CLAIM AGAINST “TRUTH”

Grey River Argus, 23 November 1944, Page 3

CLAIM AGAINST “TRUTH”

CASE FOR Y.M.C.A. Evidence of Lodgers WELLINGTON, Nov. 22. Giving evidence to-day in the in wrich the Y.M.C.A. is claiming £5OOO from N.Z. “Truth” for alleged libel, Neville Dawson, Sergeant ot the Trentham military camp, said he had stayed at the Y.M.C.A. on many occasions on leave. He nad found the dormitories and lavatories very clean. Sometimes he had a.l- - about 2 p.m. -and found conditions perfect. Several hours latex, with the arrival of other servicemen, paner, cigarettes and butts and other rubbish would be lying about. He had never found the conditions insanitary. It was a lot of rot for any soldiers to say they only go to the Y.M.C.A. if there is no where else for them to go. Soldiers and boarders had their meals together. The accommodation and meals compared very favourably with those at the hotels he had stayed at in the South island. He had heard no complaints from other servicemen about the sanitary arrangements. To Mr O’Leary witness said that up to three months ago he had come in to Wellington and stayed at the Y.M.C.A. every week-end. . Edwin John Wood, Private, said he was detailed to the Y.MjC.A. as porter and acted as clearing porter for a month. The doors were locked at midnight. He admitted anyone returning after that time. He was responsible for discipline in the building at night. Occasionally he went up to the residential quarters if there was any undue noise. _ Sometimes he would see the Residential Secretary and Matron up there in the early hours of the morning. Fairly good discipline was maintained. After the “Truth” article, he was instructed by the Residential Secretary to get residents to write their names and the times they came in in a book. Some of the residents would not sign. To Mr O’Leary, witness said he agreed that the only individuals he should have been checking in ,at night were soldiers. He had no right at all to say anything to civilians for coming in late, and did not know any case of that sort. He got a few signatures in the book from boarders. He had been told to report anybody coming in at 3 or 4 a.m. Very few of the boarders had done that. He had not reported anyone. To Mr Watson: He .was only partly responsible for discipline at night. Pie had no jurisdiction over boarders. He was porter for the Y.M.C,A. in the full sense of the word except that at night most of his work was for soldiers. The Matron would see witness about midnight or 1 a.m. and make a round of the building. Hon. Vincent Aubrey Ward, M.L.C. honorary secretary of the Wellington Provincial Patriotic Committee, and of the Wellington Metropolitan Patriotic Committee, gave details of grants made to the Y.M.C.A. in assisting to provide .accommodation for servicemen on leave. Grants of money and equipment had been made to the Y.M.C.A. among other places, the regular amount being £lOO every quarter, with special nrants for capital expenditure" incurred on behalf of servicemen. The Y.M.C.A. had been of great help to witness personally, and to the Metropolitan Committee. The relationship between the Y.M.C.A. and the Patriotic Committee had been quite satisfactory. No complaint about £he Condition of the premises had been, made to the Patriotic Committee or the Council, but there had been a complaint about a shortage of sheets due to laundering difficulties. To Mr Watson, witness said that, prior to the Provincial Council taking the Wellington Y.M.C.A. under its care, the National Patriotic Fund Board had paid certain moneys to the Y.M.C.A. That was before July 1, 1940. The, total w.as about £770. Since that date the Provincial Council had paid the local Y.M.C.A. £2588, making a total of about £3360 from the patriotic funds, for its soldier activities in the city. Witness said that he had been instrumental in obtaining the services of five soldiers to act as porters and cleaners at the Y.M.C.A. There was nothing to prevent the Y.M.C.A. from having as many street appeals as it liked for its own purposes, subject to the City Council's restriction on the number of street days. John Bertram Hay, nightwatchman, gave evidence concerning meals he had had at the Y.M.C.A. He said that the institution generally compared favourably with o'i'her Y.M.C.A.’s he had visited. Alan Harris, a resident at the Y.M.C.A. for the past 14 to 16 months said that a few of the statements in the “Truth” article were correct, but the whole write-up seemed to be terribly exaggerated. Meals were quite satisfactory. Breakfasts could be more substantial at times, but on the whole the meals satisfied him. It depended largely on himself whether the room he shared was kept tidy. Housemaids did their work satisfactorily. Henry Dunn, pharmacist, Principal of the N.Z. College of Pharmacy, said that his age was 35. He had resided at the “Y.M.” from January 16 to September 15. He had no complaint whatever of the place while he was there. He had never dined out. The meals were sufficient for him. He had heard of minor thefts.

David Cotter, M.Sc., industrial chemist, said that the matron and staff of the Y.M.C.A. had been very , good to him. He had stayed there for 1 the past 12 months. He had always ■ found meals quite sufficient. He did not agree with the statement of the architect, Dawson, that the premises were shabby. The building was not bright an f ] attractive, but it was not shabby and depressing. Frederick Vincent Brittain, civil servant, Bachelor of Science, attached to the Department of Scientific Research, said that he had lived at the Y.M.C.A. for three years and three, months. The article in “Truth” seemed very much exaggerated and did not fairly represent the position. Gambling was not to his knowledge frequent,' and conditions were not unsanitary. Meals were adequate. Some of the residents took in additional items which they liked. Boys on small wages would not be able to buy additional items of' food to supplement their meals. He personally had lost articles, and he knew others had lost things. He could afford to go to more expensive lodgings if he wished, but was satisfied. Keith Simcock, supervisor of the staff in a city establishment, said that he was fully satisfied with the food and conditions, at the Y.M.C.A. In cross-examination he said that he had lost a suit of clothes and an attache case, also a wallet, from his room. He did not think the total of petty thieving of which he . had heard was sufficient to make it a common practice. Laurence Cheyne, Inspector in the Income Tax Department, said that he normally travelled, but was at present seconded for duties in Wellington. Accommodation at the Y.M.C.A. was equal to, if not better than the majority of second-class

hotels in districts which he visited. John Barrie Kidson, clerk, expressed his satisfaction with meals and accommodation and said that the toilets were reasonably well kept. He thought the “Truth” article unjust. He had lost about £6 worth of clothes about two months ago, and had heard of other minor thefts. On his way to the annexe in which he had his room he had passed garbage tins in the passage way. They were somewhat obnoxious at times in the summer. ■ Colin Athol Watkins, radio announcer, said that the “Truth” article was not fair representations of conditions. He had found the meals, as an office worker, absolutely adequate. He had heard about some gambling that had gone on, but that had now been cleared up. It was eight months ago and the boys concerned had now left. The hearing continues to-morrow