The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-10-27
ANNUAL REPORT.
OF Board OF Directors of Woman's
EXCHANGE

Exchange.
Following is the substance OF the
last annual report of the Board of Di-
rectors, made by Mrs. Gulick, the sec
rotary:
The last annual report of the Wo-
mans Exchange left the Board of Di-
rectors struggling with the problem Of
how to ueet the expenses Of the Ex-
change by the aid of lunch room.
The Exchange was affording work to
a number of women, but the patronage
was not sufficient to meet the neces-
sary expenses. The income from the
lunch room, though small, helped to
meet the deficiency Many committee
meetings were held, in which the
question of greater economy in the con-
duct of the lunch room was gravely
discussed. and the decisions arrived at
were carried out as far as possible;
but, still, even with the help of some
rental from offices, the small reserve
fund was fast growing smaller in the
effort to make ends meet What could
be done? To give up the Exchange
was not to be thought OF.
In December, lady who was il the
curio business, gave it up, and put her
goods into the Exchange to be sold
on commission. At the same time, it
was decided that after the 1st of jan
uary Is per cent should be charged on
goods, instead of 10, as hitherto These
two circumstances, few New Years
gifts and some reduction in the rent,
gave new life to the Exchange. The
monthly balance-sheet for January and
February looked more encouraging. In
March the receipts of the lunch room
were found to have fallen behind, and
Miss Croker, who had done faithful
service in it, gave notice that she
would leave for the States during
April. Miss divers time was all re-
uuired in the Exchange, and it was
decided that we must give up running
the lunch room ourselves, and if no
one could be found to take it, it should
be closed the LIST of April. 1t was ac
cordingly closed at that time. During
March, April, May and June the Di-
rectors met frequently to consider
propositions for renting the lunch
room. For various reasons, among
others, the fact that no liquor could
be used on the premises, these propo-
sitions failed to come to successful
ISSUE At length, during June, arrange
ments were completed for renting the
lunch room and kitchen and selling the
furniture and crockery to gentleman
who had been renting an office in the
building. He took it from the LIST of
July, and the arrangement has proved
very satisfactory. 1t is still pleasant
family lunch room, patronized by many
of the former patrons of the Exchange
lunch room.
Since January the business Of the
Exchange has gradually increased.
An advertisement has been for some
time in the Advertiser, and is now in
the Star also. Pretty advertising cards
have been printed, and are distributed
on the foreign steamers arriving in
the harbor. Tourists are dropping in
and leaving substantial tokens of their
visits in the Golfers Of the Exchange.
The variety and beauty OF the art1-
cles is noticeable, and the numbers of
depositors is increasing, the present
number being so, most of them Hawai-
ian women. During the year closing
last June Sits had been paid by the
Exchange to depositors.
Miss Oliver has continued in charge
of the Exchange during the year, and
it's present degree of prosperity is due
largely to her untiring efforts in its
behalf. Her courage and faith in its
ultimate success have never failed.
The rent of the lunch room helps to
pay the rent of the building, and it is
a great relief to the Directors to know
that for few months past the receipts
have eaualled the expenditures.
But trade in the Exchange is vari-
able We do not know at the end OF
one month how the next will find us
financially, so while grateful for the
present encouraging aspect of affairs,
we would still beg the ladies to give to
the Exchange their help and patron
age.
The latest project is to get out an
illustrated calendar for next year, the
heading on each Of the II pages to be
a print of some Hawaiian view. The
price will be % cents, and we trust all
of our friends will buy for themselves
and to send to their friends abroad as
a souvenir of the Islands.
A small number Of almanacs are to
be got out in a more expensive form,
a few small paintings being substituted
for the printed pictures, and these will
be sold, of course, at an advanced
price.
Respectfully submitted,