PORT ALBERT.

Wairoa Bell, Volume IV, Issue 155, 22 July 1892, Page 2

PORT ALBERT.

[fbom our own correspondent .] Things are very quiet here just now as the weather has been so bad that meetings of all kinds are put off till better weather, so I have not much to write about. The Mutual Improvement Class held their usual meeting on July 9th, Mr Ehephei’d in the chair, but only some ten or twelve members were present the weather being rather threatening. The principal business was the receiving of the Report for the quarter and the election of officers. The following officers were, after some trouble, declared duly elected; President, Mr Mander : Vice-presidents, Messrs R, Walker and L, P. Beecroft ; Secretary, Miss Hartnell; Assistant Secretary, Mr R, Partington ; Treasurer, Miss Gubb ; Committee, Messrs Reid and C. Judd ; Auditors, Messrs F. Hartnell and S. Gubb. The following programme was then gon e through :—lnstrumental music, Miss Gubb ; Original essay on ‘ The Government of the Country,’ Mr Judd. This was very well written and caused a fair amount of criticism. Readings were given by Mr Shepherd and Mr Manders, recitation ‘ Take the World as it is,’ Miss Hartnell, very good. I hear there is a movement on foot to start a Fruit-growers Society here, but from what I hear it is not likely to meet with much favour with some of the fruit-growers, as they think it would be better to throw all their interest into the Agricultural Society, and have one strong one rather than two weak Societies. One thing the Society might do and that is to open correspondence with kindred Societies in reference to charging for the fruit-cases as one of our largest exporters of fruit paid no less than the large sum of £lO for boxes, which takes a good deal of the profit, away. Port Albert Mutual Improvement Society’s Report for the quarter ending, 2nd 1892 : During the past quarter there have been thirteen meetings w'ith an average attendance of nineteen members and nine visitors. Considering the weather we have been°favoured with lately on Saturdays and the state of our roads, these figures are favourable and show that there are some members who are interested enough in the welfare of the Society to turn out in spite of the wind and mud. There have been contributed during the past term, 22 readings, 14 songs, 1 duet, 9 selections of Instrumental music, 1 quartette, 18 recitations, 12 Impromptu speeches, I address and 1 Original essay. Tne reading of Shakespeare was introduced into this Society during this quarter but not enough members took sufficient interest in it to make the reading a success, so after two or three attempts it was given up the majority voting against it. The number of members now' on the roll is forty-two, two new ones have joined during the quarter and two or three have left. We are alw'ays glad to see visitors especially those who occasionally contribute something to the meetings, but we would be glad if a few more would become members, and thus prove their interest in the Society.