YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8943, 31 May 1907, Page 1

YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.

4 BUILDING CAMPAIGN IN CHRISTCHURCH. Mr H. N. Holmes, general secretary of the Wellington Young Men's Christian Association, who is in Christchurch, is taking part in the movement to raise funds for the erection of a new building for the Association in. this city. The marvellous man~ j ner in which this great organisation erects palatial buildings in different ' parts of the world is a source of much | f-'urprise to all who are not acquainted | with the business-like methods that I arc adopted. "Wellington is one of the s oplondid illustrations of what has been i done in this direction. It has recently erected a building in a good site at a cost of £14,000. The land, which, was presented by Mrs Williams, is

valued at £5000, and the Bum of £2000 will be spent in furnishing the building. The rapidity with which funds ■were collected in Wellington attracted a great deal of notice at the time, but it eeems that that kind of thing is the rule, not the exception, in the worldwide affairs oT the Young Men's Christian. Association. ' The record building campaign was conducted in. Ottawa recently, when the Bum of £40,000 was raised in fourteen days. On the morning of the last day the fund was £14,000 behind. That eum, by a great effort, was collected in one day. In Australasia, nearly £100,000 has heen spent in buildings during' the past two years. It is felt that a new huilding is needed in Christchurch, and Mr Holmes has come to this city to help in the campaign here. The present building owned by the Association is on Cambridge Terrace, between Hereford Street and Caehel Street. That building, however, is not large enough, and it has not been constructed on the plans now most favourable Those at the head of affairs are convinced thajt there are thousands of 1 young men flocking into Christchurch who would be glad to make use of a large building elected on a suitable site. Mr Holmes will discuss the plan of campaign with the Board of Directors of the Association, in Christchurch, and Mr L. 'L. Pearce, the national secretary for Australasia will spend two months in New Zealand soon, visiting Christchurch among other cities, and" directing the work of organisation. Mr Holmes addressed a meeting of members of the Christchurch. Association in their rooms last evening. Mr G. Stening, the general secretary, was jn. the. chair i-an«U«bout. thirty members attended. He said that when visiting Ameiica recently he was greatly impressed with the manner in which young men used the buildings erected in all the centres of America. They poured in through the doors. It was proposed in the new building to have a large reception hall. That was the principal feature of the American buildings. In it, strangers would meet members of the Association and would be made to feel at home, and in it, also, members would meet each other, and the great hail would be made a centre of gatherings. Gymnasiums and other departments should be included in the plan. He said that the famous I Ottawa campaign was conducted by the enthusiasm of the young men of the place. Something of the same kind was feasible in Christchurch. OttaAva was about the same size as Christchurch, and it was quite possible that the people here would respond to an enthusiastic campaign as readily as the Canadian city had responded. | The young men of Wellington had done remarkably good work in raising the funds there. There were about 150 I members in the Christchurch Associa.I tion. He suggested that the membership, by an active canvass, should be increased to 500. That ought to be I the first movement in the campaign. The Dunedin Association had increased its membership last year by 400. A motion was carried that those present should undertake to increase the membership to 500 by June 21, and details of the campaign were arranged.