THE ASHBURTON CLUB

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21414, 5 March 1935, Page 6

THE ASHBURTON CLUB

JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS INTERESTING EARLY HISTORY A period of 50 years of service in the social lives of many residents of the Ashburton county has been completed by the Ashburton Club and Mutual School of Arts, which will celebrate its golden jubilee with a banquet at the Ashburton Drill Hall this evening. Judicious management has placed the club in a sound financial position, and its present membership of 600 is the highest on record. The club owes its origin to a meeting of 24 enthusiasts who met in Fowler's Buildings on Tuesday, March 3, 1885, to consider the advisability of forming a working men's club at Ashburton. Mr S. B. Nelson, who took a prominent part in organising the meeting, presided. On the motion of Messrs J. Tasker, sen., and E. Marsh it was decided "that a club be formed to be called the Ashburton

Club," and the following were elected to a committee to draw up a report for a meeting to be held a week later: Messrs S. B. Nelson, J. Tasker, T. Hoult, Connolly, F. Noakes, G. F. Scott, and F. Bennington. Mr D. Amos was appointed interim secretary. The idea of a club was popularly received by local residents, and within 10 days of the first meeting the chairman reported to a general meeting that 30 members had enrolled, and there was no doubt that more than 50 could be obtained. At this meeting held on March 11 the first officers were elected as follows:—President, Mr S. B. Nelson; vice-president, Mr A. Craighead; secretary, Mr J. G. Robertson; trustees, Messrs T. Hoult, F. Clark, and W. C. Walker; solicitor, Mr E. G. Crisp; banker, the Bank of Australasia; committee, Messrs O. Bradley, J. Stephens, R. Hicks, G. Worner, D. Amos, J. Meech, G. F. Scott, —. Connolly, E. Marsh, J. F. Fowler, W. Fowke, and F. Milner. The First Club The site of the first club was in Mr Fowler's buildings in Tancred street, almost opposite the entrance to the present Arcade, and although it was agreed to open the rooms on March 23, the charter to sell liquor under the Licensing Act could not be received from the Colonial Secretary until April 11, so the opening did not take place until April 20, 1885. The committee agreed to an expenditure of £2O on sundries necessary for the opening of the club, which was destined to play an important part in the social life of many of its members. A variety of periodicals and newspapers was provided, while provision was made for playing chess, draughts, cards, and dominoes, and other games. From eight applications, Mr Andrews was appointed the first steward, and under good supervision the club' became firmly established at the end of the trial period, three months. At this stage the assets (furniture, stock, and cash) totalled £l2O 4s lid, with no liabilities. The officers were re-elected for nine months. Mr T. Hayes, the only surviving committee member of this period, was elected a committeeman on October 29, 1885. The first secretary (Mr J. G. Robertson) left the district in November of the same vear, and was succeeded by Mr E. J. Fooks.

A permanent charter was granted to the club in 1886, but the following year the finances declined, and retrenchment was necessary. Trouble arose over the fare, and at one committee meeting it was decided to ask the supply committee to resign, "as there had been a great many complaints." The end of the following year saw the club back in a financially stable position, and with brighter prospects, and a steadily increasing membership, the necessity for more commodious premises was apparent. In July, 1889, the site of the present club building in Burnett street was purchased for £IBO, and plans for a new club to cost £6OO were prepared by Messrs Fooks and Son. The contract was let to Mr J. L. Brown for £745, with £22 extra for digging a cellar, and the building operations were carried out in 1891, the new premises being opened in May of that year. Although several alterations have been carried out, the building to-day is substantially as erected, with the exception of the billiards room, which was added in brick some years later. A Unique Position The Ashburton Club's bar holds a unique position in the history of clubs in New Zealand. It was the subject of special legislatioi. designed to close it early in the year just after 1900, and long litigations, in which the right to reopen the bar was challenged in recent years At the general election and licensing 1897, Mr T. E. Upton 1898, Mr J. Ashburton district was voted dry and six hotels were compelled to close their bars at 11 p.m. on June 20, 1903. The committee of the club decided to close the bar, but continued to serve liquor to members in the club rooms in order to test the right of the Colonial Secretary to revoke the club's charter. Legal action followed, the judge's finding being in favour of the club. The sale of liquor in the club continued, but opposing forces sprang into action and the position was the subject of discussions by the Cabinet and debates in Parliament until oeptembcr 21, 1904, when Mr John McLauchlan, member for Ashburton, moved an amendment to clause 59 of the Licensing Act, allowing the Ashburton Club to continue the sale of liquor till July 1, 1905, and this was carried by 39 votes to 34.

This action caused a fall in the membership, but there were many whose attitude it did not affect and they remained loyal to the club. As the charter was only suspended, the officers of the club wisely paid the annual charter fee of £5 to the Ashburton Borough Council to keep the charter alive. The wisdom of their action was proved in May, 1927, when the electoral boundaries were altered, half of the Ashburton district being absorbed in the Temuka electorate, while the other half combined with Ellesmere to make up the new electorate of Mid-Canterbury, which was a "wet" area. Bar Reopened After the general election in November, 1928, alterations were made at the club in preparation for the opening of the bar, which had been closed for 23 years and about two feet of water was pumped from the cellar. Following the Gazette notice of the result of the poll, the bar was opened under the old charter on December 10 and interest in the club was stimulated. Throughout New Zealand there was much speculation on the legality of the club's action. The conviction of many that the club had no right to open its bar was more strongly confirmed when hotels in Ashburton were refused licenses by the Licensing Committee, the decision of which was upheld by the Privy Council. On September 10, 1931, the Department of Internal Affairs advised the club that the charter would be cancelled and the sale of liquor must cease, but a favourable legal opinion was' received and the club bar remained open. To test the club's action a prosecution was brought by arrangement when the secretary was charged at the Ashburton Magistrate's Court with selling liquor to the president. The magistrate gave his decision on February 12, 1932, holding that Ashburton was still "dry" and a conviction without penalty was entered. An appeal was made to the Appeal Court, which found in favour of the club. As the result of careful management the club has become established in a good financial position. A proposal to build a new club about two years ago was turned down by a general meeting 6l members. On the recreational side of the club's activities an up-to-date library and billiard rooms are provided for mem-