WOMEN'S PATRIOTIC LEAGUE

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 310, 14 September 1917, Page 4

WOMEN'S PATRIOTIC LEAGUE

Pukekohe Branch The annual meeting of the Pukekohe Branch of the Women's Patriotic League was held in the Borough Council rooms on Thursday, August 30th, when about 20 members of the League were present.

The President, Secretary and Mrs Barter were appointed a sub-com-mittee to meet the Men's Patriotic League as to working in conjunction for the Red Cross The following resolutions was passed: "That the Women's Patriotic League (Pukekohe Branch) wish to place on record their appreciation of the services of Miss Webster as their President and of the unfailing interest she has at all times taken in the League's work." Letters of thanks for assistance given were authorised to be forwarded to the Borough Council, the Proprietors of the "Tißes," Mr C. K. Lawrie, and the Bowling Club. The following officers were re-elect-ed, viz, President, Secretary, all Convenors with Committees, and Miss W. E. Webster was appointed Treasurer. • The following report on the year's doings was submitted by the President:— "1 sincerely thank the many willing workers \who, though net members of the league, did so much to assist in the work undertaken, especially in tiie making of soldiers' comfWts and the supplying of the means to forward Dominion and Xmas gift parcels to the New Zealand troops on the battle fronts. The first work of the year under review outside the usual knitting, sewing, etc., was the collecting of eggs in support of the Belgian fund. 340 dozen eggs were

collected and forwarded to Auckland as the rosult of the canvass. In the month of November a bazaar was held and this branch hus every reason to be both thankful and proud of the energy, generosity and patriotism displayed towards the undertaking. The gross takings amounted to £lB4 17s 9d, the expenses only absorbed the small sum of £H 8s 7d, leaving a clear credit balance of £176 9s 2d, which was paid into the general fund. During the month of March Miss M. Taylor held a highly successful concert with corn* petitions by which the sum of £4O was handed to the League to be forwarded for the Belgian children's fund. During the month of April the holding of a horticultural and industrial show was undertaken and held under the auspices of our branch of the League and the gross takings amounted to £173 3s 9d. The paying of prize money and other expenses in connection with whole show work totalled £42 12s 7d, which left a net balance of £l3O 1 Id, to be placed to the credit of the general fund. By the kind permission of the Bowling Club an afternoon tea was held on their ground and enabled the League to forward towards the funds of the institution named the sum of £2l 6s 9d.

A concert organised and. carried out by Miss Townson etted to the League's General Fund £l3 16s 9d. An afternoon was held on behalf of Dr Barnardo's Saturday Fund, resulting in the gross amount taken reaching £l4 lis 2d. When expenses amounting to £1 16s lid bad been deducted the sum of £l2 14s 3d was forwarded towards the cause. The very best thanks of the League are due to the canvassers who did collecting for funds to send Dominion and Xmas gifts to the soldiers in the trenches on the battle fronts, they having got together the splendid sum of £372 17s 6d. Altogether the League Branch here has during the financial year collected the respectable sum of £839 16s 5d from all sources. The expenses curtailed in collecting this amount, which includes prize money, were £53 3s ld.ttherefore £786 13s 4d was the nett benefit derived from the year's labours. The different committees set up for carrying out the work of the Branch have put a great deal of time and energy into the workforthedifferentcausesthe league has been striving to help. The Entertainment Committee, with Mrs Webb as convenor, has had an active time in carrying out the different functions and entertainments. The Sewing Committee, with Miss Usher as convenor, has got through a lot of most essential and useful work and enabled the League Branch to forward 600 hussifs, 400 sanitary shirts, etc. The Literature Committee has also done excellent work with Mrs Stuart as convenor. They have been able to forward a good case of books per month to the N.Z. soldier boys. The Knitting Committee, with Mrs Baxter as convenor, has done a fairly large amount of work, enabling us to send forward 945 knitted articles which include balaclava caps, scarves, socks, belts and mittens. The convenor of the Knitting Committee desires to draw atteotion to the fact that a goodly number of the knitters that helped very considerably the output of comforts live at considerable distances from our centre and are not in any other way connected with the League or the district, so that the thanks of the League are specially due to those workers. I would like to propose that a hearty vote of thanks be accorded these out of the district workers who have rendered valuable assistance also that the secretary forward the resolution to each on* entitled thereto. During the year fust ended two resignations were received and 17 new member were elected. This brings the membership up to 53. The report and balance sheet were adopted.