President, Lady Alice Fergussoii, said she was very glad indeed to be present on tho occasion of tho first annual meeting with a" view to showing her interest in the Girl Guide movement in New Zealand. Before she left Home tq come to the Dominion, she had discussed Girl Guide i matters with Lady Baden Powell and Lady Jellicoc, the latter asking her to do what she could for the movement, but there was no need for Lady Jellicoo to do so, as. the speaker, had alrcady begun to take an interest in it. She did not claim to be an expert in the movement,, but she believed that, like tho Bo 3' Scout movement, it was ono of the hopes of the British Empire and indeed tho world in general. It Svas extraordinary to her to learn that the Association had been in cxistenco in Christchurch for only a year, and yet had made such progress. It was, in fact, almost incredible. Her Excellency said she considered that there were ahead of .the movement. Propaganda was needed to make it known to outside people and to get their interest in. it and extend it. One of the objections made to the; movement was that it took girls away from their homes. There were annual camps held, and she claimed that they were good for girls in every way. The test work undertaken for'badges was also beneficial to them, making them more valuable in tho home. It was objected that the movement was too military in character, and that it involved too much drill. To this her Excellency i would reply that drill was necessary for discipline, "and a uniform was also essential. How, she asked, could a

(Continued at foot of next colnmn.)