OTAKI LITERARY CLUB.

Otaki Mail, 2 June 1922, Page 3

OTAKI LITERARY CLUB.

OPENING SOCIAL. There was ;i splendid attendance at tin: opening ot' tlu 1 Club on Wednesday' evening. The president the Rev. G. F. Petrie. ALA., occupied the chair. The lust part of the evening was devoted to a compotitioa. “Nursery Rhyme?.'' which caused considerable interest and was taken part in by most of those present. Arikh t applause Mrs Cnpewell was declared the winner with total of 111 cor reel answers out of -4. 'Miss Kggors came second with I s - At tl„. close of the . .1 .n [>*•' it ion t!m presi,;enl gave Ihe follow inn address:-- ■ • | wish, lies! of all. to extend to you It very hearty welcome to the re-open-il: —■ time; tug ol the Hh-T sess on of the (Maki Literary and .Debating l lull. I fee! honored that you have elected me vioir president, am! 1 shall endeavour my best to piomo.e the interests e ; Ihe Club during iity tenure ot ollice. It is not rei|uired of me. you will agree, that 1 should make any apology for the existence of our Society, e\e n although there is such a plethora of or■umisations operating in out dtih I own-ship, or to emphasise the claim each a Society as this makes for a •place in the social activities of a cultured and civilised commuuity that is

self-evident. The study of the lives 01 the world’s great masters, past and itresent. is prose and poetry; the cultivation of the art of public speaking; the benefit and pleasure to be derived from a mutual exchange of ideas on Jit ora rv subjects;- the stimulus to bo e,-111101] in imr personal life's work, its lint,, worries am! diilieullies by reHccti:;,. how some of the greatest benct'ac:nis 11I' the human race suecesst ally ~,-e so[lerior t" similar and even more, living difficulties—these are* things vhicli must com mend themselves to all. cm! a society which caters for such do--dwes encouraging support. Our aim is ln'iiig a little more sunshine into our I'leml,ers ’ lives, and to help them for an hour or two 01 msim-mlly to pack up 11.,. ii- 11 oubies in the' 1 old lot I mg ; i ml , mi 1 ,.', smile, smile. Our has ]j, m i a ] I,ll.end li nll ore b le. teougii inle.-j-.pt. d miner. Its "rigbi 1 am unable in trace, on' it- dales ’tiany- years bn-h. ] have ill my keeping the minutes of „ Society called “The Otaki AluHinl - Improvement bociety." Its first , ;i; was lieli 1 011 April Ihitli. 1 VM» f years ago'), in what was then known lIS (lie Oddfellows’ Hall. and there i Were piese.H the Kev. ,1 Mr William, yie.-i’s B. Brown. 0. Owen. Ik Brown. Hunt. W. Nash, M. 11. Ay re. !l. . tVaikl’’ v. J. .!. Booth. 0. 11. Williams. A. If. Auder.-on. aml K. F.-iin. Mr l*y- | q iiu n was voted to the chair. Die ciei-tion of oflice-beai'ers resulted a? I'nllnws: President, the lire. j tVilliam: vii-c-j'residenl s. Messrs Ale- , I lain ami A. Small: secretary and . tiv,Mirer. MI- 'll. Small; organist. M i>s | "M i- Will in 111: editor of journal, Mr Byron j Hanvn: committee. '.Mesilnmes Atkiu...Ui trust. am! "Mi-Bain, Miss Craven 1 and Mr L. Hunt. That this, however. | via not 11 : ‘ ’ fir-t Literary Society in j i:: ai; j. j., ..ho'.vn bv u motion moved by

V,■ I 'rim v v/.y- “ That llw rules of Ihe t otaki Mutual Improvement Sn.-miy j 1... adopted.' ' The minute of Hus ".•el ’ • Society seems (n have been lost , ■. ! caiiuot locate ib Should i: be in i|i,, ot anyone reading the irpoi’t lit our meeting 10-night. I shall , | ;t a IP, of if they will notify me i ] i i i xj-ieme as old iceoi'ts alv. a;, a , a certain value. It is interesting note that four of the IS!'!' ollice- I I 1 mers are still in Otaki. viz.. Alessrs J Byron Brown. M. 11. Ay re, C. ft- A\ il- 1 je it,., mu! IT. Small. AYheu the Otaki j ITtU-al Improvement SoDely torminat- ' ;■ 1 its useful career I cannot say, rut J 1 am of opinion That t'.’bt saw the last | 0: jt. In l!.i 1-1. largely through the of- ! f-rt of Air Frank Pcun. the Society. 1 a 2 i'i" name, again emerged upon t.,uriace. Its first jii'esiclcnt was Mr . \V. Smith, our local State School j R. •: 1 -imastef. ami as showing how quiet:- , ]. v, o fade -twav two only of those O'l , • 1 c membersliip roll then an: comiected v ' it our .Society <o-day—Mr E. N. L.' ii'-ho: let and myself. For the fourth time during that period of eight years 1 have had the honor of being elected j pti-sidmif. amt I have no hesitation in j 'hi owing that our Society ha? utor" j flint! justified its existence and been | ttc means of contributing considerably j t(, Hu- menial and social enjoyment of j those ho have placed itself under j U infhicnee. To many of us the j happiest and most profitable evening? I -pout in Otaki are associated with the > Lit. 'vo rv and Debating Club. In Thanking you again for placing me m the chair I wish to express the hope :hot our session begun to-night will Prove as useful and enjoyable as its predecessors. Wo have a capital syllabus with plenty of variety rn the subjects dealt with, nud the co-operation

ami enthusiasm of members is all that 1 required to ensure success.” ' be musical programme presented Vm. as follows:—Duet, “I Heard a • Vo T,r r n-nd Mrs Davies; song. “A I s txg of Love and June,” Ariss Morrison; recitation, “Marguerite,” Mrs Gargisson; .song, “Lorraine, Lorraine, Luree,” AEtss Elderton; duet. “AVhisper and I Shall Hear,” Afr and Mrs Davies: song, “My Ships.” Mi?s Patterson; recitation, “Reveille,” Miss Joan Lowry; song. “Down Hero,” Miss Elderton; song. “Keep on Go--big.” Miss Patterson: recitation. “ AVaybachs Going to Town.” Airs Davies. The President thanked the various artists who contributed tu the y.ro[Ufunme, amil Mrs Harper for conducting the competition. He also paid a special tribute to Airs Stable for arI'ungijig such a splendid programme. Did said that Otaki was fortunate in having such a talented musician in the district. She was doing much to brighten the lives of the people, and he hoped her efforts would be appreciated and taken full advantage of. Airs J. R- Bilb was also thanked for her cutsomarj- kindness in looking after the

supper arrangements. The President k hoped that more music would in future 1 lie introduced into the Society’s mect- ! jugs, and that a “Community Sing” j' would be a featufc of tit least one of t their evenings. He emphasised the imf | port a nee of the children’s competitions I jn be held in August,, and asked for j donations for the, prizes. - ! A very liappv and successful inatigu- • j ral meeting was brought to a close at > : in p.m. i The subject for the next mooting to : ! be held on Wednesday, .Tune 1-11 h, is ; “Readings from Authors.’’ and will bo j contributed to by Air W. H. Wills, B.A. I (Charles LambA : Airs f-tnrgismn (T. AV. IT. Crosslandj; and tin* President (W. Winter). 'Musical items will be rendered between the various reading's.