Birmingham Notes

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 54, 25 October 1892, Page 2

Birmingham Notes

On Saturday evening the first annual meeting of the Kiwitea Literary Association was held at the Town Hall. There was a very fair attendance of members and a good sprinkling of ladies. The President Mr T. A. Bryce, occupied the chair. Owing to the absence of the Treasurer a financial statement could not be placed before the meeting but will be ready at the next gathering. It is understood the Association is in a good solvent position. (First Annual Report for the year ended 30th September, 1892.) The committee beg to hand to the members for their consideration the first annual report, and in doing so they think that all will allow that much success has attended the efforts of the association, far more indeed than anyone could have anticipated. The committee feel sure that there are many places in the colony with a far larger population than that of the Kiwitea, which are altogether destitute of associations for mental, moral, and social improvement, it is therefore a feather in tfce cap of the district that notwithstanding its sparse and scattered population, its bad roads etc., that the association meetings should have been so snccessfnlly and enthusiastically maintained. The association was inaugurated at a meeting held in the month of September 1891 and subsequently the following gentlemen were elected to the office. PresidentMr T. A Bryce ; vice-president, Mr A. Fergusson ; Secretary, Mr H. Tolley, junr. ; Treasurer, Mr W. Morten. Committee — Messrs \V. F. Jacobs, A. L. Stokes, H. H. Pitches, all of these gentlemen are elligible for re-election. An alteration in the rules made during the year has given all the priveleges of the association free to ladies, and three ladies have to-night to be elected to the committee. The retiring committee feel sure that their successors will be able even more successfully to conduct the affairs of the society, so that it will bo even more useful in the future than in the past, and be a factor in the development of the talent, and educating the taste of its members. Three new members were admitted. Next Saturday the lady members are to provide the entertainment. The election of officers for the ensuing year then took place it being the feeling of the members that a change would help on the work of the Association, and be the cause of bringing to the front the latent talents of the young men of the district. Rev. Mr Birks was elected President, Mr H. S. Moss, vice-president. The members of the committee being Messrs Palmer, R. Burns, Guy. There were also elected three lady members viz., Misses A. Lowe, Richardson, and Carter. Mr Harry Tolley was i-eqnested to continue in office as Hon. Secretary it being the unanimous wish of the members, he consented to hold office until a member of the Association was elected. Mr Bryce gave the second part of his interesting paper on the history and legends of the Maori race. Mr Moss, a recitation the " Dandy of the Fifth, " an incident in the late American Civil War. A good deal of amusement was caused by the reading ot the first paper from " our own correspondent " to the editor of the " Birmingham Standard " it contained some good local hits and remarks on the district. Mr Lindsay gave a humorous reading, " Loye in a Balloon. " The Secretary then read an interesting sketch of Modern London, a. contribution by n. member to thu "Birmingham Standard," Mr Auy on gave a short speech in which two Poll Parrots played a most important part. The procoodiuga then closed.