Y.M.C.A

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 18, 16 October 1907, Page 8

Y.M.C.A

WELLINGTON FINANCIAL CAMPAIGN

£7000 REQUIRED.

A GENEROUS PROJIISE.

"Mr. H. N. Holmes, "General Secretary, Y.M.C.A. " Dear Sir—l have been watching with great interest the progress of the building in Willis Street, and fully endorse the policy of the Board in erecting the building in accordance with the complete plans, oven though all the money was not in hand when the contract was signed. Fully belioving it will be tho wise plan to open tho building free of debt, I promise to contribute the sum of £1000, conditional on the £7000 required being raised. .Trusting the effort will be successful, and wishing the Association's work continued prosperity. Yours very sincerely, "M. A. WILLIAMS. , ' It was tho reading of that letter, after tho citizens' dinner, held in the Concert Hall of tho Town Hall last evening, to inaugurate a now Y.M.C.A. financial campaign, which made tho climax of enthusiasm, raised by Mr. Lyman L. Pierce in a most stirring appeal, and left the gathering no option but to adopt a motion for tho strenuous support of tho scheme. It was agreed unanimously:— "That this meeting of citizens endorses the action of tho Board of Directors of tho Wellington Young Men's Christian Association in planning this campaign for the raising of £7000 for the completion and equipment of the new building now being erected for the Association, and pledges itself to co-operate with them in every possible way to secure the success of the scheme, and further approves of the plan for the appointment of citizens' committees to prosecute the canvass during the next sevon days." .. THE DINNER. -*^M&.There were nearly seventy prominent citizens at tho dinner, representing both Houses of Parliament, tho Judiciary, tho. Civil Service, and commercial and other interests. The Mayor of Wellington (the Hon. T. W. Hislop) presided, and with bim at tho table of honour were: —Mr. Lyman L. Pierce, national secretary of the Association; the Hon. A. R. Guinness, Speaker of the House of Representatives; Messrs. J. G. W. Aitken and James.Allen, M.H.R.'s; Mr. J. G. Harkness,' President of the Chamber of Commerce; Mr. Justice Cooper, Dr. M'Arthur, S.M,, and Mr. D. Nathan. Sir Joseph Ward telegraphed his regret that parliamentary duties would not allow him to be present, and best wishes" for a successful function and tho future welfare, of, the Y.M.C.A.

•When tho King's health, had been honoured at tho conclusion of a generous repast, the Mayor said that there was present in the person of Mr. Pierce a distinguished citizen of the United States, and ho aslted the gatlier.iug to drink tho health of the President of that country, whose greatness in the cause' of Anglonßaxqndom ho extolled.: The'health was - drunk' with musical honours.' THE -MAYOR'S SPEECH, r / The Alayor then 'referred ■ to: the Y.M.C.A. movemont, inaugurated-in 'this city by Air. Budgo.-.whieh had-i-esulted in the magnificent building, at tho'present time.'in'course of erection in Upper Willing Street. Now the General.' Secretary of .the .Association was here to carry, on thati.movemeiif.'.-He'reierred to the immense growth which the Y.AI.C.A; had mado in Great Britain, America, Europe, and othor countries..- It was an impulse'from the Anglo-Saxon-race,-which seemed to be about to ombrace the world. The' Association was Anglo-Saxon in'its methods, and in its broad, humanising . character, doing away, with the small differences between' mankind, and embracing them 'in one great moral influenco.. '. . : •': ■'• .. • .

