Meeting of Workers from North and Mid-Wales.

A CONFERENCE of Life-boat workers from Branches and Ladies' Life-boat Guilds in North and Mid-Wales was held at Llandudno on the 22nd October, 1930. Delegates from ten Branches and eight Ladies' Life-boat Guilds were wel- comed by the Chairman of the Urban District Council at the opening of the Conference, and, in the unavoidable absence of Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., Chairman of the Committee of Manage- ment, Mr. George F. Shee, M.A., Secre- tary of the Institution, presided, sup- ported by the District Organising Secretary.

Mr. Shee thanked the Chairman of the Council for his presence and wel- come, and then gave a brief survey of the work of the Institution. The Dis- trict Organising Secretary thanked the Delegates for the splendid work which they were doing, and invited their help in giving him the names of anybody who would assist in starting a Ladies' Life-boat Guild in any of the following places: Ruthin, Ruabon, St. Asaph, Newport (Salop), Shifnal, Bishop's Castle, Ledbury, Ross and Flint.

Mr. G. A. Humphreys, J.P., Chairman of the Llandudno Branch, proposed that the Conference should record in its minutes an expression of their very high appreciation of the services ren- dered by Mr. Shee to the Life-boat Service during the past twenty years, and a similar resolution of appreciation of the services of Captain Howard F. J.

Rowley, the recently retired Chief Inspector of Life-boats. Both resolu- tions were enthusiastically carried. In reply Mr. Shee thanked the Delegates, and said he would have much pleasure in conveying to Captain Rowley the tribute to his services which had been proposed and so well received.

A discussion then took place on branch work and methods of publicity and propaganda, during which the following points were made :— On the question of " What constitutes a successful Branch ? " it had been found that the aim should be to have a good working Committee and a strong Ladies' Life-boat Guild, and to arrange regular sources which could be relied upon to raise a definite income each year. The basis of all Branches should be annual subscriptions, because this source of income was not affected, as were Life-boat Days, by a bad season at seaside places or bad weather. • Principal Methods of Appeal.

A general discussion elicited the fact that Annual Subscriptions, Life-boat Day, House-to-House Collections and Dinner-table Collections were regarded as the principal forms of appeal which could be carried out by a successful Branch. It was agreed that a great factor in most of these efforts was the collector, and a band of enthusiastic and willing collectors was essential.

On the question of appeals for annual subscriptions, the value of the personal touch was strongly urged, and it was agreed that a postal, appeal, if sent out on the right lines, could be made effec- tive. The importance of sending out applications for the renewal of all con- tributions in a systematic way was emphasised.

The great value of the Ladies' Life- boat Guild was stressed by many Branches, and the numerous ways in which the Guild, as a whole, and the members of the Guild, as individuals, could help the work were dealt with.

Apart from the efforts already men- tioned in connexion with a successful Branch there were Whis.t and Bridge Drives, Dances, Bazaars, Concerts, Carol Singing, etc., etc. For individual members of the Guild there were private collecting boxes and collecting cards.

The leaflet provided by the Institution, with a small envelope attached, for House-to-House Collections had been found by a number of delegates to be one of the most successful methods of collecting.

With regard to Life-boat Days, it was agreed that a day should be held wherever permission could be obtained, because the people who gave on these occasions could not be reached by other means. Early application for a definite date was considered very advisable, and experience had shown the value of getting clergy of all denominations to refer to the Institution and its work in the sermon on the Sunday before Life- boat Day.

Other points dealt with were : — The value of the Essay Competition all over the country.

The importance of sending the Journal to contributors of 10s. and upwards.

The value of placing out collecting boxes in hotels, shops, etc.

The facilities for prompt and economic printing at Headquarters.

The importance of em hasising the cost of the Institution's administration —under 5 per cent.

The value of Branch Annual Meetings.

The value of using the films which were provided free for the use of Branches, and also the lantern slides with their accompanying lecture.

During the Conference the attention of Delegates was particularly drawn to Leaflet No. 1, published by the Institu- tion, which gave hints and suggestions on the organisation of appeals and Special Efforts, and also to Leaflet No. 10, which gave a complete list of the literature and stores which were available for the use of Branches in carrying out appeals.

In the afternoon the delegates went to the Palladium Theatre and saw the new Life-boat Film for Wales. This filTi, which will be available for the use of Branches, shows two Welsh Life-boat Stations, two Irish Stations on the other side of the Irish Sea, and an English Station on the other side of the Bristol Channel. It is in two reels, one taking fifteen minutes and the other twelve minutes. The Delegates were enthu- siastic in their approbation of the film.

At the afternoon session Mr. Shee presented the Certificate of Service | awarded to William Williams, ex- Coxswain of the Llanddulas Life-boat, and the Gold Brooch awarded to Mrs.

Marks, of Llandudno, in recognition of her long and valued co-operation | in connexion with the Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

Specimens of Literature, Badges, Souvenirs, Bunting, Light-weight Oil- skins for the use of collectors, etc., etc., were displayed and were examined by Delegates during the day.

Votes of thanks to the Chairman and speakers, to the Chairman of the Urban District Council for the loan of the Council Chambers, and to Mr. G. A.

Humphreys, J.P., for very kindly enter- taining the Delegates to tea, brought a verv successful Conference to a close..