THE IMPERIAL COLONIAL CLUB

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 138, 7 December 1907, Page 12

THE IMPERIAL COLONIAL CLUB

■ SUCCESSFUL START. (From Our Own Correspondent.) ' LONDON,' 25th October. 1 At a largely-attended meeting of influential ladies' and gentlemen, held yesterday afternoon at the Hyde Park Hotel, the Imperial Colonial Club' and Overseas Union, was successfully launched. In the absence of- Sir T. Brooke Hutching, who was expected, to • speak, and the Earl of Kintore, who ' was unavoidably prevented from acting as cnairman,. the organising secretary addressed the meeting, which was purely inaugural, and which "was called for the purpose of making a statement aa to the home of the club, which will be at 80 and 81 Piccadilly, once the residence of the late Baroness Burdp.ttCoutts. Tho only New Zpalander I ,noticed present at the meeting was Mr. Acton Adams. A suggestion was put forward on .behalf' of one of the vice-presidents that a memorial picture of the late Bareness should bo placed in what will do "tho ladies' drawing-room as a memorial of the hospitality shown by her to colo"nists during her lifetime. This* waa unanimously agreed to. Previously 1 have made known lh« objects of the club, whose membership is to be limited to 1500 habitual members, of whom 650 are to Be ladies and 1000 oversea members,' of whom 300 may be, ladies. The subscription .to the club will bo five guineas a year and five guineas entrance fee, but ia th« case of tho first 400 international members elected and the. first 250 over, seas members, this entrance fee will ba waived. There will also be elected, ai , members of tha club, 300 founders' oi life-members at a fee of ten gujneai each. • The objects of the club, it will be recollictod, are: "(1) T^io extension of pood feeling' and a cordial "understanding between, Great Britain land' hei colonies and Between London, as the , capital of the Empire, and the Englishspeaking peoples overseas.' (2) The>ea> tertainment of all persons ."from the colonies and members ' of" other Englishspeaking peoples over-seas who aro in England on any political mission, .connected either with the" affairs of 'th« colonies or the commerciarreciprocationi of the world. (&) The recsption of all foreign Ambassadors, Ministers, delegates, and rulers who" may be in London on missions affecting the colonies oi- connected with tlie maintenance oj the friendly reciprocity of nations. (4) It is suggested that a reception shall Jbo held once a year in the interest ol tho colonies (on a date to be fixed) oi the. members of the League of the Em pire; and, at the half-year from thij date xo hold at tho club an organised meeting of "discussion to which delegates of tho Peaco Congress (or othei congresses)' then in London, members oi -the press, and others shall be Invited, Hhb'siilijoW'of ■whfchjsn'all be the; donsidcralio'iT.of intercolonial commerce 'and the progress of nations. For the us« of ; members- there- will/ be -provided handsome reception rooms, dining rooms, 1 billiard rooms, smoking lonhge, writing rooms; and reference library, tea rooms, dressing rooms, and tha usual club accommodation, and 50, bedrooms. Tho club is to b<> conducted ag a first-class social West End club, under a representative committee of man. agement duly elected. There will be fur tiier, a president), vice-presidents, ■ and secretary, assisted by a grand •council; and it is hoped that when fullj established on these lines that a pation for the club .may be found. The rulei of the club will bo framed by tha committee." The usual forms of election, including that of ballot, will apply to membership, and no person aoi received in good society »vill be admitted a member of the club. - New Zealand members will be vouched for bj the High Commissioner or other respon. sible person. ; At yesterday's meeting a letter -wai read from Mr. Spencer Gollan approving tho scheme of the club. He pointed out that Englishmen and returned colo« nists visiting antl revisting the colonies, if properly introduced, never had to put up afc hotels,. but wouia at once be made honouary members of a club at a nominal charge. Visitors to the Mother Country had no opportunity o< returning these courtesies, and " h< thought a club on the lines of the Im< perjal Colonial would. meet' a real need, Mr. Wexled, a prominent Canadian, spoke in favour of affiliation of colonial clubs with the one about to bo cstab. lished. Would such a suggestion b« The answor was in ths affirmative. It was unanimously decided to form the club on the lines indicated, and 1 learn, unofficially, that a number of highly influential people have expressed their readiness to a.ct on tha committee, and that a rery highly-piaced person ago will probably be chairman.