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A.CT. --- History of the YWCA con't..


This list was followed by another - a few of the names 
visible - ie not pasted over with articles cut from 
newspapers etc.  Following are some of those names:

Adams, Mrs, Melbourne Avenue, Forrest
Armstrong, Mrs SJ, Gipps St, Barton
Almond, Mrs AE, Grant Crescent, Griffith
Aston, Mrs HJ, 29 Molonglo
Armstrong, Mrs HT, Westlake
Alder, Mrs R, 23 Causeway
Alder, Mrs A, 22 Causeway
Altrip, Mrs, 107 Causeway
Austwick, Mrs WH, 30 Causeway
Anderson, Mrs JC, Fyshwick
Allen, Prof & Mrs LH, RMC
Arnold, Mrs RA, Duntroon
Clutton, Mrs DT, No 1 Dairy, Mill Road
Chaples, Mrs Cowper St, Ainslie
Cassell, Mrs WS, Wentworth Avenue, Kingston
Carroll, Mrs HA, Wentworth Avenue, Kingston
Corkhill, Mrs JJ, Riverview, Westridge
Cabban, Mrs HW, Cross Refreshment Rooms
Canning, Mrs DJN, Ainslie
Casboulte, Mrs TR, Hotel Acton
Cook, Mrs P, Police Station, Acton
Cheel, Mrs AC, Paterson St, Ainslie
Calliope, Mrs, Dirrawan Gardens, Ainslie
Clark, Mrs BP, Mount Stromlo
Cox, Mrs HM, Hotel Wellington
Crutch, Mrs S, Dominion Circuit, Forrest
Crease, Mrs GA, Forrest
Carrodus, Mrs JA, Forrest
Clothier, Mrs HA, Oaks Estate, Queanbeyan
Carney, Mrs WJ, Hall
Cormack, Mrs, Tuggeranong
Clayton, Mrs RR, Gold Creek, Ginninderra
Campbell, Mrs AD, Woden, Queanbeyan
Other names which can partly be read are:
Boag, Breasely, Bingenes, Benson, Brown, Boag, Bickford, 
Bolles, Bertwisle, Buchane, Barrie, Brian, Bruno?, Bully, 
Bailey, Bruce, Bates, Byron, Bird, Bevin, Balfour, Box, 
Donnelly, Dillon, Dean, Dolan, Doig, Doherty, Dee. Dawson, 
Darriot?, Denholm, Dodd, Duffy, Daviews, Davie, Davis, 
Dinnerville, Dickinson, Darrell, Dodd.

Some of the above may be identified from the electoral 
roll of 1929.  Some of the above lived at 
Westridge and  others probably at Westlake/Howies Cottages etc.  
Some may be:
Bates, Mrs E, Cotter River
Benson, Mrs JH, Gosse St, Kingston
Bickford, Mrs DS, Edmund Kennedy St, Kingston
Bertwistle, Mrs W H, Batman St, Braddon, 
Barrie, Mrs WH, Corroboree Cres, Ainslie
Bard, Mrs WH, Lister Cres, Ainslie
Bingeman, Mrs HC, Torrens St, Braddon
Boag, Mrs R, Kingston
Boag, Mrs T, 21 Paterson St, Ainslie
Dee, Mrs TW, Dirrawan Gardens
Dillon, Mrs JJ, Westridge
Doherty, Mrs, Hargreaves Cres, Ainslie,
Dolig, Mrs W, Ainslie
Dodd, Mrs HA, Bougainville St, Forrest
Duffy, Mrs WG, Ralph Darling Street, Kingston
Dinnerville, Mrs H, 3 Howies Cottages, Westlake
Denholm, Mrs H, Ducane St, Forrest.

The Australian Archives also contain documents pertaining to 
the establishment of the YWCA.  A letter written dated 
22 May, 1933 (A461/8 5344/1/12) in part reads:

(1) In 1926 we had communications with the Federal Capital 
Commission with the respect to establishing a YWCA building 
in Canberra - chiefly, from the Government point of view, 
for the housing of young women government servants.  Our 
reply was to the effect that, while we wished to help 
eventually in this regard, we felt that community service 
for girls and women - helping to bridge over difficult 
periods of adjustment, giving programmes for leisure, etc - 
was the greatest need; and that, as the Government already 
had ample provision for accommodation, the matter of mere 
housing was not an urgent need.  A site near Gorman House 
was at this time allocated to us, and was marked on the plant.

