W.E.A.

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 43, 13 October 1931, Page 5

W.E.A.

LARGE AUDIENCE HEARS SHAKESPEARE FANTASY READ SUCCESSFUL SEASON CLOSES "Will Shakespeare/' Cleriienee Dane's extrfimely clever play, which tells tbo story (or perhaps it would be better to say, a story*— the author herself calls it "an ittventioh") of the opening years of the poet's lif e in London after be left Stratford as a youth, was read on Friday evening last by members of the Rotorua Workers' Educational Association assisted by members of the Rotorua Women's Gltib, The occasion was the final meeting-of the 1981'session and there was an' exceptidiiaily large attendance of members and their frieilds. The play is. a difficult one for amateurs to handle, being written in rhymed and blank verse and prose and those who took parts fully deseiwed the applause which their audience gave them in generous measure. Those who read parts were: Mrs. W. S. Wallis, Mrs. N. M. Keane, Mrs. Walsh, Miss Jean Pearce, Miss McTier, Miss G. Dillon, Miss E. Sharpe, Miss M. Williamson and Messrs. A. H. Foggin, E. G. Guy and L. G. Ashton. At the conclusion of the reading the ehairman, submitted, the statement of accounts and balance sheet, which showed that the Associatiop was in a very satisfaction position, the surplus of receipts over expenditure amounting to £5 11s 4d. The membership for the session was shown as 64 and the subseriptions totalled £16, to which was added 5s 5d Post Office. Savings Bank interest. Expenditure totalled £10 14s ld, the items being advertising 18s, hire of room £8 2s, freight and cartage on books and | gramophone £1 10s 4d; and stationery and postage 3s 9d. In accordance with the rules of the Association the surplus of £5 11s 4d has been forwarded to the headquarters of the Association in Auckland. In the lecture fund there is a credit balance of £1 10s 3d, which will be available toward the expense of a visiting lecturer at a later date. Moving the adoption of the balance sheet, Mr. Foggin said he thought members might congratulate themselves on a most successful session. He thought they had all learned something which would be of permanent value to them from the works they had read together. Many members had worked hard, particularly their secretary, Miss Ethel Sharpe, to whom he would move a special vote of thanks. She had made his own responsibilities very much lighter than they would otherwise have been and her enthusiasm had contributed in no small measure to the success of the session. The vote to Miss Sharpe was carried with enthusiastic applause members not waiting for a seeonder. Miss A.'French, who seconded the. motion for the adoption of the balance sheet, said she had much pleasure in supporting what Mr. Foggin had said. She was sure members had derived both pleasure and profit from their meetings during the past winter. She was particularly pleased Mr. Foggin hadmoved a special vote of thanks to Miss Sharpe, who had worked hard for the Assn. She would like also to move a vote of thanks to the ehairman for the able way in which he had carried out his duties. The vote to Mr. Foggin was carried with hearty acclamation and similar votes were also passed to members who had read parts during the session and to Miss Macdermott, who had lent a gramophone when needed free of charge. Before closing the meeting Mr. Foggin drew attention to the Assoeiation's sixth annual summer camp, to be held at the Wesley College, Paerata, from December 26, 1931, to January 2, 1932. The camp will be under the direction of Professor H. Belshaw, of Auckland, who will be assisted by a competent staff of lecturers. A eomprehensive programme of study and play has been drawn up and Mr Foggin assured members that a pleasurable and profitable weelc would reward their attendance at the camp.