OLD SERVICE CLUB

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 114, 9 February 1944, Page 8

OLD SERVICE CLUB

Between Railway And Wharf WORK OF SALVATION ARMY The first club to be operated in Wellington for the comfort and convenience of men of the armed services was the one set up in Waterloo Quay, near the railway station by the Salvation Army. Established in 1939, and' since then enlarged, it has through the years of strife been used by thousands of servicemen and servicewomen, . also merchant and Navy seamen from all.parts of the world. There Ensign W. Triplow and his wife, with 120 voluntary workers, are kept busy from early morning' till late at "dJuring the past six months 401,938 servicemen and servicewomen have been served with refreshments at the institute,. The amount of provisions consumed reaches large proportions. In the six months 47,208 pies. 40,056 buns, 41,220 scones, 281716 small cakes, 48,720 fruit squares, 49,068 sponges, seven or eight tons of block "cake. 17741 b. of butter, 2200 gallons of milk, 12451 b. of ten. 14,7291 b. of bread, and 49351 b. of sugar have been used. At rush hours hundreds of men line up at the counter to take their turn’ for refreshments and all are served expeditiously and cheerfully. Often the Patriotic Fund-Board will advise that a large number of men are to arrive on a certain train, and when they come they find the staff ready and waiting to minister to their needs. Sometimes a company of Servicewomen will go to the institute after a church parade, or men working on the waterfront may require lunch to be sent out to them. Naval men and merchant sailors, railway men and women, and others make the institute their rendezvous and go there for a cup of tea and food, a quiet read, or just a rest. What is greatly appreciated is the “home” touch provided by the staff for. the men and women who are far from their own homes. The women workers act as mothers 'to the boys, mending shorts or torn tunics, sewing on buttons and badges, giving helpful advice, and in many other ways making them feel that what they are doing for their country is appreciated. Many requests are received for telegrams to be sent or telephone toll calls to be made to parents, wives or sweethearts. Then there arc letters left to be posted and often accommodation to lie found for men staying in Wellington for the night. Many are sent to the People’s Palace in Cuba Street, where servicemen may obtain bed and breakfast at a reduced rate. Men of many nations pass through the club, sailors from the ports of the seven seas—English, Australian, Dutch, (French, Danish, American. Chinese, Filipinos, Hindus, South Africans, and many others. They pass m a con slant international procession. This institute is known round the world. . The manager pays a high tiibute to the voluntary workers, who take it in turn to staff the canteen. "These gallant women have really made the institute what it is,” he says. “Some of them have sons overseas, others have husbands and sweethearts in the armed forces, some have lost their loved ones, anti some have word that son or husband or brother is missing. Yet with a courage that is unconquerable and a devotion that is admirable they carry on with their work, proud and glad to be of service and to meet the need of other mothers' sons and daughters.”