DUNEDIN ORPHANS’ CLUB

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18590, 26 June 1922, Page 6

DUNEDIN ORPHANS’ CLUB

Tho following contribution to the Hawke s Bay Tribune by Mr E. X. Falck has a distinctly local interest: Having spent a very enjoyable evening at the Hastings Orphans’ Club, I was pleased to learn that there were such a large number of members belonging to the Napier and Hastings clubs. To these it might be of interest to hear how’ the Orphans’ Club was first, started in Now Zealand. Being one of tho original members I am able' to give some facte about the inception of tho club and its growth On Wednesday, April 20, 1898, 21 years ogo, about a dozen young men met at the Occidental Private Hotel, Ivlanso. street, Dunedin, for tho purpose of forming a social club; a small committee was appointed to draw up rules, etc. The first meeting of the Orphans’ Club in Now Zealand was held in the sitting room of tho above hotel on Tuesday, May 3, 1898—amongst the rules passed at that meeting was one limiting tho membership to 30; every member to be a performer. An entrance fee of tw’o shillings and sixpence was agreed upon, and the subscription was fixed at one shilling for every evening held, whether the member was present or not. Out of this a light supper was provided. It was decided to call the club an Orphans’ Club. Members wore to take turn as chairman alphabetically, and all members absenting themselves from three consecutive meetings without apology lost their membership. The first annual report showed that the season had been a very successful one, so much so that it was intended to secure a larger room, and increase the membership so as to allow a number who desired to become members to do so. During the first season an extended evening was held, also a picnic and , tho season terminated with a picnic to Portobello. The financial result of the first year was a small credit balance of throe pounds. Whs then moved to a larger room in tho Leviathan Hotel, at that time owned by Mrs Silk, but shortly afterwards it was found necessary to again move ter a more commodious room in Club House, Moray Place. The 3.ub had many ups and downs, and in 1909 it was at a very a % an d showed signs of going under. A few. enthusiastic members got busy with result that the 1909 season was a successful one. Since then the club has never looked book, the membership at present being oyer 200, with a surplus balance of nc> main objects of the club was to encourage and give confidence to a performer to appear in public. No encores wore allowed in the early years of tho club, except to visitors. In 1910 ~o rcll? a V a ma - < J e hs first appearance at. the club. The member’s badge was struck and issued in 1903, and in 1910 the chairman s badge of office was first used. Ihe opening and closing odes which are sung at every meeting of the dub were introduced m 1902, the words being by J. Ihornton Stewart. Some members of tne dub who have gained distinction arc Jtran k ios ter, J. H. Brennan (brother to the secretary of the local club), and W B. Crawford (whoso death has lately been announced). The founder of the club was H. Catmmer traveller for P. Hayman and Co. Mr J. Moncrieff was the first president, and Mr D. Morns first secretary. The only other JY 1 " 1 ™ 1 member of the Orphans’ Club in the North Island that I know of is W Hamilton Irvine, of Gisborne