WOKKING MEN'S CLUB.

Otago Witness, Issue 1346, 15 September 1877, Page 6

WOKKING MEN'S CLUB.

The Club has every reason to congratulate itself upon the acquisition of a building so eminently suited to the desired purposes. The number of members on the roll at the present time is 400, and includes among the life members Sir Julius Vogel and the Hon. George M'Lean. The roll has been considerably augmented during the past half year, 166 members having joined, against 80 members for the previous half-year. A still greater influx may be looked for as soon as the benefits to be derived from the Club are more fully known. Its financial position i? satisfactory, as there is a credit balance at the bank of L 350, with no outstanding liabilities, excepting of course the cost of the building, and for this satisfactory arrangements were entered into long before the contract was taken up. THE OPENING CEREMONY. Shortly after seven o'clock on the 7th, ihe formal ceremony of declaring the new Working Men's Club opened was performed by the President (Mr M'lntosh) in the lower hall, which was crowded. He then called upon Judge Chapman to address the meeting. Judge Chapman briefly congratulated the Club upon having erected their handsome premises in the Octagon for the encouragement of social intercourse. He humorously referred to the dinner in prospect, and said that on the present occasion he would not detain the meeting with lengthy remarks. He wished the members all prosperity and enjoyment in their new Club. — (Cheers.) Mr John Bathgate said that since he came I into the room he had been requested by the President to add his congratulations to those of his friend, Judge Chapman, on this auspicious j occasion. It was a work that to him was of ' very great and very special interest. He looked upon it as an indication of an upward movement on the part of the workmen that would never stop.— (Great applause.) The enterprise displayed in the matter was creditable to the members of the Club and to the office-bearers that had charge of the undertaking. It was nearly 50 years, he believed, since the first Working Men's Club was established in London. It was exceedingly gratifying to find that the movement was extending to the Antipodes, and that we have had such a sucpessfui commencement in New Zealand. This step was likely to be imitated in other leading towns in the Colony. Lord Brougham was one of the initiators of the movement of the Working Men's Club, and he was assisted by one well-known in New Zealand, the late Lord Lyttelton, after whom one of the towns in Canterbury was named. Lord Derby (the other great man who assisted Lord Brougham) in 1870 stated tbat there w«re 1500 Working Men's Clubs established in England. The movement was extending to the Colonies. It had come here recently, and as had been suggested by the President, nothing succeeds like success. Instead of 600 members, before the year was out, they would have probably 1000 members on the rolL _He was glad to see their prosperity, which would become what none of them perhaps could lightly estimate at the present moment. — (Applause). On the motion of Mr Bathgate, three hearty cheers were given for the successful opening of the Working Men's Club. An adjournment was then made to THE DINNER. The commemoration dinner was held at Watson's Hotel. The President of ths Club (Mr M'lntosh) occupied the chair, and was supported on the right by Judge Chapman and Mr G. W. Eliott, and on the left by Mr John Bathgate, District Judge, and Councillor C. S. Iteeves. About 150 persons were present. The dinner was served up in excellent style by Messrs J. and J. Watson.

_ The proceeuings were commenced by the singing of " Praise God from whom all blessings flow,'] which was very heartily given, Mr W. Morrish accompanying at the pianoforte. The SECRfcTARY (Mr Stronach) read apologies from the following :— Mr R. H. Leary, the Mayor of Dunedin, who had proceeded to the District Court at Oamaru ; Major Stavely, who had a previous appointment and Mr W, J,

Larcach, M.H.R., who had to proceed to Wellington, Mr Larnach contributed five guineas to the Library Fund, and enclosed 10 guineas for the same purpose on behalf of Mr Joseph Clarke, of Moa Flat.

The announcement of the donations in aid of the Library Fund was received with enthusiastic cheers.

