UNITED SERVICES

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 130, 3 June 1924, Page 8

UNITED SERVICES

FORMATION OF LOCAL CLUB

NAVY, ARMY, AND'AIR FORCES.

A proposal for the formation of a United Services Club in Wellington for officers of the Naval, Military, and Air Forces, whether- on the active, reserve, or retired lists, was approved at a meeting of about seventy officers from General Headquarters, the Wellington Garrison, Reserve of Officers (Regular Army/ and New Zealand Army), Royal Navy Reserve, and Royal Air Force Reserve last week. Major-General C. W. Melviil, General .Officer Commanding the New Zealand Forces, presided. General Melvill stated that the meeting was called to confirm the action of the committee in securing a lease of premises in Panama street, and, as General Officer Commanding, he hoped that a really active club would be formed. He considered a club essential'in .Wellington,- as it provided the only means of officers meeting each other under conditions where they could discuss and keep in touch with service matters. In addition, it was a valuable means of improving the military education of officers. The club must fulfil two conditions. ,- It must be a social club and at the same time it must. provide facilities for military education. Clubs in Auckland, Christchureh, and Dunedin were very successful, and he hoped this club would prove equally so. It was very necessary that the club should be a strong one, and every officer should do I his best to bring the advantages of the club before officers of his acquaintance. Membership was limited to commissioned officers of the Naval, Military, and Air Forces of the Empire, whether pn the active, reserve, or retired, list. ■■ The meeting confirmed "the action of the committee in securing a lease of the premises in Panama street. The annual subscription was fixed at £3 3s for town. members, and £1 Is for country members, i.e., those1 resident outside . a thirty miles radius of Wellington. It was decided that the club should be called "The United Services Club."

The following officers were elected:— President, iLeut.-Colonel .R. St. J. Beere; committee," Lieut.-ColonelH. E. A'very, Lieut.-Colonel R: B. Smythe, Major D. J. Gibbs. Major G. Lyon, Captain M. R. Aldrid<je, Lieutenant Stellin, Captain C. E. Blnynev, CaptainR. Renkin, Lieutenant W. H. Jones; hon. secretary, Major" E. Puttick; hon. assistant-secretary, Captain Peterson; hon. treasurer, Captain K. T. Jenssen. The committee -was instructed to draw up a constitution and; rules for consideration by a later general meeting with a view to the club being ■ incorporated and reeistered. : - ■■- .-, It is hoped, to have the club rooms available for occupation by the 9th June.