AUSTRALIAN CLUB.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 233, 3 October 1933, Page 13

AUSTRALIAN CLUB.

The clubrooms of the Overseas League were attractively decorated with large bowls of wattle, ranunculi and arum lilies last evening, when the first meeting of the Australian Club was held. The Australian flag draped the large central table. A large number of Australians attended and it was mentioned during the evening that the provisional committee of the club had to date a financial membership of 104. The founder of the club, Madame Amy Milburn, spoke briefly of the aims and objects of the club, stating that it had been formed with the idea of providing further entertainment for visiting Australians and fostering a better understanding between New Zealanders and Australians. She wished to thank the provisional committee wliicji had worked so hard in the previous two months in organising the club, and called upon the meeting to elect its officers for the ensuing year. Mr. L. Knight was elected to the chair. He outlined the business of the evening, which was mainly the drafting of a programme of entertainment. After considerable discussion it was decided to leave the matter to the incoming committee to draw up a programme and submit it to the next meeting of the club. The rules of the club were then submitted for approval. One clause in the membership rules, stating that membership should be confined to Australian-born British subjects and their wives or husbands, and to British subjects who had lived in Australia for 10 years and their wives or husbands, gave rise to considerable discussion. It was thought by some members that the 10 years limit was not long enough, and by others that it was too long. One member remarked that five years in Australia did not make an Australian. Other members considered that the membership should be limited to only those who were Australian-born, but it was thought that the membership would then be too restricted and that the club would lose many valuable members. It was also pointed out that as the rule read at present children of members of the club would be excluded from becoming members when they reached the eligible age of 17 years. It was finally decided that the rule should admit all Australian-born British subjects and their wives or husbands and children, and all who had lived in Australia for eight years or more and tlieir wives or husbands and children, the children being over 17 years of age. The election of offices resulted as follows: President, Mr. X. S. Walker; vice-presidents, Madame Amy Milburn and Mr. J. Farrell; secretary, Mr. R. S. Burke; treasurer, Mr. L. Knight; committee, Mesdames S. 13. Burt," H. J. Gilbert, J. T. F. Mitchell, M. Maitland and Messrs. F. D. Young and W. H. Dunne; auditor, Mr. J2. Parkes.