Y.M.C.A. WORK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3570, 3 October 1916, Page 4

V.M.C.A. WORK.

' MR J. J. VIRGO'S VISIT.

Mr .7. J. Virgo, the. National FieldSecretary of the liriiish V.M.C.A., who

is engaged on a tour of tho oversea*

Dominions-, with the object of organising rhe forces of' thu V.M.C.A. thioughout the Kmj)ire, both for work

amongst soldiers and in preparation for dealing wii.li grave- ' national problems' after the war. arrived in Ashburlon by the m:coihl express from the_ north to-day. Hr Vjrgo was welcomed at", the station'by his Worship tho Mayor, (Mr R. . (lalbraith), Councillor F. Z. D. Femnian, and Mr \V. So* worthy, M.P. At j).m'., from a platform on ■ tho reserve opposite the Somerset Hotel, Mr Virgo addressed an open-air meeting of local citizens and^ countryvisitors.

'Tho Mayor, m introducing the visitor, .said it"was hoped to supply a hutment from A .slib v rto n. Oama.ru had

undertaken to supply, one, Balclutha two, an<l Timaru two. The Y.M.CjA. bad ben doing excellent Avork amongst - tho .soldiers in providing accommoda-'• tibn-ancl amusement for them' when they came oiit of tho' trenches. s Mr Virgo said ho had had 30 years'" experience in V.M.'C.A. work, and five years ,of. that tiiho had .been .spent in tho Old Country. Tho object, of ; hisprosont visit was to .advance the. work of tho V.M.C.A. and to organise for- . bho x>u"poso of, carrying out greater policies. Ho 'hoped bho citizens- of." .Ashbartnn would con for and- 1 form -a V.M.C.A. Association in tho town. Hacould assure tho cit'm-ns that if such * • move wms con Loin plated "they', would have every a^sistam-o ' from ■ the • V.M.C.A. officials,, who would explain

tho many iv.lvjintagns the association would afford to soldiers returning from ,tho front. "' ■ Mr Virsw then told of his expert* oncus in tho firing lino in France, and ' gavo a ,:raphio dwription of a. midnight }>->Tribardmi>TU with shells shriekin v; overhead. Ho said ho felt very proud of the chapla.ins and their work amon-ffii. soldiers, and tho acceptance ■ of rnov oVery creed, lfc was'also the ■ polinv f>f the.'Y.M'.C.A. to care for ■ even- .«iMior, no matter what creed be/ belonged to. He contended that nothing vvlt- too good For the- boys at the ■ front, who woro going through thiß awful conflict to sa-vo our hearths and. 1 homo? from the onlnny. Tho spirit- of - the solrrors was groat, and they were splendi.- 1, . boys. "When loaving the. battlefield for Now Zealand the ,boys .- had'tol.l him to givo the people at homo i-.hoir. 1 love and toll them ■ they • woro -Toing riglit through. Tho Generals at tho front had told, him to try ' and feet as' ninny luummts put up'for sol- > diors n,- possible. If tho people only • knew v/h.it uluvio hulmonts meant to tho'hoy.^ lie was snre they would con--tributo liberally- NoL only ■ were hutmonLs' n-'i.^ssary- at 'the front J .but they .- wero.j-iovoss'ary'in tho Old Country;. to roL'Oivo the men coining over from the ■', front.' Tho V.M.C.A. had- hutments at .evory railway' terminus, and .they-, should '..oo how theso" hutuionts wem rushed by soldiers as they 'came from il\* {Vain. Soldiers who had to wait fortrains r.lso availed theuuielves of these ■ hutment-;. No less than 7000 soldiers- ... slept in tho V.M.C.A. huts in London every we ok. ■ These hutments were ateo scai,k:reci about' in England, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland,^ and, in" fact, ,in- - overy"^iivl'of'tho world whoro the Em- ■ ph\j tV'VoJs wore iightiTig. The speak««- . T>h6n ' referred to the -provision mad* for soldiers' comforts in • Egypt, and! , how thf soldiers had boon saved from. , ' temptation by the V.M.C.A: organisation, v/j'iich stood for •character first,' for it v,us realised that character cam© • first in order that, tho nation should be^ - mado strong. Ajiv fool could gon . wrong, but it was necessary- to put .- forth ovc-ry effort in order that the best character •should bo 'dt-volopod.^ He was not asking for money for tho V.M.C.A., ' but for their own boy.C; ivho were S-R----preeiiiiing all that had'-been done for them by tho association.^ The V.M.C.A. ' secret.nries sent from New Zealand to • I Franco had been "putting up a splendid record. His Majesty tho King hadl made special rc-ferenco' to what th'ft ■ secretaries had done

Mr W. Nosworthy, M.P.;. moved a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Virgo for. his address." . '

Mr C. J. Harper, in seconding the , motion, said ho'hoped tho citizens of' Ashlnirton would uovor forgot what thesoldiers wero doing dor thorn at the 1* front. In return", tliev should cheer■fully provide funds, a.T)d felt sure; Ashburton people had only to be asked. 1 ani they would provide M:ho necessary hutment., , ! ■":

Tho Mayor also Ihankod Mr Virgo',. and said ho felt ,<<un» Mr 'Virgo's ad- ' dress would strengthen "tho - hands of" ' those who wore anxious to see Ashburton provide a. hutment. ' ■ Choers were then given for. MrVirgo, who. in reply, thanked theMayor and citizens. Ho-.said he was <?r?aUy impressed wifclt tlio prosperity of ;the country ho had passed through* during his 'present tour in New Zealand. Ho could not help t 1 :nk|hg tha.t' tho people avlio were, enjoying such' 1 ' prosperity would be glad .to give, a,nd' t<> give cheerfully. ',