KAWAROA PARK SOCIETY.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 November 1921, Page 7

KAWAROA PARK SOCIETY.

PAST YEAR'S OPERATIONS. THE ANNUAL REPORT. The annual report of the president of the Kawaroa Park Society (Mr. V. H. Beal) to be presented to the annual meeting at theBungalow to-morrow evening, discloses another most successful year's operations. The report is as follows: It is wit'h a great deal of pleasure I submit any report, dealing with the activities or the society during the past season, and extend to all concerned hearts’ congratulations' upon the really wonderful results which have been achieved. Further records have been established in all departments, and on behalf of the members of the committee I take this early opportunity of expressing their appreciation to all those workers who have so loyally suppprted them during the period under review, and to town and country people alike for the very liberal patronage extended to trt> respective functions which have been held. When the society was first formed a, comprehensive scheme was decided upon, tjic ISea being\ that any improveunpnts carried out should form part of that scheme, with the result that to-day we have in the park what is admittedly one of the finest beauty spots to be found among the many scenic attractions New Plymouth is so fortunate to pos sess, and certainly one of the best appointed and equipped seaside recreation grounds to be found in the Dominion. Few, however, realised that so much work wquld be accomplished In such a comparatively short space of tiune. It was a striking example of what can be done when a band of enthusiasts get together and with one accord set out, not with any selfish motive, but with a desire to convert a reserve, the great possibilities of which they recognised, into a pleasure ground for the people as a whole. Then again the public have recognised that the funds they have provided through the different functions which have been held, have been wisely spent on their behalf, and they have not merely continued, but increased their patronage. New friends have also been made each succeeding year, and some idea of thd* magnitude of our operations to-day can be gathered when It 's stated that last season our receipts reached the handsome total of £lBO4 9s«- lid. Of this sum picnics account for £627 6s 6d—a record. All these gatherings were largely attended, and proved most enjoyable, particularly the Easter Monday picnic,’ the attendance at which was very much in excess of any previous year. The receipts under this heading in the previous year were £548 3s 6d. The usual series of euchre parties and dances were again held, and produced £SG 2s 2d, compared with £B5 6s 9d iff the preceding year; rent of the bungalow also shows' a slight increase, £6l 17s 6d against £6O 5s Honorary members’ subscriptions and donations reached the gratifying total of £llB, the amount under the combined headings 12 months ago being £2l 5s 7d. The Borough Council’s subsidy was £5O, the same as last year, and a new item in our balance-sheet this year is £l6 12s 6d, being the society’s proportion of the collections received at a number of recitals given at the park by the Citizens’ Band. Another very pleasinfc feature is the substantial increase in the afternoon tea receipts, £lBO 12s sd, against £l4O €s 9d. This must be particularly gratifying to the ladies’ committee, which, under the guidance of Mrs. W. Oliver, labors so ungrudgingly on behalf of the park, #nd It Is also particularly gratifying in that it affords undisputable evidence of the increasing number of people who dally visit the park during the summer months. Turning to the other side of the balancesheet, it will be seen that wages amount to £304 6s 9d, the increase being accounted'for by the fact that two men are now permanently employed at the park. The expenditure on improvements during the year represents £760-' 8s 2d, £350 of this being for amusements for the children. A croquet lawn has also been ' laid down, and will be ready for play this coming season; enlargements have been made at the bungalow to the extent of £2OO, and another £lOO has been, spent on concrete work in tte vicinity of the swings. The credit balance is £324 19s against £536 last year,, but in this connection it must be remembered that 12 months ago our expenditure totalled £3Bl 2s lld whereas this year it amounted to £1479 Ils sd. The ladies have again rendered yeomanservice in the interests of the park. We cannot speak in too glowing terms of their work, which has again resulted in a very sub.stantial sum being raised, and I would like to take this opportunity of publicly extending to them my personal thanks for the whole-heart-ed manner in which they have at all times been prepared, frequently at great personal sacrifice and Inconvenience, to labor for the park. To my colleagues on the , general committee. I would also express my very sincere thanks, not only for their untiring efforts on behalf of the park, but also for the loyal support they have again extended to me. I would also like to express our thanks to the Press for the assistance they have rendered the committee and for the publicity which has from time to time' been given to the activities of the society. It is with regret I have to record the death during tne year of our patron. Mr. W. L. Newman, and also of Mrs." Grylls. The late Mr. Newman and the late Mrs. Grylls had been most ardent supporters of the park, and in various ways tad rendered valued service on its behalf.