ENTERTAINMENT OF SOLDIERS

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23317, 1 May 1941, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENT OF SOLDIERS

■ ' —♦ EXPENDITURE AT WELCOME CLUB '-'Tt-is far better that we should allow this expenditure than have men ■hanging around the streets getting drunk and supporting another trade in this city," said Mr W. S. Mac Gibbon during a discussion on the cost of maintaining the Welcome Club at a meeting of .the Canterbury Provincial fatribtic Council yesterday; Attention was drawn by Mr L George to a difference >f £ 582 between the club’s receipts and expenses, which appeared on' a balance-sheet detailing the finances of the- council from November, 1939, to March. 1941. As this amount would be drawn from the funds of the council, the speaker maintained that money was being spent that should be used later in thef rehabilitation of soldiers, and that expenses of this sort should be reduced. . . In art'explanation the; secretary of the council (Mr H. S. Feast) pointed out that the sum of £BOO capital expenditure on the club’s rooms was included in the expenses amounting to £3414; Money had Also been provided for food! after contingents of soldiers had paraded; in the city. It -.appeared that the> club was drawing about £2 a week from patriotic fimds. : "After this capital expenditure Is subtracted from the total it can be seen that there is. A credit balance due to the generous, efforts of those who have the work of the club,” Mr Mac Gibbon continued. The reason for these details not being shown on the balance-sheet, as it was circulated, was in, the shortage.'of staff responsible .for organising the council’s affairs. It'was •hoped to ‘ make some ; permanent , -arrangement for -relieving the Town Clerk and his staff of the-pressure of this work, so' that- greater, detail, could :be handled' more conveniently in the the-meeting it was mentioned'that to date- a total of . £93,658 had. been,, subscribed to- - the Chnstchuroh, zone’s auwatof £150,000 in the r? t