SOLDIERS' CLUB

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 4, 4 July 1940, Page 13

SOLDIERS' CLUB

CAULFIELD HOUSE

PROBABLE ARRANGEMENT

The Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop) presided at a combined meeting held in his room today of the executive of the Mayoress's Metropolitan Ladies' Patriotic Committee and the entertainment committee of the Metropolitan Patriotic Committee. Subsequently, Mr. .Tislop stated that the matters under discussion were the taking over of Caulfield House, in Sydney Street East, from the Government as a soldiers' club, with accommodation for bed and breakfast for a certain number, and also the taking over of premises in Willis Street for the purposes of entertainment in the form of dancing, recreation rooms, and writingrooms. The proposals agreed to were that the club should be operated by volunteers enlisted from the various organisations affiliated to the Metropolitan Patriotic Committee, and steps to bring this into being would be taken shortly, as soon as the final decision had been reached in regard to the taking over of the building. Similar arrangements would be made in connection with the operation of the premises in Willis Street. Caulfield House, said Mr. Hislop, was Government property and it could not be taken over until the Government had given its final decision to make the building available.

The meeting was attended by the Prime Minister (the Hon. P. Fraser), who was asked to facilitate the transfer of Caulfield House to the Metropolitan Patriotic Committee, and gave an assurance to that effect.

Mr. Hislop referred to certain .suggestions that had reached him through indirect channels that the Wellington committees were not carrying out their functions to the full extent that they should have done. He therefore enumerated the various activities taking place, and said that the only reason why a soldiers' club had not been established up to the present had been inability to obtain suitable premises. For months past Corporation officials and others had been endeavouring to obtain a building of a suitable size and ji a suitable position for the purposes in view. It had been proposed that they should use portion of the old Education Board building behind the Town Hall, shortly to be vacated by the Education Board. These premises, although not really suitable, were to be the last resort, but, fortunately, word came that. Caulfield House might be made available and attention was then turned in that direction.

"Now, in view of the assurance of the Prime Minister, Caulfield House will no doubt be the premises to be used," said Mr. Hislop.

Mr. Fraser expressed his appreciation of the work that was being done. All concerned were to be congratulated on the efforts they had made.