V.M.C.A. WORK

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 152, 24 December 1921, Page 8

V.M.C.A. WORK

MR. J. J. VIRGO'S VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCE OF WALES. . :

(NtOM OU» OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

LONDON, 7th Ootobor. Mr J. J. Virgo, honorary secretary of tho World Committee of the V.M.C.A., has left for Australia with Mrs. Virgo. This is Mr. Virgo's eighth trip round the world in connection with the movement, . and this time he goes at the invitation of New Zealand National Council. It will ho remembered that Mr. Virgo was originally International Secretary in Australia, and while ho is in Adelaide,- his native. town, there il to bo a special celebration by business men of his' thirty-fifth anniversary as an association secretary. He will bo visiting the chief V.M.C.A. branches in Australia for the purpose of promoting their work, tho programme prepared by the Australian Council covering a period of six or seven months. He will then go on to New Zealand. Prior to Mr. Virgo's departure from London His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales scut the following. letter, which bears a message to the young men of Australia and New Zealand. "St James's Palace, S.W., 12th September. "Dear Sir,—His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales Ims heard of your projected trip to the Antipodes, in your capacity as hon. world's representative of the Young Men's Christian Association, and desires, with the ploasantest of recollections of his visit' fresh in mind, to convoy to tho young men of Australia and New Zealand a message of greeting, and also an appreciation of the work which. the Young Men's Christian Association has accomplished, and is still achieving, not. only in those nationß. of the British Empire, but throughout the world. "His Royal Highness, recognising that the chief asset of a nation is the building of the character of the citizonu, would strongly commend to the young men arid boys overseas the principles which have made the association great, and for which it stands so firmly to-day. "His Royal Highness is intererted to known that you will be able to celebrate your thirty-fifth anniversary as an association secretary at Adelaide, the city of your birth, and in the building, in which you started your work, and desires to convey to you his beat wishes for the success of your tour in the interests of the Young Men's Christian Association.—Believe mo, yours very truly, "GODFREY THOMAS. "Private Secretary." Mr. Howard Williams, son of the founder of tho association (Sir George Williams), in a farewell letter to Mr. Virgo, referred to him a» the "flying angel of the association.". These aro trying times for the movement as far ac finances aro concerned, as people have little money to spare, and one of the objects of. bbe world (secretary's visit is to help tho associations to raise their international budgets. Again, as a member of the Overseas Club and of English-speaking Union, he bears* message not only for the consolidations of the Empire, but to help to foster ibe friendship between the Empire and the United States.

Another mission he has in. view '.c to see that all the branches of tho Y.M.CA. are doimr everything possible to holp and adviao immigrants arriving from overseas, and especially to oreate the right atmosphere for them during their early days in the new lands. At present the London authorities supply as many as a hundred letters of introduction, a month to men going out to Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. They have also tried the experiment of sending » secretary out on a vc«sel carrying a large number of immigrants for Australia, the id-ea being that the official should help with tho entertainments on board and give the passengers authentic advico concerning tho conditions they &7© likely to meet with in their Ttevr home.

No dofinite date has been fixed for Mr. Viruo'e arrival in Hew Zealand, but he should be there about May c! r.axt year.