GIRLS’ FRIENDLY SOCIETY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 10 December 1927, Page 11

GIRLS’ FRIENDLY SOCIETY

HASTINGS ANNUAL REPORT.

The following annual report was presented at the annual meeting held in November:—

We opened our session on March 2, 1927. with a service in church, when the ' Vicar (Rev. Mortimer-Jones) gave an address to associates and members on “Cheerful Service.” The usual weekly meetings have been held taking the form of readings during Lent, Bible study, lectures, socials, etc., during the remainder of the year. We have held three open and three closed socials and were privileged to entertain members of the Napier branch at one of the latter, a very pleasant evening being spent. A series of lectures by Mrs Chapman Taylor on “Infant Welfare" has proved most interesting and instructive, as were also the lectures delivered earlier in the year by Miss Mac Lean, of the China Inland Mission, and Miss Compton. We have held one debate with the Boys’ Club and have recently commenced classes in raffia work and smocking, which promise to be very popular with our members. We hope to continue these classes next year We have continued the ten minutes’ intercession before meetings and have held the monthly meetings of working associates.

The member’s committee has proved its value as a help to associates and we have continued tho practice of electing two members to attend associates meetings as representatives of the members.

We received one hundred badges from England and most of these have been sold. We subscribe to the "Workers’ Journal” and “G.F.S.’’ Magazine, taking one copy of each for the society and one copy cf the former and two of the latter for individual members.

The world-wide Day ot Intercession, June 23, was observed by services in the church. Holy Comuiunicu aj <5.45 a.m.. at which the attendance was nlit so good as last year on’iiig to heavy rain; Intercessions after Even, song at 7.30 p.m., forty-four being present. The collection for the day was given to the District Nursing Association.

We met on two occasions to make presentations to two of our associates who resigned to be married.' Both of these have now become hoiioraiy associates.

Before the session closes we hope to hold a sale to defray the cost of upkeep of the club room. We have had two admission services during the year on Julv 28 and October 6, a total of 13 new members being admitted. On each occasion the Vicar gavp an address to the girls. Although no effort has been mads to supplement the lodge funds this year, we are keeping the matter before us and hope to be able to report definite progress in 1928. We have 36 honorary associates, 13 working associates and 75 members, some of whom do not attend meetings but pay their subscriptions. The average attendance not including socials has been 31. We thank those who have helned us during the session, especially Mr. A. I Rainbow, our nuditor. and those who have given the Bible studies and lectures as well a s tha ladies who are giving us free tuition jn raffia work and smocking. Our branch annual meeting took place on November 23, and the session closes on December 8. The onetiinv date for the next session is March 8, 1928.