Y.M.C.A. ANNIVERSARY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 620, 24 September 1909, Page 6

Y.M.C.A. ANNIVERSARY.

■'£■>';.:' .';iPubmc .meeting., y,' >'VV\ -.V-: , : The To\vn';HalV crowded for the meeting'held in the: evening in connection'with'■ the <Y.M:c;A. : anniversary. , illii Mayor ,; (Dr, v Newman) presided. .-.'. )'_■;• . •' 1 -.'. : - , '. V,' ' ,'; ;'After;'an' excellent gyinriaetic.display tind ex--hibition of basket-ball,'-;the,president'of itbe associnti6n:(Mr.' J.' Q. ' -TV, '.'■. Aitken)'/expressed,a. cordial" greeting'.;to. the .^llayor.' , . !■ " :,'..;: ';'■ The Mayor,--who was, given tf -very , hearty reception,- said- he thought that' the Wellington ■ ; Y.H.C.A. .was a! : standing' : oredit .to-.all trose > wh'o-had< anything to, do.with.it. ,' He believed' , ' '■ that the .association was doing a Yerjj great work; "and there was no one work-which de-i •• served .more ■.the united help of .the people : of Wellington. ,-'The- association ;,w'nis% run-, , oh modern lines,- and -made attractive; to young men. -Of the Y.M.C.A.'e that had'been started in 'New Zealand. that of Wellington -towered, above all the rest,, and he hoped'that the'public of this city would always support-it. . ally!.with funds. , / ■'. 'v ; 7,' ■•, v - '. , . ■ Mr.\H.- ; N, Holmes (general' secretary)., read* ' telegrame expressive .of good; wishes from, Mr,'' Frank Rogers, a former member of the. -Weling- , tori-association;- \vho:is now. general, secretary, of.-, the , , Hobart' association, the ■■ Christchurch,'. Gisbbrrje, -innd Adelaide associations; , and ■ Messrs. :E. ;M.'Ryan.iC.: A: Dickinson; 'and-'| J.' Storr,i:former members'of the! Wellington asso-* ciationj now at the Springfield Training Ctllego, U.S. A. - The.. Wellington Y.M.C. A.',' he stated;. had now a-budget of nearly 'X4Ooo;a.year., Ot : that amount;Bs per cent, was.'raised .; memßersbip'- and: from the, boarding raent, leaving only 15 per'cent; to'be raised outside. Hβ thought that that ftas an' exceed- .' ingly good showing. , V They could.'only Justify . tlie erection of their finely-equipped \ by showing that they were prepared: tb give ■ '■ largely: to t,he ■ institution. -, The ' treasurer . '■■ hoped that as a resultof- that night's'collection.' they would be able to make up the.ls per ' cent., and close the year on September 31) with, 'a clean, balance-sheet; Mr. Holmes stated that thb future wasfullof promise forthe YiM.CiA. , Mr. J. J'. Virgo, acting-national:iecre'tary: aftd . gejiorril' secretary of:the:Sj-dney yIM.C.A., expressed warm greetings .from','the 'A'us.traHtin bodies. 'Referring to'the growth of: tin' Wellington , Y.M.C.A., ho said He. did not thin!: tliero' could bo a prouder; woniiin in.this bjty than,Mrs.:Williams,,whose genelosity tad been so. conspicuous, and had'inspirod'.other .givers in- other/parts. .',. ..,-;. .., v.'.- '-.''',.: '■ . In- , oil" earnest!and. impressive- address,'which' ho gave later, Jlr., Virgo urged tho trhnscendent value of noblo-manhood to the State.'.'The ' .irreligious man was essentially a defective.man, |in that'he failed to give attention to the high, lest part of his nature, whicli was the spirituaL ■ Whe, Y.M.C.A.-had no room for the sceptic, for the suuino young man; for tho-simple-mirideil buffoon, who hnd' no backbone, fori the cynio,' ' who saw no good in anything, butnever'.foilctt to find harm in all, or!', the man who deliberately set his: face to do'the wrong thing.- The greatest call of the timo! was for high-minded men. Sin was a thing that any fool could in- '■ dulgoin, but .thcro was nothing so costly, aa sin .■: '-.■.. : '• ...- ■■•■. .'. .. ,: ■■■.■-. .-, •„," ■;■: >■ ■■ A; duot; "Watchman!'• Whnt , of the' Kii?!itf" wns sung by ■ Messrs.-Leslio Hill! and Ernest • Pnrkes, nnd encored.: Mr... J. J.' Virfto'sanir Gounod's "Thero is'a Green Hill,"'-°"- .;