YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16942, 2 March 1917, Page 2

YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.

ADDRESS BY NATIONAL SECRETARY.

n r secretary of the YJVI.O.A.'s of Australia, spoko at tho luncheon at the Young Men's rooms yesterday The chair was occupied by Mr 11. JSI. Wilkinson. M; Wheeler said ho wished to refer to two matters. In the first place the national organisation of the YJVLC.A.'s of New Zealand had done a tremendous work during tho last two and-half years in connection with the war. Jt had dono a successful work both here ,aud abroad in -the interests ot tho soldiers, and as a result of its efforts v ° c ° nstltucnc y that was reached by tho IjM.O.A. . had been greatly increased. Whereas in past yews tho association reached only a comparatively small percentage of the men of tho community, it wafe to-day in tho position of reaching practically every man. As soldiers came back from the front, carrying with them a recognition of tho association's work there, there would be a constituency of men in their midst who would gladly welcome tho influence of the association and be ready to m:>ko up with it, and tho organisation that had worked for the last two and a-half years would still carry on the work for all classes of men as they camo back, and also after the war was ovor. He saw in »■ letter the other day the remark that in this great war, the Church hud missed its opportunity and the Y.M.C.A. had grasped it. He wished to say it was not acceptable to the Y.M.C.A. to receive kudos at the expense of the Christian Church. The leaders of tho Y.M.O.A. movement yore loyal church people, and the work they had dono had been done as agents of the church. Unless there was a dose link between the church and the association, a good' - deal of the association's work would go for nothing. Reverting to the topio with which ho opened, he said the responsibility thrown on the association as soldiers camo back, required, to meet it, the best wisdom not only of the Otago Association but of the united associations of New. Zealand as a national committee, and he hoped the £2000 required from Dunedin, as its contribution towards the national budget, and covering a period of five years, would be quickly forthcoming. There were 12 towns in New Zealand without associations that were asking that associations should be started in their midst. Touching, in the second place, on a local problem, he said that the other night six soldiers came into the building for accommodation, which it was impossiole to give them, as the rooms were full. That was a thing that commonly happened. Also 40 mun from the hospital ship Maheno had slept on the floor of the gymnasium every night for three weeks, lhat should not be. Only a few of tho men who came back were wasters. The majority of them were susceptible to Christian influence, \and. with a fighting, chance, would lead good, clean lives, and it was a i>ity the association should be so full and its accommodation so limited that men had to be sent away. If pho association could raise £2000 to put up 22 bedrooms the rooms would be used mainly for soldiers and returned soldiers. He regarded this opportunity as a wonderful one for the association, and it would be a privilege to contribute to it up to the point of selfsacrifice. He congratulated the city and the community on the splendid work that was being done by the YJVI.C.A. , Mr Wheeler was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his address. The following subscriptions have been received or /promised:— Anon, No. 1 ...£2CO 0 0 Anon, No. 2 , 100 0 0 J. A. Johnstone ... ... ... ... 50 0 0 Wright, Stephenson, and Co. ... 50 0 0 J. liattray and Son ... 50 0 0 Michaelis, Hallenstein, and C 0.... 26 5 0 Butterwoith Bros. 25 0 0 William Stevenson 25 0 0 P. Barr „ 21 0 0 Bing, Harris, and Co. 10 10 0 Anon ... ... io 10 0 'Joseph Sparrow ... 10 0 0 Sew Hoy ; ... 10 0 0 F. E. Clapperton 10 0 0 A. Barnett ... ... 5 5 0 C. E. Remshardt ... ... ... ... 5 0 0 A. C. Broad ... ... — ... ... 5 0 0