(2) In 1926/27 the for domestic helpers for Canberra became 
acute.  A woman Social Service official (Miss Hawkins) was 
appointed under the auspices of the authorities of Canberra 
as Supervisor of the Lady Hopetoun Club, which was formed 
with the object of looking after a number of domestics whom 
she brought out from England on behalf of  the Government, 
this club centre - partly residential - being made available 
for them and also, it was hoped, for all the girls of  the 
community.  From our experience, however, we felt that this 
kind of work, - both as regards building equipment and mode 
of operation - was not likely to achieve the Government's hope 
(as we pointed out in both interviews and letters to the Commission), 
and in any case the existence of the Lady Hopetoun Club made 
it impracticable for our organisation to commence work in 
Canberra, as there was not room for two such ventures with 
Butters we freely offered any help we could give to make a 
success of the Commission's own venture in the Lady Hopetoun 
Club.

After thought Sir John [Butters] wrote in June, 1927 and 
asked us to communicate again with the Government in a year's 
time, when the results of their own efforts would be known and 
to this we willingly agreed.

In May, 1927 we equipped service tents for the general public 
during the official opening of the Parliamentary buildings by 
HRH The Duke of York.

(3) On the 1st may, 1928 in accordance with Sir John Butters' 
request we wrote asking whether the Commission felt there was 
any further need for us to consider establishing work in 
Canberra.  Consequently on the closing of the Lady Hopetoun Club 
and the discontinuance of the Superintendent's position, two 
letters (one dated May 7th and the other September 3rd) conveyed a 
desire that we should urgently consider the establishment of 
YWCA work in a building of our own, and promised that the 
Commission would pay the salary of a worker.  The Actin-President, 
Mrs B Stewart Cowen and the National General Secretary, thereon 
paid a visit to Canberra, and after a thorough investigation 
decided that there was a great need for the kind of community 
service our organisation could give; and the National Board 
decided to recommend to its then-forthcoming triennial 
convention (in November 1928) that steps be taken to establish 
work in the Federal Capital City.

(4) Other letters during 1928 show that, owing to uncertainty 
due to the unusual and more or less artificial establishment 
of Canberra, not depending on the usual modes of city development, 
the future of such a piece of work would be too precarious for 
the YWCA to commit itself to a building and rented premises were 
regarded as preferable, and for an experimental period of two 
years only.  Later however (see below) the Convention gave us 
power to raise the funds and erect a building if the latter 
were found more desirable.  The emphasis of work was to be -
An open door of service to all girls and women of the community, 
irrespective of class or creed, with a programme of leisure-time 
activities, under and experienced YWCA Secretary.

The Government during this phase undertook to pay the equivalent 
of the salary of an experienced worker, the Association to find 
its own running costs.

(5)  As it was found in October 1928 that the only rooms available 
for Club purposes were not suitable for permanent work, the 
National Board decided to put alternate proposals to the 
Convention which met in November, 1928 -
A) Renting, with the advantage of being able to vacate Canberra 
if the work could not be financed.
B) Raising the money in the States for a permanent building in 
Canberra. 
In order to have all the facts to place before the Association, 
the Federal Capital Commission was asked for a definite commitment 
for government financial help in view of our agreeing to take up 
work in Canberra ( either in rented premises or through the 
erection of a building).

The Government's reply which was communicated to our Convention 
was made by Lettergram dated 8th November, 1928:-
Miss E Griffin
c/o YWCA Adelaide
"My memorandum 31st October, Commission prepared to grant  
Association lease under Leases Special Purpose Ordinance of 
one of five blocks on Ainsley Avenue, 99 years rental one per 
cent per annum. Stop. Reduction from 5 per cent equivalent to 
cash subsidy equal to four-fifths value land which assessed 
six pounds per foot; frontage about 150 feet.  Stop.  Also 
prepared to grant subsidy of 500 pounds per annum first two 
years after establishment; 400 pounds for the third year; 
300 pounds for the 4th year; beyond which the Commission 
cannot commit, but when review matter on merits. Stop.  Proposals 
subject to Commission's approval scheme of work proposed and 
facilities offered by Association, and to submission definite 
building scheme for Commission's approval.  Stop. Await proposals 
following convention.  Canbracom"

(6).  The decision of convention to go forward with the work of 
raising money for a building was not easily made, because of 
the doubting attitude towards Canberra, throughout Australia, 
and our letters of December 7th and January 17th (after Convention) 
expressed enough of this to bring the following communication of 
18th January.
Lettergram -"Griffin, Care YWCA, Melbourne.  
18th January, 1929. 
"Your telegram today and letters 17th and 7th December, regret 
delay.  Stop.  On basis your modified scheme, namely rented premises 
for a period pending raising cash for building, and in view absence 
of approximate estimate building, Commission would need to reduce 
subsidy to 300 pounds per annum for the first year, 200 pounds for 
the 3rd  year and 100 pounds for the 4th year; then review; but 
would reconsider subsidy on receipt definite estimate for definite 
building scheme, even if nucleus.  Stop.  Arrangements subject 
understanding National Board finances temporary rental arrangements 
which you make direct with agents. Canbraccom."

