THE SOLDIERS' CLUB

Northern Advocate, 28 August 1920, Page 2

THE SOLDIERS' CLUB

RECOMMENDATION TO EXECU-' TIVE. i

FROM RETURNED MEN

! »At the meeting oi the Whangarei ; Districts Returned boldiers' Asso_ ; .a- ' tion on Thursday evening,, the pos sibility oi lorming a Soldiers' Ciub, under the control ol tne Association, in place or the existing club, which is not owneu or managed by tne Association, was discussed at length. The opinion was expressed Dy the secretary, Mr vv. _!. Murray, that* apart irom the problem of financing tne scheme there was reason lor confidence that the establishment oi the ciub m good* premises and in accordance with a _old poiicy rather than by the adoption oi nail-way measures would be successful. To

finance me scheme was the biggest hurdle, and after that the acquisition of suitable premises handy enough to meet requirements. He advocated widening the scheme'to enable the club to he open to young men and other citizens than returned soldiers, and he contended that a club on ithese lines would fill a long felt want. The eiub should have two or three billiard tables instead of one, baths and clothes lockers available for the use of country members visiting the town, and a number of bedrooms or cubicles, in which permanent and temporary boarders could lodge. This meant that there would always bo "someone round at the club," whicJi was one of the chief essentials to success. Mr Murray considered that it was not feasible to rush the proposals, as neither means of financing nor suitable premises were in view, but he reiterated his conviction that satisfactory arrangements could be made, and consequently that it would be a regrettable happening if the furniture of the existing Soldiers' Club were sold, and the benefit of it permanently lost to the soldiers of the district.

Dr. Frazerhurst, who is a -member of the executive of the present Soldiers' Cluh, outlined what had been done by the V.'M.C.A. in, connection with its proposal to start an institution in Wlhangarei. That proposal had been held over partly owing to the possibility of the Returned Soldiers' Association becoming successors to the V.M.C.A. in ownership of the Soldiers' Club. Subsequently the V.M.C.A. had waived its proposals in favour of allowing the Y.W.C.A. to establish itself in Whangarei. Dr. Frazerhurst was of opinion that it was no good the Returned Soldiers' Association starting out to battle for a big thing until the way had been properly paved.. To surmount the difficulty concerning the furniture he suggested that a request might be made to the executive of the Soldiers' Club that the furniture should be handed over to the Kamo Sanatorium and the Hospital, dn trust, for a specified period, for the Returned Soldiers' Association, to enable the latter organisation to consider the possibility of establishing the desired club.

A recommendation to that effect was carried and will be suibmitted to the Executive of the .Soldiers' Club when the latter body meets to decide the future of the club, iand its furniture.