Y.M.C.A. HOSTEL FOR HUTT VALLEY

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 266, 6 August 1937, Page 6

Y.M.C.A. HOSTEL FOR HUTT VALLEY

Determined Effort to be Made by Executive

The incoming executive of the Hutt Valley Young -Men’s Christian Association was recommended by the annual meeting of members last night to approach the proprietors of local industries with a view to seeing what assistance was forthcoming for the establishment of a youth hostel. Mr. W. B. Nicholson, who moved the motion, said he was brought into daily contact with young men requiring board and lodging. They asked him for advice as to how to get what they wanted, ami he had to tell them that the class of accommodation they sought was not available. A tentative move to establish a hostel in the Hutt Valley had been made, but finance was the stumbling block. However, the matter should not bh allowed to rest there.

One possible avenue to the goal was to approach all executives of industries in the Hutt Valley and ask them if they would finance such a hostel. More large factories were being built in the district, one of them a.s large as the new motor works, and there would be a considerable influx of young men to the Hutt. Some effort, greater than that made in the past, should be launched to meet the needs of these young men. Now was the time to tackle the matter, Mr. Nicholson had raised if money were needed, said Mr. R. M. Brasted, national secretary. Ten years ago the Hamilton executive had handed over to the national council its Y.M.C.A. building with a mortgage of £3OOO and debts of £lOOO. The council battled along until recently, when Mr. Bryant, a prominent Hamilton citizen, was asked to give a lead in a campaign to wipe out the debt. As a result of that effort £4360 was raised. Now the national council was able to hand back the building to a committee of citizens, free of debt, and with enough money in hand to carry on the work for two years. One anonymous donor gave £lOOO, and in doing <5O eaid that if the Y.M.C.A. needed new buildings now was the time to move. Auckland had raised £12,260 in three weeks by a public appeal. For a hostel in the Hutt Valley he thought £4500 would be required. In his opinion this sum could be obtained if they went after it, and within the next 1$ months was the time to do so.