Y.M.C.A.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 984, 26 November 1910, Page 11

Y.M.C.A.

THE WORK OF THE PAST YEAR, |j ANNUAL MEETING. I Tho annual meeting of the Y.M.C.A. | was held last night; and was fairly | well attended. Mr. J. G. W. Aitken | presided. § The secretary (Mr. H. N. Holmes) | read the annual. report, which stated | that the year ended September 30, 1910, | had not been one of exceptional (level- 8 opment, several changes in tho. staffing | having prevented tho advanco so earn- | estly desired. The present membership | was 431 (including 314 financial), an | increase of 70 over last year. The revenue from 190S-03 memberships | reached £506 135., and for tho year | just closed £362 3s. The largest fall- |s| ing off was in the gymnasium member- | ship, but as a permanent .physical di- jj rector had now been appointed, a great £j improvement was expected. 'I'ho same £ wa3 to be said of the Boys' Depart- ii mcnt. Tho report, after staging that J the call of the association was primarily s a religious call, dealt with- the Sunday £ afternoon meetings, tho Henry-Potts 5 Mission, the Saturday night meetings, J the boarders' services, tho Bible classes, £ and tho foreign work. The "strangers' " teas on Sunday evenings from live to | six were one of the greatest assets of 1 the association. Of a total attendance ; of 3636 during the year, 600 were | strangers. Many social functions had ; been held, and it was proposed to hold •, such gatherings bi-monthly during the j present year. Under the heading "Edu- | cational," the report mentioned a scries j of lectures oil practical sciencc, . and ; tho efforts of the Tourist Club, the ! Literary and Debating Club, the Shake- j spearean Circle, tlio Parliamentary j Union (assisted by tlie association), j and the New Zealand Club. Tho read- ! ing room had been very popular, and i tho association had commenced tho os- i tablishment of a library with tho aid of a handsome gift from the Ladies' Auxiliary. Mr. R. Dovoy bad been appointed physical director, and had already considerably improved tho ap-; pearance of the gymnasium, and there was every prospect of the season which would open on March 1, 1011, being a rocord one in every way. The medal for Y.M.C.A. members, presented by Mr. Dovey, was won by Mr. Parker. Tho achievements of the cricket, football, hockey, and swimming clubs were next reviewed. Boys' Department. Tho Boys' Department,, which had formerly been an outstanding and successful feature of tho association s work had suffered through the lack of a permanent director sinco tlio resignation of Mr. G. W. Adair. Tho appointment of Mr. E. M. Ryan was hailed as tho beginning of a new era. There were at present only 100 members. Two religious meetings for boys wore held every week, and tho department was as strong as-over., Tho camp at Otaki, tho games room, tho bazaar (in which a committee of boys' mothers assisted), tho installation of a boys' library, and tho use of tho reading-Toom wore also referred to. The Old Boys' . Club had a. membership of 35, and had prospered exceedingly. The Christmas morning breakfast, tlio "Mothers' Day" meeting, and tlio Maori concerts were referred to in terms of satisfaction, and tlio work of tho Ladies' Auxiliary, . "under th o presidency of Mrs. Fossettc, was characterised as beyond praise. Tho average number of boarders in tho association's building, was hardly so largo, as iii the' previous. year. ■ Tho dining-room had' supplied" over 50,000 meals during the ■ year,: and'its revenue, was £1895. In i't'h'o dormitories, nearly IOGO bods wero occupied each month during the year, and tho receipts were £712 10s. For the eighth tirno in succession Mr. J. G.! TV. Aitken was unanimously elected'president of tho association,-and had. further endeared hirtself to, tho cause by his kindness, devotion, and liberality/' Refercnco was also made t'o the holding of the Australasian Convention in Wellington, the formation of a Now Zealand sectional committee,' and tho .anniversary' celebrations. . Applications for work were con-, stahtly being received, and scores of' • men. had been. introduced to . country friends and helped in starting' on tho land. The association also rendered assistance, as friend to young men arriv-, ing by the immigrant steamers. A card was placed on all tho immigrant steamers at Hobart showing tho whereabouts of all the Y.M.C.A.'s in. the Dominion. The Finances. Financially, tho year began with a debit balance of £121 Is. 10d., and closed with ono of £250,195. Bd. Tho largest decreaso was in the membership receipts, which had dropped from £506 13s. sd. to £302 3s. ■ This was almost to bo expected in the absence of a permanent physical director. Tho board had been meeting weekly to examine this stato of affairs, and had prepared a budget for tho current year.! Tho sum.-of £341 : 18s. 6d. was received in spccial donations, rind -£220 in. the profit from tho Maori' concerts in "July. , Tlio interest on mortgage and : bve.rdraft amounted to £217. ■ Tho ladies' bazaar ,in Juno realised £50.135. sd. Tho ■ report and financial statement wero adopted. • Directors Elected. Tho Hon. C. M. Luke, M.L.C., and Messrs. E. B. Brown, C. E. Dowland, W. Eglin, W. H. George, J. G. Harkness, p.nd J. Ilott were re-elected directors for the coming three years, and Mr. C. R. Smith was elected to fill tho vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. Caughley. Thanks. Mr. W. H. George moved: "That tho association record its higii appreciation of tlio. conspicuously valuable services rendered 6y tho retiring president and treasurer (Messrs. J. G. W. Aitken and J. C. Port); their devotion aud loyalty to tho institution has won tho warmest thanks of tho entire assoication membership." This, said tho mover, was a very real and heartfelt resolution. Mr. Aitken's namo would ever stand conspicuously among those who helped in tho founding of tho association, and whose wisdom arid oner-' gies wore devoted to guiding it during the most critical period. The speaker: also eulogised Mr. Port's devoted and efficient services as treasurer. After tho carrying of the motion'both gentlemen responded. Thanks wero also tendered to tho general secretary,' tho directors, the ladies' -auxiliary, tho committee, the press, and all who had' rendered any servico to tho association during tho year. It was resolved: "That this meeting learns with pleasure that' Messrs! W. H. George and H. S. Hart contemplate visiting Eurono in 1911, and hereby _ap- . points them to represent tho Wellington Association at any association function.or gathering." Tlio meeting resolved, at tho instanco of the president, to send a message of greeting and congratulation to Mrs. M. A. Williams on her continued good health and long and useful life. • Mr. Aitken mentioned Mrs. Williams's generous gift of the land on which tho association building is crected, and said that she had been a very .generous supporter of the association ever since it was started.