WOMEN'S INSTITUTES

Chronicle (Levin), 11 September 1946, Page 4

WOMEN'S INSTITUTES

4 LEVIN'S MONTHLY MEETING The September meeting of the Levin Women's Institute was fairly Well attended. Proceedings opened with the singing of the first verseof the institute song and the reciting of the aspirations. In the absence of the president (Mrs. Kellaway) , Mrs. Cheesman presided and welcomed all present.Apologies were received from Mesdames Meddings, Satherley, Watson, Milne, Gibson, Sciascia, Leach, Hau, Sharp and Ransom. .One new member was elected. It was proposed' and seconded that the annual d'onation to the Makogai Leper Fund be made. An invitation was received from the Manakau W.I. to their birthday party this month. The speaker for the afternoon was Mr. C. A. Guy, of the Levin Farm, Kimberley Road'. He explained very clearly how the institutibn was run, and how usef-ul the inmates could be. Many were cured and returned to normal life- again. Numerous questions were asked by members, and a cordial invitation was extended to them to visit the farm. A vote of thanks was accorded the speaker. Afternoon tea was served by the hostesses and the meeting closed with the singihg of the Nation'al Anthem.

Renewed interest in the purchase of greenstone is reported on theWest Coast. Recently lumps of West Coast greenstone (nephrite) have been sold at remunerative prices. The bulk of the saies' have been to New Zealand firms, but llnited States manufacturers have alsoshown interest and one has opened negotiations for the purchase of large quantit'ies' of certain types -of greenstone. The present interest in greenstone is stated to be the greatest since the period immediately preceding the 1914-18 Great' War, when- buyers from European countries and Australia were active.

When opening the Rongotea Flower Show, Mr. M. H. Oram, M.P. spoke of spring fl'owdrs being symbols of hope. "We are in need of this very feeling of hope," he said. "If we survey the world's affairs the outlook is' not very promising and anything that gives us hope has a special value." Another thing learnt in a show like this is the price we have to pay for the perfeetion of the blossoms displayed. To produce them required painstaking care, perseverance and a continued study of conditions, and it was this that had? brought mccess to many of the exhibitora present. .