WOMEN’S INSTITUTES

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 244, 9 October 1939, Page 3

WOMEN’S INSTITUTES

81-ANNUAL COUNCIL MEETING HELD AT WAIOTAHI The bi-annual council meeting of the Eastern Day of Plenty Federation of Women’s institutes was field at Waiotulii last week, when Airs. Woo Hie Id presided over a largo gathering of members and delegates frojn Edgo- . cum be, (Jala tea. Alamnva he, Alatata, Opotiki, Otakiri, Otara, Taneatua, Te Kahn, Wainiana-N ukuho-u, Waiotahi, YVhakatano and 'Woodlands Institutes. The meeting opened with the singing of tiie “Ode to Friendship’', followed by the “Creed”. Tiie minutes of the previous bi-an-nual meeting were read and confirmed. The voluntary, organisers, Air. M. Withy and Mrs. V. Wilson, presented their reports of activities for the past half-year. One new Institute has been formed at Galatea. e-A The president in her speech stressed the need for institutes to pull together iiu.r!‘. than over during the present crisis, and asked them to co-operate with the various good work* in their own districts, not forgetting to carry oa uith their own institute life. One suggestion to institutes was that they keep in touch with their own local buys who had “joined up”, sending Hum: comforts etc., especially those one- who perhaps Jnull no relatives in ilia district from which they had enlisted. As the proposed Federation Centenuai celebration at Taneatua lias had to be abandoned, Airs. AVoplfield suggested that each institute member plant a special tree, as a mark of the Centennial during 1910. The competitors in the recent- drama festivals at Whakatane and Opotiki were congratulated. The institutes which presented the winning play ateach festival (Whakatane and Opotiki) vviil each liolcli the trophy for. six months. it- was decided that the usual potato competition, field for Federation fun is, be held on an “average weight per institute member” basis, as being mor. fair, every member of the institut. to lie counted. The potatoes are to .10 dug any time before the April council .meeting, when the potato shield uill. he presetted to the winning institute. Tiie half-yearly reports of the various institutes showed much progress and mostly increased) membership. The following remits were carried; *• i. That- in future the arrangements for drama festivals etc., be left in the I lauds of the groups concerned. 2. That’ members be encouraged to for... “gardening circles”, especially for tiie growing of vegetables, as these are so necessary for the promotion of goer, health. •v. That when school children are aim -ting from buses all traffic be maeo to stop. 4. That the women's institutes in this federation appeal to its members to abide by the rules, urged by the Government. ro hoarding of foodstuffs and other commodities. During’ the social half-hour songs we -. sweetly snug by Mrs. Burke and .Mr.-, Davies. A keenly contested deflate ••That Town Life i< J'referable to Go., .try,Life”, was presented by Wai-otid-ii and Otara Institutes. .Mrs. Jerrata. who kindly, acted as judge, gave _ th- decision in favour of the negative side (Otara) by 355 points to 34. The competition results were:— Institute Banner: Otara 1. Chocolate Sponge : Waimana l. i.j.w Bowl Flowers; Matata 1. Large Bowl Flowers: Waiotahi 1. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to the hostess institutes, and, the sing!ng of the National Anthem concluded a busv and enjoyable meeting.

MEETINC AT OTABA 'j monthly mooting ol the Otara Wi.vien’.s institute iviis iiekl. at the tie-.••• of Mr. R. A. Medley on Tues<la•- last. Ihe president, Mrs. \\ .A. Git;.lt- was in the chair. As there was ecu.-iiderable hiisiuess L<> he dealt with. M;c? social programme was curtailed. r l'v, ( features ol the iifternoen were ' tai.:s given. one hy Airs Bingham. on J rebind. and the other by Mrs. Piunig:i on Loudon from its earliest days. (.dm petitions were ; Iceland poppies: Airs. I*. Black 1, Airs. S. H. Parkinson 2. c’adishes : All's. Medley 1. '] he hostesses- tor the afternoon 0 were: Mrs. Skipper and Alisses \\ liite Vp' and Neilson. Owing to the benzine restrictions it was decided to postpone further meetings. in the Oara. Hall, Aliss Xeilson bavins' kindly offered her homo for the next, meeting. A vote of thanks

was extended to Mrs. Hedley lor the use- of her home, and the singing of the National Anthem 'brought the aft-ernoon-to a close. *