This again indicates that the Government was anxious to have 
our services permanently established in Canberra.

Our reply of January 19th, 1929, shows that our desire for 
beginning in rented premises was for a temporary period only
 - during a reasonable period need to raise money and erect 
a building.  The third communication was as follows:-
Telegram 24th January, 1929
"Emissarius, Melbourne.
Your lettergram 19th, in view your building proposal and on 
understanding commencement thereof within six months, and 
commencement organisation rented premises in March, Commission 
agreeable to subsidy 500 pounds each first two years, then 
400 pounds then 300 pounds. Stop. First quarterly payment 
in advance as from date arrival Miss Tapley-Short, who would 
need share room. Canbracom."

(7)  Since then we may state briefly that we have more than 
completed our pledge to the Government, both in erecting a 
building costing 6,382 pounds 15 shillings and 3 pence and 
in giving the promised service of an experienced secretary.  
The work today in Canberra is sufficiently well known to 
stand on its own merits:-
a) The building - consisting of club and class rooms, and 
gymnasium hall - is open freely for community service, day 
and night, to all who need it, irrespective of class, creed, 
age or sex, and whether they are members or not of the YWCA.
B) Help is given to all needs of women and girls, including 
finding posts for the unemployed, and co-operating in all 
fields of social service and in all ways.
C) In spite of the depression a live and growing membership 
has paid all running costs (though without the salary of 
worker) and the prospects of a continuous and increasingly 
effective service are bright - provided an experienced YWCA 
secretary can be retained in Canberra.

We have co-operated whole-heartedly with the Government in 
all their requests for the welfare of Canberra, and officials 
giving service to the Federal Capital city during the past 
four years have intimate knowledge of our work and of its value, 
as have also the wives of many Federal parliamentary members 
and government officials, these latter having personal contact, 
and knowing the work from within.

We would like to add -
A) That we have been treated unfailingly with the utmost 
consideration, helpfulness and courtesy in every regard over 
this period of years by the Government and its officers;
B) That an excellent site was granted for the building;
C) The subsidy for each of the first two and half years was paid 
in full, namely 500 pounds per year.  On request, not wishing to 
appear indifferent to the difficulties of the Government, we 
agreed to a 20 per cent reduction in our subsidy for three-fourths 
of the 3rd year, and for the whole of the 4th year, receiving 
340 pounds instead of 400 pounds and 240 pounds instead of 300 
pounds for the 4th year; though this most seriously hampered 
our work just at the time when, because of reductions in civil 
servant's salaries, the capacity for local support was at its 
lowest.

The graded decrease and this additional 20 percent of reduction 
meant a 40 per cent decrease in the salary of our experienced 
worker in Canberra, just when the stain of her work was greatest.

D) Owing to the depression and changes of policy causing delay 
in the transfer of Government departments, the population of 
Canberra has not increased at the pace forecasted to us, but 
rather it has decreased;  this fact combined with decreases 
in salary of the permanent population in Canberra, has made 
the increased self support of the work of the YWCA Canberra 
quite impossible.

In spite of the most persistent and most courageous efforts 
on the part of the members in raising money they can see no 
prospect of paying the salary of even one trained worker without 
a Government subsidy, and the work for the past tow years has 
been too much for one worker.  Last year the second worker 
(who had been on the staff for one year only) had to be dispensed 
with owing to lack of finances; and the necessary small car for 
the use of the secretary (a gift from friends of the National YWCA), 
was also dispensed with because of inability to meet running costs.

(8)  Our application of 28th November, 1932 for a continuance 
of subsidy for the future on the undoubted merits of our work 
in Canberra, brought a reply dated 16th January, 1933, the 
closing paragraph of which reads:-
"The Minister has decided that the subsidy of 300 pounds may 
be paid for one year after the expiration of the current year's 
subsidy in March next, after which it will be discontinued.

(9)  In reply to this we respectfully address you in our letter 
of this date, viz. 22nd May, 1933...

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