WORKING MEN'S CLUB

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16151, 4 March 1918, Page 2

WORKING MEN'S CLUB

NEW BUILDING IN OXFORD TERRACE. • The dedication stone of the zew Christchnrch Working Men's Club in Oxford terrace was unveiled on Saturday afternoon, a large number of members and well-wishers being present. Mr A. Peverill, president, who presided at the ceremony, said that the club, which was established in 1880, always had been run cleanly and would continue to be run. cleanly. The erection of the new building was a good proposition. Six o'clock_ closing had hit the club as hard as it had liit anybody in - New Zealand, and the club was now going through its worst conditions, but it would win out, and he hoped that it would always be regarded as the best Working Men's Club in the Dominion. Mr G. Witty, MJ 5 ., who unveiled the stone, congratulated the club on its enterprise, and praised its conir mon-sense in securing rent from land it did not use. In Parliament, he said, he had voted against six o'clock closing because he thought that it was taking away the people's privileges. He acted .on his convictions. (Applause.) He was satisfied that six o'clock closing would hot bring the end of the war one hour nearer. If he thought that it would help to end the war he would try to close down the club and every hotel in the country- • * The important ceremony of opening the fine new bar was then proceeded with. He bar, which is one of the finest club bars in the Dominion, 's 54ft x 29ft in size. It is lined all through with figured and oiled rimu, the oval bar being in the centre. Here two barmen can serve as many _ customers as four could in an ordinary bar. The floor is covered with inlaid Hno, and the room is provided ■with three leather lounges and settees, and will shortly be made more convenient still by the addition of several marble-topped tables. Under the bar is an ample cellar 20ft x 15ft. At the ceremony, which was most successful, the following _ toast list was honoured: "The King," "Past Presidents," proposed by Mr A. W. Peverill and responded to by Mr W. Gibbs and Major J. P. Oakes; "Parliament," proposed by •Mr Hickmott and responded to by Mr G. Witt?, M.P.; "The Soldiers," proposed by Mr E. Just .and responded to bv Mr W. Lloyd, a returned man; "Architect and Contractor," proposed by Mr E. Smith and responded to by Mr J. Guthrie and Mr P. Graham; "Kindred Clubs," proposed by Major Oakes, Kind responded to by the past president of the Richmond' and Oxford Clubs, and "The Press." Mr P. Graham presented Mr Peverill with a. silver key to perform the opening ceremony.