OTAGO EX-CONTIGENTERS' CLUB.

Otago Witness, Issue 2579, 19 August 1903, Page 36

OTAGO EX-CONTIGENTERS' CLUB.

Members of the Otago Ex-Contingenters' Club, to a considerable number, assembled at the Otago Cycling Club's rooms in the Octagon on Monday, the occasion being the opening to the newly-formed club of the- rooms which in future they are to shara with the Otago Cycling Club. Me*mbers of the Cycling Club were also present. Mr H. B. Courtis (vice-president of the Otago Cycling Club) welcomed briefly, on behalf of the president ar.d office-bearers of the club, the ex-contingentsrs present, expressing the hope ■that the jomirg and meeting together would be for the mutual benefit of each club, and that the Ex-Contingenters' Club members would in the future spend many pleasant occasions there together. . Apologies for absenco were made on behalf of Messrs J. F. M. Fraser, K. Gleodiniug, R. Chisholm, and S. S. Myers. Mr D. Hickey (president of the Ex-Con-lingenters' Club) suitably replied, thanking the members of the Otago Cycling Club for the way in -which they bad come along to their dssistance. The olub w»3 going on very satisfactorily, he said, except that subscriptions might come in a little faster. At the last general meeting it had bsen arranged that tho present office-bearers should bo only teinp&TftTily appointed, and he had already handed in his resignation as president, and hoped that they -would look totind for a more suitable president to be. elected at their next general meeting. Ho thanked them for his election, howver, and was confident the Ex-Contiugenters' Club could be made a \e-ry good thing. Mr J. A. Park, called on to say a few words, expressed tho gratification he felt that the ExContingenters' Club was gofng to be a success, and at the fine spirit in which the Otago Cycling Club had come forward with 1 their offer. Ho hoped members would assist the olub by sending in their subscriptions at once. Their funds were not largo, but would grow in time. He was sure that the olub was a necessary one, and when the public saw what a success tho Ex-Contingeiuera' Club's ball was going to be they would realise that the management was in proper hands, and the club deserved support. Again, " Reminiscence Night," fixed for November, should be a gTcat success. Tho advantages to bo derived from such a olub were innumerable. The- speaker then went on to allude to tho grer.t advantages for youths to bo derived from their being members of some athletic- or similar society. It was- ratiher a disgrace, he considered, to the city that more encouragement was not puChe'y given to recreaiion. As they were aware, a piece of land had been secured for a public gymnasium and swimming baths, and it was for the people of Dunedin now to induce the City Council to devote it to its proper purposes. An oversight on the part of the people of New Zealand, and perhaps of the ex-contin»ciiters, had been the insufficient recognition of the services of Mr Pileher at Capo Colony, who literally worked night and day for ike New Zealanel contingentera. This was a matter to bo dealt with at their next general meeting. As they were aware, tha Patriotic Fund Committee had received a large sum to be disbursed to invalided soldiers, and the distribution had been honestly and carefully carried out. They had still mope-y to assist genuine and. deserving cases. They had sought cases out in many instances. Any one present had jii3t to mention a genuine case that had been overlooked by the committee, and it would receive *ttention. The committee h.3.3. received £1003, and £iOO from Lloyds, and V.'hen their sheet containing tho. Hat of oases wa-3 forwarded Home another £500 waa im-tt-.ediately voted them, and handed to the Agentgeneral for tho Otago Patriotic Fund Committee. This JESOO had been, however, paid into tho Government account instead of to the coot znittce in the usua.l way, but no doubt the corujuittee would receive the amount in due course. Other members of the committee not present he

had to apologies for, but they quite intended to support the Ex-Contingentexs' (?ub. — Applause.) Surgeon-captain O'Neill, who has recsntly returned from his visit to the Old Country, also spoke a few words, characterising the movement to form an Ex-Contingenters' Club as a splendid one. This concluded the formal part of the proceedings, and a musical programme was then gone through, games and refreshments being very adequately provided. Songa were rendered by Messrs Black, Heathcoat, and Roxburgh, and recitations by Messrs Conn and Williams.

Before the proceedings terminated, on the motion of the President (Mr Hickey), a, very cordial vote of thanks was passed to Mr J. A. Park for the services he had rendered the ExContingenters' Club in it 3 formation and otherwise.