COMMUNITY CLUB

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10896, 10 May 1921, Page 5

COMMUNITY CLUB

WANTED A BUILDINC NATIONAIi DEFENCE LEAGUE MEMBERS ACTIVE. VISIT OF INSPECTION.. Negotiations for the establishment in Wellington of a Community dujb for territorials and senior cadets, funds for which were recently raised through tile CStizen-Soldiers’ Carnival at the Town Hall, are well in hand. The National Defence League is endeavouring to secure a suitable building in a central position in the city in order that the project may be pushed on as quickly as possible. To that end, a number of its most prominent members yesterday afternoon, at the invitation of the Minister for Defence, inspected a portion of the Defence Department stores at the corner of Buckle and Taranaki streets. The party was conducted over the building by the Minister (Sir R. Heaton Rhodes), Major-General Sir E. Cbaytar, and Bri-gadier-General G. S. Richardson.

The military stores at Bulckle street, for purposes of economy; have recently been removed to Trentham, and the brick building formerly occupied by the main offices of the Ordnance Department, is to be utilised for the housing of the Expeditionary Force records, at present stored in a temporary building adjoining the Government Buildings. There are also two large buildings at Buckle street which-have been used for storing medical and general military supplies. It was these the deputation inspected. The smaller one was found to be un. lined, and did not impress the league officials os favourably as the other, which is a large building partly in wood end partly in brick, consisting of three storeys on the street frontage and two at the rear. The top floor, which the Defence officials indicated was available, is about 170 feet long, by 45 feet wide, and is ‘at present divided into two large rooms containing fittings for the accommodation of stores. The floor is well lit both naturally and artificially, and it was pointed out that it could be easily partitioned off to suit requirements. The roof, which is high, is supported by two rows of heavy timbers, which form the only unremovable obstacle to a clear floor space along the entire length of the building. The rear portion is walled in brick, and the remainder of the interior is lined throughout. General Richardson expressed the opinion that the league could find no finer building for its purposes in Wellington. The use of the upper floor, which had been inspected, was already being sought by the Education Department fhr tne> accommodation of technical classes, but no promise had yet been made. The upper floor only was available, Butt rooms for use as administrative offices, kitchen, etc., could be provided on the ground floor, near the entrance. The only difficulty was the .matter of access. From this point of view the most Suitable building would be that in brick on the corner of the block;-but it would be practically impossible for the league to secure that, as it was to be used as the records store. The secretary (Mr E. Muir) said that it was proposed to lay out a lectureroom and gymnasium in addition to the ordinary reading and writing and re. fresh ment rooms, and while the. league would be glad of accommodation for all these departments of the club, it heartily appreciated the interest the Minister and the- officers of the depart - melt had evinced. . | The'majority of the visitors expressed approval of the building, and the Minister stated that he would consider the deputation’s request. ,