Y.M.C.A.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 26, 25 October 1907, Page 5

Y.M.C.A.

DINNER ! TO NATIONAL ..The dinner, fjiveh to'tho Australasian National Secretaries of the Y.M.C.A. in Godber's rooms, Cuba Street, last evening, waa a very-pleasant; function. Mjy H. W. Kerslev, Wellington representative on, tho Kar tional Committee, was,'in', the chair; and at the table' of ■ honour sat /Messrs! Lyman L. Pierce and W. Gillanders, the guests of tho evening, the Mayor (the Hon. T. W. Hislop). the Hons. G. Fowlds, C. 51. Luke and G. J. Smith," Messrs J. G. W. Aitken, .la>». Allen, and C. H. Poole, M.H.ll.'s, Wi.Kara T: AVilliams >\Te Aute),' A'.' Kaye (Cliristchurch), and H... N. Holmes (Wellington General.''.Secretary). Tho Christchurch, Auckland; and Dunedin secretaries were also-present. " Tho ' Chairman stated- that, the object of the gathering was; to congratulate the National Secretaries on their work m New Zealand and Australia, and to wish them I''God Speed" beforo they left these;shores. I They liitd raised £50,000 for this benefit of I y6ung, men in this country, and they, had d.eepcncd considcrbly the interest which waa I felt in tho Association's work. Mr. l'iercp ' in particular 'had been a kind of inspiration to all who had come in contact with him, and ho had! no'.'doubt' that when his mantle felli oil Mr. Gillanders' he would' inspiro tlio saiiio feeling, " The Mayor, paid a high tribute to; the work of' thp;Y.M.C.A., laying' special emphasis. upon, its,catholic spirit.'. H.o ..con? gr'aitilafed. tho'Asspciation .on tho sjilendkl results, of it's recent campaigns,, and in. tho name .'of'tho citizens thanked Mr. Piercofor the helping hand lie had given. The Hon. G. Foiylds, after, apologising for the Premier's absence, expressed tho nigh appreciation felt in Auckland of. tho hep and inspiration which had como into the work of the Associatidn in that city as the rosult of .the yisit of Messrs Pierce and Gillanders. ' Recalling some friendly sparring he had had with Mr. Allen as to which city would prove most responsive, ho claimed that Auckland' had bonie 'off tho, .palm; (Apr plaitso;).; Tho/-Auckland Association had 41? roady wlmt 'many people thought a very fine and commodious building, in'd to. ask', or £13,000 to piit up! another buildijig was a prottv tall request. When that was borne in mind" the result of the Auckland campaignwas at any rato well up to the Duncdui suceess. Nor need the Wellington people ho. ashamed of'''- their,"" effort. Ho was not ashamed to say that lie had obtained nia first situation through the influence of the YMO A. He had remained a mombor over since, and : lie had always beon-'willing,, when opportunities offered, to contribute, 3ns mite to its assistance. , 'Mr James Allen, M.H.R., said that he woiild not argue as to which city, liad liiudo tho best response. The Dunodin people had raised a. good lump sum, and were going to completo itj and tliey would ask Auckland to' follow their 5 example. His city owed a great deal to Messrs. Pierce and Gillanders tor 'their •self-sacrificing devotion in this work.. The nerves of empire were the young men .whom this Association was moulding aiid ho knew of 110 movement that would do so much to help all tho empires of tho' world as this movement, in which all.'peoples, woro united; It would do -more to spread pekce and good will among' tho nations than all the Hague Conferences in tho World.

As Mr. Piorco rose to reply, ho was musically declared''"A jolly'good fellow,' and accorded hearty cheers. Mr. Pierce said that in February, in presenting a report to the National Committee', ho brought down on 'himself'a considerable degree of ridicule! from some of its . members by suggesting that it might' be possible during this year, 1907, to see the money provided in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurcli, and Dunedin, for modern Y.M.C.A. buildings. Ho believed that it must have been something outside himself that had led lnm to come to such a conclusion, for ho had : never realised so much ns on that night how audacious it all was. In 51 working days since tho opening of tho Dunedin campaign there had been handed over to tho Association for admin, istration on behalf of the young men of Now Zealand') the sum of £51,500. (Applause.) After referring to the broad-minded policy of tho 'Wellington Association l in releasing its secretary at a critical time to take part in tHe Dunedin and Christchurcli,campaigns, Mr. Pierco stated that' in the fifty-one working days he had mentioned' 5414 people had made contributions to the three Associations, not counting Wellington. Of these. 160 had contributed, sunis from £20 to £50, sixty £50, twonty-nino £100, one £150, tlireb £200, six £250, four £500, and nine £1000., . (Applause.)

Mr. Gillandcrs, who was given a liko reception to that of Mr. Pierce, urged tho necessity for keening a wide vision. Tho country, no less than tho cities, had claims ujjoii this movement. The National Committee had had under consideration for the past year tho' inauguration of country work! Mr. O. Stoning then presented to Mr. Pierco, on behalf of tho Cliristehurch Board of Management, a photographic panorama of tho City of-tho Plains, and, on behalf of tho young men ot Christ-church, presented Messrs/ Gillanders and Holmes with photographs: of tho captains of tho Christchurcli' Y.M.C.A canvassing teams. ,