The usual loyal toasts were duly honoured. The Army, Navy, and Volunteers, was coupled with the name of Captain Reeves, who suitably responded, paying a high compliment to the armies of Great Britain, and showing that the working men of tuis Colony were liable to be called upon as Volunteers in case of emergency. He recommeuded young men to join the Volunteers. He offered his hearty congratulations to the President on the great success of the Club, the new builuing being a credit to the members the city, and the Colony. —(Applause. ) Mr Gale, the Vice-Chairman, proposed— "The New Zealand Parliament." He mentioned that Sir Julius Vogel and the Hon. Geo. M'Lean wera life members of the Dunedin Working Men's Club. Judge Chapman said he should have very little difficulty in persuading the company to respond with energy and sincerity to the toast which he was about to propose, " Prosperity to the Working Men's Club." He raf erred at length to the progress and importance of Working Men's Clubs. Thtre was no doubt whatever that there are, and have been, men ia England, such as Lord Brougham and Lord Lyttelton, to whom the working clashes, and, indeed, tha whole of the people of England, were deeply indebted for their exertions to im prove the condition of the human race. However, he pointed out that unless the world was prepared for the exertions of these nvn in some measure, these exertions become futile and useless. In the case of the Working Men's' Clubs, their exertions had been crowned with success, bat they would have been abortive unless the working men had previously taken the matter into their own hands and thereby ■ucceeded in improving their condition greatly in England during the last 50 years. He commented upon the noble efforts of Mr Birkbeck and Lord Brougham in establishing Mechanics' Institutes and Working Men's Clubs. He attributed tbeir success to the peace of 1815, which freed the inventive minds of England from attending solely to war or to raising the taxation for payment of war expenses. The Tories were then in power, and they endeavoured to crush the mean 3of association and co-operatioD. Men were then watched by the Bow street officera and the Government spies, and they would perhaps be transported for merely meeting together, as was the case in Doncaster. He said that 50 years ago they would not have dated to open the magnificent Club they had to-day. He instanced the progress of Woiking Men's Clubs in London, Manchester, and Liverpool. He pointed out thatas in the case of the Temperance Societies, the people themselves must be ripe for improvement. When he was taken over the Dunedin Working Men's Club before the furniture was moved into it, he was perfectly astounded' at the perfect manner in which the building was adapted for a Club. He thought as they all knew that he had taken the greatest interest in its advancement. It was their duty to drink this toast in a fall bumper. It was their duty. It was like saying their prayers.— (Laughter and applause.) The toast was drank with enthusiasm. Mr Denovan, in responding, briefly referred to the e*rly history of the Club, and said that the Committee in framing the rules were actuated by the desire to give as much enjoy-, meet to its members as possible. He was proud to say that they numbered among their members & good many Good Templars. He was aure t&at the meeting that night* was evidence of the great interest which was taken in the Club. He did not know any harder working men thaa Judges Chapman, Bathgate, and Mr Reeves, and he trusted that the Club would always meet with cordial support from them in its efforts to promote the innocent enjoyment of its members. He concluded by returning thanks for the toast of "Prosperity to the Club."

The Vice-Chairman then proposed the " Legal Profession," coupled with the names of Judge Bathgate and Mr F. R. Chapmaa. Judge Bathgate, in responding, said that the Judges of the Supreme Covt of this Colony were men of talent, integrity, and independence of the highest order. He had been surprised at the genius and talent of debate exhibited every day by the bars of the different towns of the Colony. He expressed his most cordial congratulations to the members of the Club for the auspicious commencement in regard to their new building. He had great faith in what the working men were doing, and he reminded them that there never was a movement of importance to society but had its or gin in its humblest ranks. He then gave an interesting description of the efforts of working men during the last half century in effecting social reforms, and in establishing institutions which had proved of great benefit to them. He concluded by wishing the Club God speed. Three cheers were given for Judge Bathgate. Mr Chapman also replied to the toast.

Mr Townshend proposed the toast of " The Founders." The Club was started on a sure and solid foundation, and the result was the building in the Octagon. If the Club's byelaws were carried out in their integrity, they would lead to the Club being successful. Those who had taken a leading part in the establishment of the Club had often desponded but had never despaired, and had worked unceasingly to carry the matter to a successful result. When he first joined the Club, it seemed to be a reproach to belong to it, but it was not so now. In regard to the future of the Club, he urged upon them that they should make it such an institution that it would be a slur upon a man's character not to be received as a member, and a lasting disgrace if expelled. Ihe present was the p* oudest moment of his life, and he concluded by proposing the toast of " The Founders."

Mr W. A. Smith responded. He said that he had visited the Club on Thursday fortnight, and remained there about an hour, and during that time saw 29 members sitting there reading and passing the time as best they could. During that time he saw only one glass of beer drawn. The Club had only nine halfcrowns to its credit when they undertook to furnish nine rooms at- a cost of L3OO or L4OO but through the liberality of the Dunedin gentlemen the Club soo» after had L 175 to its credit. Much had yet to be accomplished, and he oeheved that in the course of a few years the Club would be a pattern to the bouthern Hemisphere. He urged upon the members of the Club to seek to establish similar institutions in the other towns' of the Colony. On behalf of himself and his brother founders he thanked them for the manner in which the toast had heen received.

M ? H- Spiers proposed "Our Guests" fu ll^? V" 611 the names o£ aU the guarantors of the Club.

Mr G. W. Eliott responded. He was not a guarantor but was the person to whom tbe guarantee was given. When asked if he would advance the money for the purpose of erecting the building he did not hesitate for a moment.

The credit, however; was not all due to himself, but to the New Zealand Insurance Company, from which source tho" money came. Ha thanked them for the kind manner in - which > they had proposed the toast, and' for the way in** which the assistance rendered by him bad beea alluded to.

Mr James Wilson, as one of the guarantors, also acknowledged the toast. Mr Ibbotson briefly proposed the toast of the "Mayor and Corporation." He thought they were a body of men who worked very hard-;' and did not get paid for it. , /,,-.. The toast was drunk with musical honours.' '.,' Mr Woodland was in hopes that the Mayor',, would have been here to have responded. to the. '.' toast, but he was away at Oamaru. The speaker referred to his several attempts to attain tho ' s Mayoralty, and expressed his intention 'of aY tempting it again when a fitting opportunity, offered. J '\ \ Air Condon proposed "The Mercantile/ Agricultural, and Pastoral Interests." ' , '.'-• Mr Pbossek replied to the toast, and thanked ' them for the compliment paid to the different interests. , . r . The other toasts proposed were "Dunedin -■ "Volunteer Fire Brigade," " Friendly • 'and \l Kindred Societies," " The Contractors," ,?! Tho '- Ladies," " The Press," " The Chairman.?' " "