ME."LYMAN TIERCE'S'. ADDRESS, Mr.Lyman L. Pierce.rose'to speak after his. health had,been.girthusiastically drunk. Tka list, message', before coming to Australasia had been .'from President. Roosovelt, who oxpressed ■ his very great .in-; tercst in his niission ; ,..and .'the pleasure.felti by. .hhn that; an-American should have been invited to. visit these countries. : .He came before thorn with a feeling of great -embarrassment, for several • In 'the first place, he feared that a roputation as a : money- , raiser had preceded him. He would feel very much embarrassed and very : sensitive' if ho thought that his reputation had to nieroly on thVfact that ; ho had taken part in some. very, interesting and successful canvasses • for money. It happened that the important thing.to be-done in connection with the movement in ;New Zealand was to raise some sums, of money'for equipment, and he had come at tho psychological.- moment for that. In one sense he felt that it was a' great' privilege to ihtfoduco people, to'the high responsibility of giving, but he wished to make it clear that this necessity had grown from tho work and'.organisation of the. people in these places. Ho was embarrassed also because his motive was not always understood. Somo' people thought that Mr.;Gillandersand himself received at'least one-half ■ of all that was'raised in this kind of work. He wanted it ( understood that if during tho next few days the people of Wellington gave their money to this enterprise, none- of the money would go into his pockets. (Laughter.) It was not a small thing to come hero with tho conviction' in his heart that the greatest service ho could ronder New Zealand was to help to establish a movement that meant so much as did , this Y.M.C.AI movement, and to give up every hope he might have of becoming a'ricli maiv himself. His iucomo was not changed ono penny by what ho did in New Zealand. Secondly, ho was embarrassed because he had not learned the Now, Zealand accent. (Laughter.) It was always the other fellow that had the accent, and ho did not admit that , he possessed an American . accent, though once, when he had given what ho thought was a first-class address in Melbburno, a lady said to him at its.conclusion, .".Mr. Pierco, I can't tell you how much wo enjoyed your American accent." She had not had timo to follow the speech. Ho was.there hi connection with a matter which he. considered to bo of tho most far-reaching importance. Ho would ask them to go with him on a little tour, with tho aid ,of lime-light pictures thrown upon a screen. . ■■•-.-• • . ■ . ■ THE ASSOCIATION'S GROWTH. A .fine series of slides was-,thon shown, illustrating the progress of. the Association in different.countries.. Tho lifetime .of its London founder, Sir George Williams, saw it established in every country of tho world, and in upwards of 8000 different cities. ■ A' view showing a young boy leaving his country home to go into tho city enabled Mr. Pierce to expatiato on. tho help required by.lads who werp away from homo, and tho value of ■■the open doors of the Association in their case. Views . were thon shown of tho - palatial Y.M.C. building in' Washington, which cost £80,000 with ground-and furnishings. Over IuOO men mako use of this ■ building daily, and its splendid gymnasium, ■ bowling alloys, class-rooms, and studies wero -shown- in- successive views. Among tho classes carried on aro chemistry, electricity, and auto-car drivers' classes. Reference was made to tho employment departments.of the Associations, which. last yoar. found suitable omploymont for 19,000 boys and men in tho United States* tho railway work, the results of which' indncedthe railway companies .to voto £030,000 for the erection of 262 Y.M.C.A. buildings, and tho boys' work, which it. was claimed was sufficient justification for the Association's work and methods, if. it'.did. nothing, else. Viows wcro shown of splendid buildings that have been erected in America, India; Gormany, and Groat Britain, and of the buildings to bo erected now in the Australasian capitals. People would say within tho next few days that fifteen of the twenty thousand pounds was too much to spend on such a building, but ho contrasted tho much greater amount that was spent on erection and upkeep of prisons. They could have put off the campaigns in the other New Zealand cities, but here in Wellington they were'faced with tho necossitjr of raising :i. certain amount of monov before tho building coiild bo occupied under tho conditions of the deed, apart from tho. undcsirability of going into the building whilo it was under a debt. It would require £7000 to complete tho building, provide tho first year's expenses, and meet the outstanding liabilities of tho Association There wero. sufficient people in this city wiio

were willing to give tho money, just as people had been willing to. give lit Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin, if ttoso present would go after them. 'It could'be raised more easily in seven.. days-than in six months, if they would put their bipod, and fire, and sacrifice into the work of raising it. . At this stage Mr. Holmes read the lottor from Mrs. \\ illinms, which commences this report. The letter was received with cheers. OTHER SPEECHES^ Mr. H. G. Harkness next moved the motion, alroady given, pledging those present to support tho scheme. . ' ' Mr. Justice Cooper said that ho had much pleasure in seconding tho motion. The Uove-, mont was cosmopolitan, and appealed 1 , not simply to those who had religious views,'but to ovory citizen of every city in the world. Tho Association was going to bo, and was, one of the greatest factors in our civilisation. He had been very much struck by tho contrast of tho expenditure on our penal establishments and the Y.M.C.A., with their difforont returns, the ono giving a return downwards, tho othor a return up^vards.,' ' The movemont deserved.tho hearty support of ovory citizen in the cities of this country/and he believed that there would bo no difficulty in raising the amount required. , ' > The motion was then carritd unanimously. Detailed information as to the plan of the campaign, which will commence to-morrow morning, will bo given to those of the gathering who desire it at a luncheon to bo held at Carroll's Rooms to-day. Messrs. Nathan and Co.'s building, in Featherston Street, will be the headquarters bf the campaign.'.. • :