Guild of Help - A Good Year’s Work – Further Effort Required

The first annual meeting of the Rushden Guild of Help was held on Monday evening in the B.,W.T.A. Hall, Mr G H Skinner, J.P., the president fo the Guild, occupying the chair, supports by Mr Walter G F Kingston, the hon. secretary. There was a good attendance, among those present being the Rector (the Ven. Arthur Kitchin), the Rev Father Waldie, Mr F L Heygate (hon. treasurer), Councillors John Claridge, J.P., C.C., W Bazeley, C Bates, and others.

Finances

After presenting the annual report, which is referred to in our editorial columns, Mr Kingston read the balance-sheet, which had been audited by Mr W L Beetenson and Mr H Cripwell. This showed the total receipts for the year to be £133/14/4. As follows:-

Donations £5/18/0, house to house collection £24/5/11, donations from churches etc. £20/8/2, factory collections £35/9/0, band collections £6/15/11, cycle parade £40/17/4. The expenditure amounted to £96/2/8, as follows:- Aid granted in goods £89/19/7, aid granted in cash £2, printing, postages, etc. £4/3/1. There was a balance in hand of £37/11/8.

Mr G Wingrove proposed the adoption of the balance sheet.

Mr Bazeley seconded, and it was carried.

The Unemployed

Mr Wingrove: Are the 34 still on the unemployed register a fair representation of the unemployment in the town?

Mr Kingston: I do not think it is.

Mr F W Elsdon said that some of the £37 in hand had now been spent. The money we had last winter he said was not at all adequate, and this year we have not so much. We had to take only the very worst of the cases, and deal with them as far as we are able to do. It was merely an apology for relief. This was not the fault of the committee, but because we had no funds. It is a poor look-out for the present winter.

The Constitution

The Rev E J Keely Wright, who was unable to attend, wrote, submitting a scheme for enlarging the Guild and making it a civic body. We hope to refer to this letter next week.

The Rector: That would be a re-construction of the Guild. It would mean beginning again.

Mr. Bazeley said he thought the primary object when the Guild was formed was to make it a Labour Bureau. They did not mean to make it a charity organisation society more than they could help, but to find work. From that standpoint, however, it seemed to be almost an absolute failure, because work had been found for very few.

Mr. Elsdon moved that in future the movement be called a Distress Committee.

Mr. J. R. Brooke seconded.

The Rev. Father Waldie supported the old name. The Guild of Help had a more brotherly sound.

After discussion the proposition to alter the name was put the meeting and lost.

Officers

The following were elected as the executive:—Father Waldie, Ven. Arthur Kitchin, Rev. E. J. Keely Wright, Mrs. Tailby, Mrs. Wilson, Messrs. J. Claridge, Elsdon, J. R. Brooke, P. Collins, Tullett, H. Fisher, J. W. Bright, Wingrove, and Mason.

The Secretary was asked to write inviting three representatives from the Manufacturers’ Association and three from the tradesmen.

The treasurer (Mr. Heygate) and the secretary (Mr. Kingston) were re-elected with thanks for their services. Mr. Wingrove was appointed assistant secretary. The auditors were re-elected.