MEMORIAL SOLDIERS' CLUB

Otago Witness, Issue 3332, 23 January 1918, Page 54

MEMORIAL SOLDIERS' CLUB

PRELIMINARY MEETING. A meeting of citizens convened by his Worship tho Mayor of Dunedin (Mr J. J. Clark) was held in the council chamber oi the 21st to consider what action should bo take to .assist the Dunedin Returned Soldiers' Association to raise £20,000 for the establishment of a memorial club. The gathering was a very representative one, including, besides the Mayor, Messrs T. K. Sidey, M.P., S. Solomon, K.C., J. Loudon, M. Bradley, C. R, Smith, D. Cooke, J. J. Mailow, J Rennie, J. M'Donald, Jame 3 Brown R. Conn, W. Stuart Wilson, T. Somerville, H. Harris A. Stonoham, A. Barnett, and several returned soldiers. jThe Mayor read a number of apologies from leading citizens for their absence, but promising to give the proposal all the assistance in their power. He also read a letter from the Soldiers' Club, Moray place, approving of the proposal. There could be no doubt, said the Mayor, they were under a debt of gratitude to the men who had fought for their country and helped to save the Empire. They would see from" tho letter read from the Anzao Club that their premises could not adequately provide accommodation for the soldiers w ; ho had returned, and for those yet to arrive- To meet the requirements of returned soldiers, he had been asked to bring together a few business men with largo experience to help to solve the problem before them. They could, he was sure, depend on receiving some largo donations to help the proposal, but they must also, he thought, do their best to gather small subscriptions. To this end ho would suggest that several committees be formed, as it would be very unfair to put the burden of collection on a few men. They had secured the option of purchasing the property in Moray place, known as Gladstone House, which had a frontage of 66ft and a good depth, at £4IOO, which, according to rateable valuations, was regarded as a fair price. The property would require several alterations, and it was proposed to raise £IO,OOO for the upkeep and improvement of the building. _ It would be necessary to take into consideration the future of tho club, for the soldiers who would return after the war would be nonexistent in 30 or 40 years. They had to consider also whether the property should bo handed over to the territorial forces or to some other military body ultimately. Ho "was sure all would agree that they could not do too much for tho 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 be 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 Soldiers' Association, and think that this may best be done by the establishment of a memorial club, which will not only be a monument to tho 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 he had talked with a number of the returned men, and listened to their troubles and their hopes, and had .come to the conclusion that nothing they could do to assist those men would be too much. —(Applause.) He was sure that tho 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 tho community that ever came before the public asking for assistance.— (Applause.) Mr J. J. Marlow was sure that every business man in the community must feel a deep debt, of gratitude to the men who had gone to tho front and had done so much for tho 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 had suffered by doing their duty. He was satisfied that tho public of Dunedin would give those men what they wanted in the way of providing them with a club where they could pass their time in comfort.

Mr T. K. Sidey, M.P., said that ho also had had his doubts as to tho advisability of the proposal brought before them, but had been convinced mat something should bo done at once to provide accommodation for thoee who had returned and for others who would bo coming back. There had been a number of claims on the public of late, but tho present proposal was a special one, and he would be glad to assist it in every way that lay in his power.—(Applause.) Messrs Bradley, J. Rennio, and others supported tho motion, which was carried. On tho motion of Mr Marlow those present were formed into . a committee to arrange for a public meeting 'to be hold at an early date, at which an executive committed will be appointed.