Workingmen's Club Holds 75th Anniversary Banquet

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30230, 7 September 1963, Page 13

Workingmen 's Club Holds 75th Anniversary Banquet

Good fare and geniality made the banquet held by the Richmond Workingmen's Club last evening to mark its seventy-fifth anniversary —an event that will be well remembered by the 500 members and guests who attended. Grace said by the Rev. L. K. Collins marked the beginning of four hours of entertainment and conversation The banquet, held in the Addington Tea Kiosk, was the first of four functions organised to mark the anniversary The club is the third oldest in Canterbury. A short, illustrated history of the club—from its beginnings in 1888 with 34 members, to its present roll of more than 2000—was given tn each member as he entered.

This growth was truly a sign of progress—progress which, with the present in-

flux of young members, was sure to continue, said the president (Mr R. T. Newman) in the introduction of the booklet.

Guests at the banquet included the Deputy-Mayor (Mr H. P. Smith), the member tor St. Albans (Mr H. J Walker), the member of Parliament for Christchurch

Central (Mr R. M. Macfarlane) and the member of Parliament for Avon <Mr J. Matbison), all of whom proposed toasts or responded to them, and representatives of workingmen’s clubs from Dunedin to Blenheim. Instrumental and vocal items and a comedy mime act were given and much appreciated. The remaining anniversary functions are a church parade on Sunday, an “old timers’ afternoon’’ on Wednesday and a bull on Friday.