VICTORIA LEAGUE.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 November 1916, Page 2

VICTORIA LEAGUE.

ANNUAL MEETING. PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. Tli? animal meeting of the New P,ymouth branch of the Victoria League was held in the Kawaroa Park bungalow on Wednesday afternoon. The Mayoress (Mrs. Burgess) presided over a large attendance. In moving the adoption of the report, Which has been published. Mrs, Burgess said that during the year the sewing guilds working under the auspices of the League had received £6B in donations and members'' tea money. Of this amount £fi was being sent to the Victoria League Overseas Club in London for Christmas gifts for the men. Mrs. Burgess expressed her thanks to the ladies who had worked bo faithfully at sewing and cutting out. and at arranging and providing afternoon tea in connection with the League's meetings. Outside guilds had supplied 200 C articles. This assistance had enabled the League to pack and ship for the No. 1 Stationary Hospital some 3000 gifts, and to the Victoria League, London, a further lOni) articles for soldiers' children. In addition to the sewing, gifts of food comforts had also been sent to the No. 1 Hospital and to the camps and hospitals in Egypt. In tills connection the Omata Committee had made a special monthly contribution. Good work had been done by the junior associates, resumed Mrs. Burgess and thanks were due to Mr 9. Firth and Miss Dempsey for the interest they had taken in the junior members. The Central School Juniors had donated through Mrs. Dempsey the sum of £3 ss, and through Miss Gwen. Bayly the sum of 12s, the latter being the proceeds of ft children's party organised by her. The girls' branch of the League, working under the direction of Miss Fabian and Miss Eawson, had raised £0 14s sd, and a donation of £2 had been made by the girls towards the cost 6f the ambulance. PRESIDENT'S APPRECIATION. A sub-branch of 21 members had bein formed at Okau, and excellent work had been done by the sub-branch under inconvenient conditions. Mrs. Burgess expressed her appreciation of the assistance rendered' the League by Mrs. Nathan and Miss Peart, and those associated with them, in giving a musical recital in aid of .the League's fund for the No. 1. Hospital. Congratulations wore also due to Mesdames Coartenay, Denny-Brown, Roekel, and Heard upon the success achieved at the concert organised by them. Mrs. Burgess said thanks should also be accorded to Miss Whitcombe, who had resigned, for her work at the League's rooms. Mr. Fred Asher, the treasurer of the trust account, was also deserving of the League's Jjest thanks. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. WORK OF THE CHILDREN Mrs. Firth, honorary secretary of the Junior Associates' Brunch, presented .1 report of the work done by the branch. There were 84 town members and 21 country members, wrote Mrs. Firth, who went on to review the work -done during the year. The Central School Branch had lent able assistance in furthering the work of the League, while Chetwode School. Okau, and West End Branches had rendered valuable service in preparing boxes of clothing for the ren at the front and in the hospitals. ' Miss Fabian, honorary secretary of me Girls' Branch of the League, reporter that since June 7 the Sewing Guild had met weekly. The working members were few, and the Branch would welcome new members. Garments for children, including complete suits for the boys, had been made by the girls, and' had been sent away. The Ladies' Guild a.■ Lepperton had sent in a parcel of children's garments. A parcel of 100 garments from the Girls' Branch had been sent to London for soldiers' children. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The election of officers resulted a's follows:—President, Mrs. C. H. Burgess (re-elected); vice-presidents, Mrs. Blundell, Mrs. Larsen (Uruti), Archdeacon and Mrs. Evans, Mr. A. Crooke, Mr. A. H. Johnstone; council, Mesdames Courtenay, F. Blundell, Johns. Rockel, Stocker, Bowden, Heard, Dowling, Firth, Haseler, Bartlcy, Clarke, Ambury, Eberlct, Misses Dempsey, Stanford, Barr, Fabian, Rawson, Peart. Afternoon tea was served, and Mrs. Wood entertained the company with selections on the pianola. Votes of thanks were passed to the Kawaroa Park Committee for the use of the pavilion; to Mr. Hoffmann, for tho use of the pianola; and to Mrs. Wood, for playing the instrument.