YOUNG HELPERS' LEAGUE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 571, 1 October 1920, Page 1

YOUNG HELPERS' LEAGUE.

PUKEKOHE HABITATION. GENERAL REPORT. The Pukekohe branch of the Young Helpers' League was formed in October, 1916, when Miss Cosby, of England, paid a visit to our school, and spoke to the pupils about the condition of the "waifs and strays," and of the work done for them in Dr. Barnado's Homes. Sixty-five members were enrolled then, 38 more joined the following year (1917). and another 33 in May, 1918, when Miss Carden, of England, paid us a visit and spoke again of the work, and the urgent need of help owing to the large number of soldiers' children that had been admitted to the homes during the war. Our roll number in November, 1918, was 127, but many of these have left the district, so that our present number is only 71; nine new members joined this year. Each member pays a yearly subscription of one shilling, which entitles him or her to 10 magazines, the total number published each year. Every member is supplied with a collecting box as soon as he joins. These boxes are opened twice a year, and every member who collects five shillings a year for three years and pays his yearly subscriptions, is eligible for a silver badge. Twelve of our members have gained this distinction, and will now l'eceive their badges, viz.:— Greta Brownlee, Grace Lysnar, Eva Brownlee, Allan Papcsch, Robert Brownlee, Annie McNally, Iris Hart, Gwen Wilkinson, Marcus Rack, Rae Marshall, Avis Potter, Carlyle Potter. The following members will be eligible for badges in November next, when their three years' membership is completed:— Gordon Brownlee, Kenneth Mellsop, Ethel Reynolds, and others, we trust, will also have made up th« required sum (ss) by that time. Our next box-opening will be at the end of October, and we hope to i have a tea, etc., for members then. Our members are to be congratulated on having collected £BO 12s in the three and a-half years since our branch was formed, and to this we must add £l6 5s (the amount paid in yearly subscriptions). This makes a total of £96 17s; £B7 10s has been forwarded to Miss Rachel Morton, general secretary, London E., who has sent official receipts and thanks for the same. The rest of the money already collected, together with proceeds of this entertainment, will be duly forwarded to Miss Norton next week.

The following extract taken from the Y.H.L. Magazine shows what New Zealand members are doing:— Activities in New Zealand: It is particularly cheering to find that our friends in New Zealand as well as those in the Hoi. e Country, established a record during 1918. The total amount of money received from New Zealand during the year was £5,111 12s lid, this being £1443 Us 9d more than the amount contributed by our helpers in the Dominion in the previous year. This is particularly encouraging, as during the latter part of the year the influenza epidemic which in England and other countries spread to New Zealand, where it had a very serious effect, in consequence of which nearly all the schools were closed for about two months. Our New Zealand helpers certainly deserve a special word of congratulation on their achievement during 1918. We offer them our sincere thanks, and, at the same time, venture to expless the hope that the efforts they are continuing to put forward on behalf of our work will have an even more encouraging result this year. We hope our Pukckohe friends will help and encourage our young helpers in this work and will remember that all new members will be welcomed.