THE Y.M.C.A. BUILDING CAMPAIGN AND SOME OBJECTORS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14001, 6 September 1907, Page 6

THE Y.M.C.A. BUILDING CAMPAIGN AND SOME OBJECTORS.

TO TBI EDITOR. Sm,—lll the course of the splendid canvass which is being'made for the building fund of the Y.M.C.A, all sorts of objections have to be mot and. combated. There are some who think the association is conducted on too /narrow lines; ' others ■think it, too broad; but. the general consensus ' of. opinion, which is. evidently shared by tho soundest business . men in tho ie that' the movement is tho most 'satisfactory which has yet been presented to tho publio for the uplifting of our young manhood. • • .<'■ ■

Among the objections raised to the move-ment-it is stated 'that I, as president; of ' the association, publicly announced that it is our, intention; to do . what we could to , close the I liavo l<joked:-m vain .i to see how any words of mine could bear such' interpretation.' What I did say at . the meeting in the Victoria Hall, and what your report proves, that I said, was that "our temperance friends were active in their efforts to closo and to reduco the number of hotels, . . that hotels in the 1 past had been tho only places whero ■men could meet in connection with athletic ahd other associations, . . and that it was tho , duty of the Temjiferanco party—which-was responsible for the losing of the. hotels—to put something suitablo in their place." I then'said that,a modern Y.A1.0.A. building supplied the want, and 'urged' that the Teihperanco party shoiild therefore support the movement heartily. My remarks wero directed to'that party*, alone, and will bear no'other construction. I havo nevor in publio expressed my ; views on the temperance question, having quito enough of other matters to occupy'my time, Nor has the question'ever come beforo the Y.M.O.A. to my knowledge.., .What tho association seeks to do is to attract and improve young men who aro strong and temperate (in tho truest sense of that-much-abuscd word) in all things,—l am, etc., '■ . Geo. M. Thomson. Dunedin, September 5.