YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 16, 14 October 1919, Page 2

YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION

■ ANNUAiL JIEETING.' Tho annual meeting of tho Young Women's Christian Association was held in Fowlds's Buildings yesterday evening, the Hon. J. G. \V, Aitkon, JI.L.G., presilting. Assoc.'iited with him upon the plntiorm were tho Jlayortss (Jlra. J. P. i.uke), Dr. Nowmaii, AI.P., Jliss Birch', Jliss Jl. 'jl'Lean; -Mrs. Ji. Clay, and Mua Lawson. The chairman heartily congratulatecl the association upon the great progress which had been mado during tho past year. They had every reason to be proud of what had 'beeji' achieved, and a great measuro of that success was duo to the.r general secretary, , Jliss Birch. Ho was very sorry for the association's tako that Jliss Birch was taking a 6tep upwards and leaving them, though very glad for Jliss Birch's sake. Jliiss Birch had been secretary for tho past seven years, a.nd ha was sure that in her new position she would givo nn equally good account of her work as Bhe had in that she was vacating. The association would miss her very greatly indeed, and of how extensive and how valuablo her services had been 'few people would realise, as so much! of the machinery that carried the asso-i cation along was hidden. Jlr. Aitken remarked upon tho fact that during thoso seven years in which..Jliss Birch had acted as general secretary he had presided at the seven annual meetings. Apologies from tho following were received: —The Jlayor (Jlr. J. P. Luke, M.P.), Jlr. Wallace, Jlr. W. Sim, Jliss Humphries (on behnM of tho Lower Ifutt, members), Jlr.-T. S; "Weston, Jlr. Wel>b, Mrs. Smith, and Mi's. Bnf.combe Brown. Accompanying the letter's letter of apology was a cheque for .£SO, a giie for which much appreciation was expressed. Mr. H. D. Bennett, chairman of tho men's committee in connection with the recent campaign to raise funds for-<iu extension of the association's work, gave a brief resume of iivhat had been achieved. In all a. sum of J3G942 in cash and promises had been received, the promised amounts totalling alwut ilflOu, to be paid iu a oertnin period of time. Commenting upon the campaign, Mr. Bennott described it, so far as the men's committee was concerned, as a failure, as they had 6ct themselves to raise the sum of at least ,£16,000., Apparently they lia-i struck a vcty bad time, and they had met with a good deal of opposition. One of the conclusions he had come to as a result of tho effort they had made was that the Y.W.C.A. should undertake propaganda work and teach the public what it stood for-what it did for the girls and young women-of the city. One of the tasks with which he had been confronted had been that of telling people what tho Y.W.C.A. was and what it did. If this propaganda were undertaken ho was sure that more success would be met with in a future campaign. Strange to say, their principal opponents were' women. Some appeared to think that the whole of the Y.W.C.A., hoard nnd all, should be domestic servants, nnd one of his aims hnd lieen to prove to them that the Y.W.C.A. did do work that at least helped to make tho girls good home-makers. In conclusion, Jlr. .Bennett said that they all would be willing to give their help on another occasion should it be wanted. Mrs. Luke staled that without the men's committee they could not possibly have sot along. Slie did not consider tlla: their effort was a failure at all, and tliev would ba very glad of their help another time. Dr. Newman, JI.P., endorsed Mr. Bennett's .remarks concerning the help tho men's committee would givo when another appeal was to he made. As a' matter of fnct, men talked and women jdid the work, but women had not yet realised how capable tßey really were. He .was. very pleased to seo that they were now'beginning to'help themselves. A few years ago there had been very few women speaiters in the city, hut now there were several, and they knew what they wunted. Girls had to realise that if they wanted to get on they had to help themselves, and educate themselves to fit.the positions they aspired to. As a rulo employers .were ready to givo good wages for good work, hut if girls wanted to' uot out of tho ruck i.nd get good positions they must work and fit themselves for these positions. , . Mrs. M'Clny, who moved the adoption of O'o report and balance-sheet, spoke of the great sacrifice the Board of Directors and the association were making in parting from Jliss Birch, The call had come from tho National Association, and it liad meant a wider field for Miss Birch. •' ' ' , Jliss M'Lean also expressed the great regret all felt at-losing Miss Biroh. In reply, Jliss Birch,thanked everyone for their kind thoughts and wishes, and said how greatly attached to Wellington she hod become.' She was sure tihey. : would make for her. successor the samo fine atmosphere that they had made for her. Tho following retiring ladies were reelected upon tne committee:—Jlesdarees Adamson, Pearson, M'Clay, Taylor, 8.A., and Webster. The new inombers wore Mrs. Gibbs and Sirs. Carr,