WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 February 1941, Page 8

WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

SOLWAY=MANAIA FIRST MEETING OF YEAR. (“Times-Age” Special.) The first meeting for 1941 of the Sol-way-Manaia Women's Institute was held at the Church of Epiphany. The meeting was opened with, the singing of the New Zealand anthem "God Defend New Zealand.” The president, Mrs Munn, was in the chair and welcomed members and friends. The Institute song was sung, followed by the Aspiration. "Ode to Friendship and prayer for peace. An invitation was received from the Matarawa-Dalefield Institute to attend a dance, and from the Kopuaranga Institute to a fancy dress masked dance. The roll call, "An embarrassing moment caused by children," was well responded to, many humorous stories being told. Afternoon tea was served by the hostesses after which an interesting competition was held by the members, the winner being Mrs Woollett.

The other competitions were won as follows:—Frocks: Mrs Sutherland 1, Mrs Carr 2. Vase of flowers: Mrs Reynolds 1, Mrs Carr 2. Best bloom: Mrs Webber 1. Mrs Whittaker 2. Preserves: Mrs Reynolds 1. Mrs Henderson 2. Tlie competitions for next month will be:—Cooking, sponge cake; sewing, best handkerchief out of a salt bag; flowers, asters and best bloom. The roll call will be "Where I first met my Husband." The following letter was teceived from a New Zealand soldier serving in Egypt:— “I have just received a parcel from your Institute and am writing to say how pleased I was with it, coming so unexpectedly. One often hears what the women in good old New Zealand are doing toward giving comforts to the troops, but this is the first time anything like this has come my way. You must believe me when I say that the boys were just like a lot of children at Christmas time, asking one another what their parcel contained, and so on. I am sure it will be very gratifying to the members of your Institute to know that the boys really appreciate your efforts, and that the parcels received show that the individual packers were —to say the least thoughtful, in-a S-much that the parcels contained those things that one cannot get out here. We have our own unit canteen, but as you may imagine, everything cannot be stocked in such a small place, even if it could be procured. We are lucky enough to be near (he sea and in that respect our unit is better off than most. That is I think, the one bright spot in the black cloud of endless work. You people have made another by your kindness. Please give my thanks to your members (particularly to the member who packed my parcel). May your good work continue to cheer both the sender and theh receiver.”