Y.M.C.A. CAMPAIGN.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 1589, 15 June 1920, Page 5

Y.M.C.A. CAMPAIGN.

£12,410 SUBSCRIBED. ANOTHER WEEK'S WORK. Congratulations and thanks marked the proceedings at the "Victory" banquet held last evening to celebrate the conclusion of the Y.M.C.A. building campaign. As everybody knows, the workers in the campaign have spent the past week conducting a vigorous and comprehensive canvass of Palmerston North and surrounding districts, with the object of raising £25,000 lor a Y.M.C.A. building in this town.. Though the total amount collected to date, £12,410 3/, falls considerably short of the aspirations ol* the promoters, it is nevertheless a magnificent tribute to the energy of the workers and the favour in which the object is held by a large section of the community. The campaign is to be continued for another week.

East evening's function was presided over by Mr J. C. Young, chairman of the strategy committee, and there was just seating-room in the Linton Rifle Club's hall for the large number of supporters present. A fine repast, all the provisions for which had been donated, was served by the ladies of the Y.W.C.A., under their president (Mrs L. A. Abraham). The R.S.A. Orchestra provided music during the course of the meal. They were heartily thanked by the chairman for their services.

At the conclusion of the banquet a long -toast list was honoured. Mr C. F. Spooner, in proposing the toast of "The Eadies," made reference to the splendid assistance rendered by them during the week's campaign, especially as it was given under difficult conditions. He thanked them nost heartily for their support. Mrs Abraham, in replying, said the ladies were only too pleased to be of assistance as the movement had their thorough sympathy. She hoped they would go on and secure a building which would be worthy of Palmerston North and worthy of the Association.

Mr A. Seifert, sp3aking on the factors of success in the campaign, said they could not get people to work enthusiastically unless they had the firm conviction at the back of their minds that the object for which they were working was a good one. In this case they had such an object. Another factor for success was the energy of the workers themselves. The reason for the Y.M.C.A.'s popularity was the fact that it was based on * commonsense principles, and provided rational means of physical and mental amusement for the young people of the community, and so lead them to become useful and decent citizens.

The toast of "The first past the post and the runners-up" was proposed by Mr J. H. Stevens, the chief of teams.

Messrs J. Dick and J. Wallace, whose teams occupied the first and second places in the collecting competition, returned thanks. The chairman, in introducing the next speaker, Mr R. S. Abraham, who proposed the toast pf "The 'five hundreds' and their inspiration," said the inspiration referred to was Mr E. Short, who had promised to donate £IOOO if ten others found £SOO each. Up to the present they had only received eight £soo's, but it was hoped to have the two others before long. Mr Abraham referred to the sporting qualities of Mr Short and paid a tribute to the generosity of the eight donors of £500: Mrs H. Akers and Messrs P. A. Mcllardy, H. Akers, A. Akers, J. Liggins, L. McLean, R. T. Bell and T. Sanders. He had often heard it said during the patriotic campaigns: "What are the farmers doing?" They had an illustration of what they were doing here, when all the donors of £SOO belonged to the farming community. He congratulated the promoters on the success of the campaign. Mr P. A. McHardy. in responding to the toast, thanked Mr Abraham for his kind remarks. It was not always the big amounts that mounted up the funds but the smaller sums which told in the end. The wealthy man did not always give as much in proportion as the man who was not so well off. He congratulated the workers on the manner in which the campaign had been conducted, and also on the result, which was extremely good considering the times. Cr E. H. Crabb proposed the toast of the team workers. He apologised for the absence of the Mayor (Mr J. A. Nash, M.P.), who was unable to be present owing to indisposition, and congratulated the teams on behalf of the Borough Council. The amount collected was the largest sum for straightout giving that had ever been raised in Palmerston North since its formation. Replying on behalf of the teams, Mr W. B. Cameron said the scheme laid down bv the national executive for the conduct of the campaign was a fine one. They had not yet finished their work and by the time they had it completed, there would be considerably more funds in liana. The competitive spirit engendered by the scheme had been a big factor for success. The flying squadron, executive officers, office staff and lady voluntary workers had also given great assistance. Mr M. H. Oram, proposing the toast of "The Visiting Y.M.C.A.," thanked all the visitors for their help. No body of workers deserved greater praise than these gentlemen who had come to their assistance from other places. He referred especially to Hon. George Fowlds, and Messrs Hughes, Varney and Hislop. These gentlemen with their natural ability, would make fame and fortune as business men, but thev preferred to spend their lives working in the interests of the community rather than amassing for themselves personal wealth and gain. Mr G. W. Hughes, in reply, said he and the 14 gentlemen from other places, had been delighted to share in Palmerston's effort. He spoke of the necessity for vision in dealing with the Association's future work in this community. It wanted not only vision but adequate equipment and adequate supervision. In the latter connection he referred to the good work of Mr Silver and the necessity for assisting him in the future. Mr A. Hopwood proposed the toast of "The Strategy Committee" and thanked them for their valuable work in administering the scheme. The chai\man, in response, spoke or the generosity of trie people of tne district in helping to raise such a large sum. He stressed the need for a continuation of the good work when this was completed. Mr J. Dick appealed for members, of whom 17 were forthcoming in the hall. , ~ The following was the position of the teams last evening: Team x 2 —Capt. Dick -^ : ">9 6 —Capt. Wallace 2514 I—('apt.l—('apt. Cameron 1719 r,—Capt. Monrad 1379 3 —Capt. Keeble 13° 2 S —Capt. Oram 1248 7 —Capt. Ward 888 4__Capt. Mead 697 Total to date 12.410

