NEW BUILDINGS.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20169, 23 February 1931, Page 6

NEW BUILDINGS.

WORKING MEN'S CLUB. ' j —— BIG GATHERING AT RICHMOND. The ceremony held in the new building of the Richmond Working Men's Club on Saturday aftrenoon, to mark the opening, was attended by* a very large number of members and guests, the lat- ' ter including the" Mayor (Mr J. K. Archer), Deputy-Mayor (Cr. H. T. J. Thacker), and Mrs Thacker, the only lady member of the club. Mr E. B. Woodward, president, occupied thei chair. The toast list was interspersed with enjoyable musical items, provided by individual performers and the orchestra of tho Ohristchurch Working Men's Club. The president congratulated the iaenf= bcrs on assembling in such large numbers. The club was respected by everybody, ho said, and tho additions showed what could be done when business was conducted on tho right lines. He proposed the toast of "The Visitors." Tho Mayor said that the premises were magnificent. They wore quite an oniamont to the street.. The club m'ust have some very shrewd negotiators'; it had managed to get round the City Council for quite a substantial sum. Councillors had jumped at the bait offered by the-'club to' abandon its oM premises, like hungry fish. Tho newbuilding was worthy of anything the Council had, spent. Stanmore road was costing tho City tens of thousands of pounds in widening, for the pioneers had not been able to see into tho future. The footpath outside the club was said to be rough to walk on at night. . (Laughter.) "We shall see that yo.u get a perfectly smooth footpath," promised the Mayor. It was a good thing to forget political and social differences, and meet as brothers. "I am a sort of father to the City," continued tho Mayor, "so you won't resent advice. Seo that your club is well conducted and controlled. There are people in Christchurch who have not much use for clubs." He hoped the club would be so well conducted that it would never bo given a fright. Cr. Thacker said the club should have boon at the back of the section, with the lawn in front. The club should, take;a Maori name, such as the Wahine or Kangatira Club. It was hard to criticise a good thing, however. He suffered no ill-effects through his wife being a member of . the club. Mrs Thacker said she was highly honoured to be a member. At Home people had-considered the , people must be wonderful to accord her such a privilege. Three cheers were given for Mrs Thacker. „ , Mr E. P. Willcox, secretary of the Christchurch Returned Soldiers' Association;, offered congratulations on the additions and improvements. ' The premises would be a credit to any club in. the Dominion, he said. It was pleasing that so many men were members of both organisations. The new quarters of the club were cosy ■■■ and comfortable. Mr/Jamei Cusack proposed the toast of "The Club and ,Its Founders." He was afraid the founders had all gone. They had been the pride of Richmond. On many occasions they had been pushed for money, asd they had put their hands in their pockets to meet the bill. , 'Thirty-seven years had pass- " ed-since he "had joined himself, and he could assure them that it had had management equal to .any in the world. Mr ' Cusack mentioned Messrs William Barr, C. Brown, and B. B. Woodward as outstanding presidents. He had always bad a good time in the club, and he appealed to members to be loyal to it. 1 Mr S. Halligan, the oldestmember of ' tho club, presented the president with a ■ large gold key to open the new bulld- > ,ing. • "I hope he will live long to eiii [ joy our club," ho said. Mr Woodward said he would greatly cherish the .gift. > The president proposed the toast of | "Kindred Clubs." ' . Messrs J. E. Cooper (Christchurch 1 Working Mon's Club), P. Garlick (Oxford), J. Lynskey, (Kaiapoi), and ! Jam<?s (Napier) responded. Other toasts, included those o£ , The Architect and Builder," and "Tho , Press."