MEMORIAL SOLDIERS' CLUB

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17218, 22 January 1918, Page 8

MEMORIAL SOLDIERS' CLUB

PRKLIMINAR Y MKICTING. A mor.-ting of citizens convened by his Worship tho Mayor of Dunedin (Mr J. J. Clark) was held in the council chamber hist night to consider what action should be take to assist the Dunodin Returned Soldiers' Association to raise £20,(A)0 for the, establishment of a memorial club. Tho gathering was a very representative one, including besides the Mayor, Messrs T. K. vSidey. M.F., iS. Solomon, K.C., J. Loudon, M. Bradley, 0. R. Smith, D. Cooke, J. J. Marlow, .1 Kennie, J. M'Donald, James Brown, R. Conn, W. Stuart Wilson, T. SorriervilJe, 11. Harris A. Stonoham, A. Barnett, and several returned soldiers.

The Mayor rend a number of apologies from leading citizens for their absence, but promising to.give tho proposal all tho assistance in thei.r power. Ho also read a letter from tho Soldiers' Club, Moray place, approving of the proposal.

There could bo no doubt, said the Mayor, they were under a debt of gratitude to tho men who had fought for their country and helped to save the Empire. They would fieo front tho letter read from fche'Anzac Club that their premises could not adequately provide accommodation for tho soldiers who had returned, and for those yet to arrive. To meet tho requirements of returned soldiers, ho had been asked to bring together a few business men with large experience to help to solve the problem before them. They could, he was sure, depend on receiving some large donations to help the proposal, but they must also, he thought, do their best to gather small suhscript'ons. To this end lie would suggest that several committees be formed, as it would be very unfair to put tho burden of collection on a few men. They had secured tho option of purchasing tho property in Moray place, known as Gladstone House, which had a frontage of 66ft and a good depth, at £4100, which, according .to rateable valuations, was regarded as a 'fair pra'ce. The property would require several alterations, and it was proposed to raise £10,000 for the upkeep and improvement of tho building. It would be necessary to take into consideration the future of tho club, for the soldiers who would return after the war would bo nonexistent in 30 or 40 years. They had. to consider also whether the property should be handed over to the territorial forces or to some other military body ultimately. 110 was sure all would agree that they could not do too much for the men who had done so much for them.—(Applause.) This was the first time that this body _of men had asked the citizens to do anything for them, and he was sure their appeal would not bo turned down.—(Applause.) It had been suggested that a' public meeting should be called to make an appeal for funds, but he thought the better way -would' be to first form a committee to draw up a suitable scheme to assist the movement.

Mr R. Conn referred to the obligation they were under to the soldiers who had gone to the front, and moved—"That this meeting of citizens, realising the great debt they owe to returned soldiers, feel it their duty < to do all in their power to 'further the_ interests of the Returned Association. that this may best be done by the establishment of a memorial club, which will not only be a monument to the men who have made the supreme sacrifice, but a practical expression of gratitude to the men fortunate enough to return when their task is done." Mr J. M'Donald seconded the motion. Mr S. Solomon had some doubts as to the advisability of the proposal put forward by the association, but ho had talked with a number of the returned men, and listened to their troubles and their hopes, and had come to tho conclusion that nothing they could do to assist those men would be too much. —(Applause.) Ho was sure that the representative men he saw before him would not have been present if they were not in favour of the movement, and they would agree with him that the returned soldiers deserved more help than any other class in the community that ever camo before the public asking for assistance.— (Applause.)

Mr J. J. Marlow was sure that every business man in tho community must feel a deep debt of gratitude to tho men who had gone to the front and had done so much for the Empire. They were all proud of their men, and he was glad to be able to say that 'the returned men themselves gloried in what they had done, no matter what they ha 4 suffered by doing their duty. He was satisfied that the public of Dunedin would give those men what they wanted in tho way of providing them with a club where they could pass tneir time in comfort.

Mr T. K. Sidey, M.P. ( said that he also had had his doubts as to the advisability of the proposal brought before them, but had been convinced that something should be do no at once to provide accommodation for those who had returned and for others who would bo coming back. There had been a number of claims on the public of late, but the present proposal was a special one, and ho would bo glad to assist it iu every way that lay in his power.—(Applause.) , Messrs Bradley, J. Ronnie, and others supported the motion, which was carried. On the motion of _Mr Marlow those present were formed into a committee to arrange for a public meeting to be held at an early date, at which an executive committee will bo appointed.

The following is the letter forwarded to the Mayor by Mr Mirams (hon. secretary of the Soldiers' Club Houso, Moray place):—

"Jsu.', —jluo i_,uinuuut}y oi uio Soldiers 'UiU'D j-iouße uwcurpoitULd, > -tuiaac xixiuse,' regreta taat none oi its members are invited to uiie meeting called by you tins lor tne purpose oi arranging matters m connection witn a aoiipoagn lor lunus ior tliu iu;tunied Soldiers' ixtaociatiou Giuo, and as it is specially asked that orny those who have been invited by circular suouid attend tiiq meeting, they ciumot, oi course, be present, feeverai members of tiie committee wtoom 1 have seen iiavo expressed trien - willingness to help in tnis matter, and will do so if appointed to any oi the various committees wmch may be formeu. 'j. hero appears to ibo an impression in certain quarters that tho Anzao Committee is against tho proposal, but this is without toundation. Anzac Houso property is a leasehold property, an<l must remain as it is, a club room, whereas tho proposed new club will bo residential, and totally diiferent in character, and there is no reason whatever wily the two institutions should not flourish side by side, both serving the good objects for which they were established.

"Anzac House is really not a public institution. but an incorporated society with a membership of eight life members and 66 yearly subscribers, in addition to which voluntary donations are received and entertainments are given in aid of the club, and on these funds tho chub is maintained. It receives no grants from the Patriotic Society or Returned Soldiers' Association.

• "One of the main planks of our constitution is that all soldiers or sailors of the Empire becomo members by simply enrolling their names, and without payment of any kind, and are therefore the guests of the subscribers.

"Capital lias been made tho fact that wo have not put members of the Returned Soldiers' Association on our committee, but that is impossible. under our present constitution, besides which our alub membership now stands at 2626, and as the latest figures of the Returned Soldiers' Assoeiaton total only 662, this would bo rank injustice to those returned soldiers who are not members of the association, but guests, also, of the Anzac Club, b'ke tho members of tho Returned Soldiers' Association. Tho Rrturnrd Soldiers' Association has had tho. additional privilege panted of holding its meetings in Anzao House, and tho members individualH- welcomed nt (he olnb • '

times, and iny committee rcgTcts exceedingly that it has apparently been rmrposely excluded from tliis men tine to-nisrht., but trusts this explanation and their willingness to help tho Returned Soldiers' Association will lead to the acceptance of the facts as they stand and a bettor ■understanding' of our position." • /