THE IjATEST CONTRIBUTIONS. The Citizens' Committee desire to acknowledge the following contribu-

tions to the above fund: —E. R. Saunders £2OO, J. P. Innes £IOO, Mrs Alma Harding' £IOO, Jonathan Holden £IOO, Hodder and Tolley, Ltd., £75, W. Burne £25, W. Osborne £25, D. Collis £25, A. E. Anderson £25, A. T. Box £25, J. Lobb £25, Dr P. T. Putman £2O, H. C. Hocken £2O, G. G. Williams £2O, W. Forrest £2O, 11. McDonald £2O, F. Needham £2O, R. P. Edwards £ls, W. E. Tremewan £ls, Dr D. H. Bett £lO 10/, Walter Turner, Ltd., £lO 10/, It. Boswell £lO, J. Cameron £lO, M. A. Bryant £lO, C. Donald £lO, Wackrill and Stewart, Ltd., £lO, G. Baldwin £lO, C. E. Turner £lO, G. K. Passey £lO, W. Ferguson £lO, H. Lucas £lO, R. It. Hockley £lO, A. G. Da wick £lO, M. Greenhow £lO, Leary and Co. £lO, Mrs M. McGregor £5 5/, R. H. Godfrey £5 5/, Wm. Knowles £5 5/, Foster G. Pratt £5 5/, Anonymous £5, A. Hintz £5, J. P. Perry £5, J. K. Pat on £5, S. A. Baylis £5, A. A. Wood £5, Robin Hood £5, J. Conquest £5, M. Richardson £5, W. Wiltshire £5, J. Boyd £5, "Sport" £5. C. Hosking £5, W. H. Moffat £5, E. Tucker £5, T. L. Arnott £5, C. Dickens £5, B. Stevens £5, S. Weston £5, F. Smith £5, A. A. Hawker £5, Sid. Jefferies £5, A. Goldfinch £5, T. Andrews £5, Boniface Bros. £5, Birnie and Coombs £5, "A Friend" £5, Mrs E. Martin £5. C. S. Rush £5, P. L. Sim £5, R. Davidson £5, P. Black £5, "Anon" £5, J. P. Raffells £3 3/, N. Small £3 3/, D, H. Speedy £3 3/, Mrs W. M. Gunn £3 3/, "Anon" £3 3/, Miss A. Chapman £3, Mrs Barnes £3, "A Friend" £3, "Stranger" £3, F. H. Boswell £2 2/, A. D. Train £2 2/, A. Elder £2 2/, A. A. Alsopp £2 2/. F. S. Moorhouse £2 2/. E. D. Gillanders £2 2/, Geo. Webb £2 2/, G. W. Ashton £2 2/, G. Holdaway £2 2/, Anonymous £2 2/, Geo. Searle £2, H. J. Canton £2, T. J. Killick £2. J. A. Jensen £2, E. N. Hall £1 1/, H. E. Bowden £1 1/, M. Bethell £1 1/. E. A. James £1 1/, W. Day £1 1/,' H. Oldham £1 1/. S. F. Carson £1 1/, G. Hodges £1 I'/, Ritchie and Irving £1 1/, W. W. Jones £1 I/, W. J. Robertson £ll/, A. H. Wright £1 1/, P. A. Edie £1 1/. H. J. Johnston £l, J. Harris £l, W. Baker £l, J. C. Denson £l, O. Andrews £l, J. Kershaw £l, A. Metcalfe £1 G. Hansen £l, W. A. Longworth £i, Stanley Alcock £l, H. Bannister £l, W. E. Bendall £l, J.D. £l, E. Ekstedt £l, J. Kersel £l. W. R. Kay £l.