PERMANENT SOLDIERS' CLUB

Waikato Times, Volume 87, Issue 13269, 26 August 1916, Page 5

PERMANENT SOLDIERS' CLUB

HAMILTON PROPOSAL.

i AN AREA INSTITUTION, jf "WELDING WAR COMRADESHIP The erection of a building for the purnose dI establishing a permanent branch of the Soldier, Club, at Haniilton, was discussed by a number of itturned men and members of the local patriotic committee at the Soldiers Club last night. . Major Kastrick, who presided, outlined the objects of the Returned Soldiers' Association, which have already been explained 111 these columns, lhe Association was, he said, incorporated, and had received the recognition ot the Government, while His Exeelency tho Governor, was the patron. The body would doubtless become ..lie ot the strongest otganisations in .New Zealand. , , , Deal 11 g with the actual business ot the meeting the speaker said that a peimanent building of the nature suggested would ho a fitting memorial to their fallen conn a les, and would also be a means ut providing a place where all the men w,.0 were fortunate enough to return, could meet Kicially. 1" uithei, it would be a means ot keeping the Voting tellow s from other, and probably undesirable, resorts. I lie returned soldiers wished to have such a place, and it was the opinion of the Council of tho Association at Wellington that it peimanent buildings were to be erected, it was desirable that they should be put up while the war is on, a.s it leit■until after its termination, enthusiasm in the project would probably wane. Once permanent clubs were istablished the Association hoped to make them selfsupporting i a the membership tees. The .speaker mentioned that in addition to se\eral ot the leading cities erecting permanent buildings, Wanganui and Palniei'sion North were putting up their o\\ n buildings. Amongst other matters brought betore iht> meeting wa,s the question ot representation on the claims board. The Council of the Association had consider. d this subject, and had decided that it was very desirably that Soldieis Clubs should be represented as an assistance to e.)inmittees in discriminating between deserving and undeserving cases. It was know n, said Majoi Rastrick, that men were travelling round the \aiious centres getting help from the tlillerent patriotic committees. It was to put a stop to victimisation ot this kind that the Association sought representation. WILL IT ME PERM AN ENT ?

Mi A. K. Manning said the local claim- I man I had considered the question of a |" inianeiit building, hut (h 1 - ciiled that the time was scarcely ripe for such an institution in Hamilton. There was the probability that when the hulk of the men returned from Iho front ihey would not make use tit the chili.

Major 1? istrick said this was not the opin on held hy the Council in Wellington, which was comprised of men ot wide ' xporionce. Mi S. B. Sims thought that alter the lapse t several years the need of a club of tin, description would cease to exist and li-erest,would die. Ma r Rastriek considered the club, alter nee established, would he seltsuppc ting. The only real expense would he that of the caretaker. It was desira l« to foster the comradeship which ; iad been engendered hy this war. The ci ih would he a central Waikato one, to which men living outside Hamilton uuiild he welcome, and where they would he able to find triends and secure a. bed if ncct.vsary. One Hamilton gentleman had offered to donate £IOO towards the project. The speaker expressed the opinion that he would far preter to see some of the money donated for patriotic purposes devoted to the establishment of a permanent memorial of this description—a memorial to both the men who had fallen and those who remained.

Mr H. J. Wernham did not think the returned men would he able to support the institution without outside help. There would be a danger of the club becoming defunct in a few years' time for want of interest. He preferred to see a building leased. Major Rastriek said Palmerston, which was not much larger than Hamilton, was erecting a permanent club. Mr Valder believed a permanent club would be largely overlapping the work of the Y.M.I .A., which was one of the finest institutions in the world. Could not tho Association make use of the vast advantages of the Y.M.C.A. organisation ?

Mr Woynh.Tin said the position in Hamilton differed to that in Wanganui and Palmerston. The latter places administered their own funds, whereas Hamilton merely drew on the provincial fund.

AN EXCELLENT IDEA. Mr J. \Y. Ellis thought the idea an excellent one, and helieved that if a building were erected now, it would be well supported in the future, and would be a rallying ground for returned soldiers. He considered that if an appeal were made to the public the project would receive a good deal of support. The matter of making the club a residential one was, however, slightly too ambitious in the speaker's mind. Hamilton was a military centre and would remain one to all time.

Sergeant-Major Lawrence said that almost every returned nian so far had joined the Association, and he felt sure the club would be greatly supported by the returned men.

Mr Valder remarked that if permanent clubs were established by all the local centres—Cambridge, Ngaruawahia and Te Awamutu— there would be less need of a club at Hamilton of the size suggested. Mr Hathaway said that if the club could not be maintained by the returned men, the question of admitting Territorials would doubtless be considered.

Mr Voider said it might be taken for fronted that no reliance could be placed' on any patriotic funds subscribed up to the present time. If, therefore, any substantial sum were aimed at, it would probably bo difficult to obtain. Mr Ellis isuggested that the feeling of the other centres in the No. 4 area should be obtained in regard to making the club a group institution and not a Hamilton one.

Mr Valder, referring tp the Major's remarks regarding duplicity on the part of returned men, said that owing to the system of references adopted by the different claims committees, "it would be difficult for a returned man t» to victimise committees in the way suggested. Mr Manning believed the feeling ; of the committee was in the direction I of admitting a member of the Association to the Claims Board.

The patriotic committee will consider both, questions at a special meeting to be held on Thursday next.