FOR THE FORCES

Evening Star, Issue 23726, 6 November 1940, Page 12

FOR THE FORCES

Y.M.C.A. AT TAIERI The Taieri R.N.Z.A.F. station has been enriched by the establishment on Tuesday ■last of a Y.M.C.A. institution providing for refreshments at all times for the Air Force personnel, full postal facilities equal to the services provided in the city, and physical culture classes. An alteration of the existing structure will permit the provision of a reading room, a writing room, and a lounge, and library facilities will also be made available to the men. Four table tenuis tables have been supplied, and in the near future many social amenities will be inaugurated. During the summer the Y.M.C.A. will provide its gymnasium equipment from the Mosgiel division for the use of the men at the station, and Monday nights will bring physical culture classes under the supervision of the late physical director of the Dunedin Y.M.C.A. (Mr C. W. Postgate), who will also conduct the buffet service, which makes available refreshments at all times at particularly moderate charges. This sendee is greatly appreciated by all ranks, an indication of its popularity being found in the amount of food consumed daily. Pies cakes, and biscuits am available at all times, and are always in heavy demand. The average day’s order of cakes at I ho present time is 90 dozen, and countless cups of lea and coffee are continually being served. Military camps similarly served number 25 tineluding Forbury Park and Wingatui), and the assistants are 38 strong. Here the comforts of the forces receive specially generous attention in the, form of a tea every Sunday evening at these two camps. Over 100 men sit down to a taslv meal provided entirely at the expense of this organisation, which is bringing so much variety and relief from the day's training into tho_ camps throughout Now Zealand. . Organised under ihe sunervision of the Chief Postmaster (Mr N. R. MTsaac), the post office will be run by Mr E. Brastcd. It makes all postal business—even to the registration of motor cars —nossible for the men without journeying from the aerodrome The Taieri station is now the eighth at which such institutes have been established by the Y.M.C.A., and four more are being constructed. Twenty staff member*are engaged at present in the administration work, and workers havo still to be appointed to four stations.