MASTERTON MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4689, 7 April 1894, Page 3

MASTERTON MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY.

Annual Report

At the annual mooting of the above Society, held last evening .the report as follows, was read by Mr 0. ,Prag-, nell, Hon. Secretary : ANHUALi BEPOBT 1898.

"It afford me much pleasure to again be able to report that the laßt BBBaion of this Society was iu every way a tlistinot Buooess, the rsginer showing an inorease in the number of members uud the attendance being well maintained. Our manuscript " Journal" still maintained its prestige in the hands of Mr Eaathope, the able editor, and the fact'that it w»s

read onoe in every six weeks, instead of monthly as hitherto had the effect of adding to us columns with the result that the contributions wore of a very high literary merit, The debates-of which thero were

seven—proved most interesting, and were probably the best item's of the session, inasmuch as it was seen they had tho effect of showing the speaking ability of lady members, who

proved themselves critios of no mean order. In this conneotion the" Question Box" proved very useful, as no member was allowed to renuin dumb upon any question drawn. The

3 younger members under the age of 21 ' undertook to curry out the programme! ■ for one evoniug, and right well did » they do it, the miscellaneous enter- ! tainment given 'having the efl'eot of i drawing a crowded house. The lady > members of the Sooiety also had an ■ evening to thomselves, and presented an excellent mixed programme of music and elocution. A gratifying in- ' diciition of tho literary progress of > the Society was noticeable when I several members arraigned themselves ■ before Judges to test their elocution- ' ary ability, and it is to be hoped that • this first elocutionary contest will 1 not be tbo last in 'the annals of our ' Society, A Mock Parliamentary de- ' bate was amongst the most successful 1 items of the session, and also was a ■ Mock Trial which drew one of the 1 largest attendances the Society has ■ ever had, Financially we have.niade both ends meet, the receipts just 1 meeting expenditure, 1 Difficulty was ' experienced in financing, owing to 1 the smallness of the annual subscription which fell solely on the male members, 1 would suggest that the fee he reduced from 2s to Is per session, members of both Bsxes to contribute. By this means no difficulty would arise, as the lady members are in the large majority, During the past session 27 meetings were held, the average attendance of members and visitors being 88, an inorease of four ou tho previous session. Two open meetings were held with an attendance of about 200 each, but are not counted in the average. Altogether the Society can be heartily congratulated upon its position, which I trust it will oontinue to maint lin, and thus steer its way to a higher goal of extended usefulness, imbueing . its members with ideas of the nobility ' of work and their duty to their fellow creatures, thus promoting all that the Society's best wiahea would desire.— I am, etc., UrMiNdo Phmmell, Hon, Seo. The report and balance sheet was ' adopted, after which the eleotion of ] officers was proceeded with and re- ' suited as follows:—President, Rev. ! J. Dukes (re-elected); Vice-Presi- j dents, Miss Williams andMrEas'hope ( (re eleoted), and Mr L, Donald; ' Editor of Journal, Mr tasthope (re- \ olected unopposed), Secretary and ( Treasurer, Mr 0, Pragnell (re- I elected unopposed); Assistant Secre- ' tary, Mr J. Owen; Committee, Mrs £ Dukes and Misses Pearson and Perry. [ Notice of motion was given to hold i the meetings of the Sooioty fort- l nightly instead of weekly as hitherto, | The Committee wero instructed to E preparo a syllabus for the ensuing d session, to bo presented at next ' Friday's meeting of the Society. I A vote of thauks to the retiring j officers concluded the proceedings,