Y.M.C.A.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1177, 12 July 1911, Page 4

Y.M.C.A.

MR. W. GILLANDEES. IN SYDNEY. Officers of tho Y.M.C.A. gathered in > strong force at the Central Station yesterday (says the Sydney "Sun' of July 2) to welcome the new Y.M.C.A. secretary, Mr. W. Gillandc-s, 8.A., who has arrived to carry on t|io work so ably conducted by Mr. J. J. Virgo previous to his departure for London. When the Melbourne express arrived there were enthusiastic welcomes and hand-shakes exchanged between the Y.M.C.A. boys and their new secretary and Mrs. Gillanders. On first appearance the man who is to take the shoes of Mr. Virgo looks a likely individual. He stands nearly 6ft. in height, is clo'ss on list, in weight, and has a fine open face, which beamed on the friends who were at: tho station to meet him. He is not only likely in appearance, but is a likely man in the great executive position he is to occupy: It was Mr. Gillanders and Mr. Layman Pierce who one evening in New Zealand 6ome three years ago sat down and conceived tho idea of collecting =CIOOO. a day for 51 days. Next morning .they set to work in Dunedin, and in probably tho hardest city in the Dominion to drawcash succeeded in coming up to expectations. Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington were visited in turn. - At. tho end of 51 days they had landed the ,£51,000 in solid cash and genuine proIt ivas in New Zealand that Mr. Gillanders was born. He has. played' his part in the athletic field, and plajvd it well. As centre-back in the Rugby team of the Victoria. College, Wellington, he, 'held his own with the best, and later on ployed in the New Zealand, University team. In his school days he was a champion at putting-the-shot and the long jump. All this hard training has gone towards building up a massive pair of shoulders, a 42in. chest, and, generally, a hardy individual .possessed with plenty of "go." - -■ ■He has to' face a ,£l3.oo(l"overdraft in connection with the Y.M.C.A. here, but tlmt is not .troubling l'.'im, ho said to a "Sun" "reporter. ' " "Yts," said Mr. Gillanders, "I ve had a .lot of hard work to do in connection with the Y.M.C.A. in Australasia and in the East, and it is remarkable the amount of influence the institution ha?. T have iust returned from a . visit to China, Korea', and Jannn, and in each of those countries the Y.M.C.A. is making great progress. I am here to take up the work of a worthy predecessor, and' I hope to introduce into the educational branch a number of subjects, the mastering of which' will fit men for business life and citizenship."