VICTORIA LEAGUE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 128, 23 October 1914, Page 3

VICTORIA LEAGUE.

. WEST ANNUAL MEETING. '; -& SUOfiggHfuL GATHERUM. ' : tJ ? e T N * W branch olheYjetom League. The first p^ ,|<ynnalJ>Ußm e , g <rf the meeting, whilst half an excellent patriotic wm giren. The whol e affair wus\ most successful and enjo-wble and. waa a distinct credit to those members who had organised it

. ANNUAL (REPORT. Tte president (Mrs 0. H. Burgess) o&ia:—-' '1 hate much pleasure in submitting to you this erening tfce report and bal-ance-slieet for our first year . "In ocu.l ~ iyl3, Jti. milhxm, the Auckland Bccretaiy, being mi a visit to Jsew lljmouth, explained the aims and object* of ate Victoria League to a few ladies, a New p iymou , I j 1 hl&neb was formed at once, starting with a inemlbiirsliip 0 f aibout twenty, which (has aovy .increased, to a members/hip 0 f a, t least -tw.« ' hundred and' fifty and a .promise, of a still further increase. Mn order that mentors ■ might be kept in; touch Willi one''another it was decided- to hold quarterly gathering, the first .being a °urden party in Pukeloira Ptfr%, at Which members were tke •-•'csfa «f .|fli P president and committees the second. ;akang..the form of a social eyom.ns off Empire Day. I may mention "here tot the London, Office suggested our. contributing towards a memorial wfeath to be placed in position, beta* tlio statue of Queen Victoria MiUi.de.Buckingfham Palace on 't!hat day The wreath of laurel leaves, surmounted ,iby a orown, and erossed ov a V of fOTgct : ine-nots, was 7ft Cin in iheigbt A pale Wue ribbon bere "bore the words- ■ iTom tbe Victoria 'League in Memory of tne.bclovied Queen" across the middle with jflie fljimes of Home branches oa cne end and mt overseas (branches on the omr.in silver letters. In all fortrsix branches were represented in ffliis ! trftute, of loyalty, which, attracted the attention; of many hundreds of people, ;, *° th c unexpected news of war the thud gathering was omitted and Oie presejit J 8 our fourth. I

•Otir first practical work was in con-" nectjon w»h the ■Uruti Nursed Cottage, to which members subscribed £ 10. ? 1 his' carried a GoTienunent eubsiiy V making the amount up to £23. ') "The chairman of tlhe Uruti Nutsma' , Association said in his, report that the , Victoria League of New Plymouth had > provided nearly tfli e whole of afearfuniituto for,which the commiaiitv's tha»ks ' were due.

: •'Alemlberg also contributed the sum ! of U 15,-s towards the' fund far enterI Uming tiKe cadets during General Hum. ilton's Tisif of inspection, and when it i Wa* decided to send- an «xpcdHioimry | force from: New Zealand to Britain, and oomforts for our men were asked for, there was'a. most generous response from members and friends, who autucribed £2O, also many gifts, and gave much valuable time. ' "Oases, of books and magazines wvre also scbt to the troopship, and (LieutColonel Malone wrote on behalf of the regiment: '1 nave to tlhook your League 'for kind.services in the matter.'

''ln answer "to an appeal -through the presß iQr knitted comforts for troops, we have packed' and posted to the Victoria League, London, oil Saturday last: 100 pairs of socks, 45 helmets, 50 bandages, 25 scarves, 'l2 pairs cuffs, and more to follow.- "' ■ ■

"A girls' branch has been formed with Mrs. 'Johns as prcsidint, and during the winter reading evenings have been regularly held. This Work has been most interes.ing and instruoiive and we hope shortly to introduce other circles 0.1 work, such as linking up the children in Toranaki,. With those overseas, and personal correspondence for junior associates.

"A unall Ibranch hag been formed at Waitara, and lias already proved itself a Very oaf me, body.

"As the work increased it waa thought Becessaony'to have our own room, and We were,/.very fortunate in scouring a most ajlitjllblo-.one froan Miss Ilammerton in Ukjfen .struct, wln-rc- our iinKJi'inga have, ibeea: he'd ■ and tlhc work of tihe league,'.'generally caCTied on. Donations .of'books >and.iEi:ißtratcd. papeira would be gratefully received for our ri'au.ng table, vAife copies of monthly notes may ibo seen.

''i. have - to thank the various cominiTl'toes and members for tfie -help given me during the vaT, and wouW like esi>ecially 10 attention the serviced rendered l>» Mrs, Courtney oa secretary an.l Mr* yenny Drown aa treasurer, also ilw. ilrooke for- valued assistance. The latter, 1 am sorry to Bay, is unable to take any active jiart in ifhc work this year, but will, I am. hutu, always lake a. keen interest in thi> welfare oj the league. '"fanatjee.—The talance-sheet shows that we hav-a received in. memlbcnj subscriptions, etc., the Bum of %>\ O.i '.'id, with an tjcpcnditure of £l4 5a lid, leaving ,us ,witU a Ixaiance lo carry forward of £4>'l 43b 4d, which I think we may consider very satisfactory. •' 'After a year's experience of the "work, and-.having obtained a further knowledge of w.uat the league means, 1 eiucerely hope it will continue and flourish and lAait uwinbers wiil ircalise tlhe good that each can do by hoping om >even one only of tfwi objects of tic league as set dow» on th« flrat sheet of our leaf lot."

iMr». Burgess tihcai formally moved itSie adoption o£ tfhe, report and balancesheet, Hiss Gnat eocamded, and tke motio* mt «air««i.

EhK„TION OF OFFICTAIS. Mjk Burgess was re-elected president' for the eu»uJD{j ytar, amd Jdisa Bedford ancxettiry. Tii« following committee was deelcd: M.usd*meii Jotinst, Hugfliea, Courtney, Heard, Denny-Brown, Morrison, Rockel.j Fair, Balaam, Wefiboni, Firth and Dowling, ■ Misses Urant, 6haw, Gascoigno, Stanford, Orooke (£), Baker aaui Weinip■«*yj■. ~ This.concluded tte formal business of the evening. X KIKE rBiOGJIAMMH . . Mr. A," 'JT. Johnstone Uhcn gave a fine addre>*j doaLiug wit'hi paifariausm in roiatioa to t'ha problem of Empire. . A bplendi'tl miueieail programme foliowwil. ,Thu rjjioihi items were Much appreciated nalcjiti nmiiibex was e«r COlul. ■Air. C. II .Weston eamg "Dntke has gunea-oadliiig," Air. IW. F. Balham sang "'Hie Mairsviilla.we,'' arid Mr. ]!. ±l ,iiJohnson gave "The Death of Neli-on." The Misses Grooke par* a pianoforte d»et, and Miss Armstrong' a pianoforte solo. ITho Iter. A. B. Ghappell reci'lexl Henry's "What lutve I. dono for you, England?' The accompaniments during JMisa illixst, sfr«pJoßS«*ftn, ciid dtfi-.ilienaud,., ;-.. ■"* WcSE thMeast •intefcestragjittfms' ginm ■' weWi'thiad-icery seffectixe ifebtoaflx. hy ;7«"b«|~«f <«horladie«, of Itb»/le4gud. Kjnjv,