THE NEW ZEALAND CLUB.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 535, 16 June 1909, Page 5

THE NEW ZEALAND CLUB.

I FOUNDATION LUNCHEON. ; A HAPPY PROPOSAL. in the Y.M.C.A. building, at the midday meal hour, yesterday, was initiated a movement that may in time become to .bo an extensive institution. Mr. H. N. Holmes, the secretary of tho Y.M.C.A., who paid a. visit to Canada last yeaj, had oonvened a luncheon party of about twenty, in. which were included a Minister of tho Crown, members of Parliament-, business and. professional men and journalists. They were brought together to listen to a new' idea—tho idea of forming a New Zealand Club on certain lines laid down by Mr. Holmes. These lines follow closely those of the Canadian Club—an institution. wJuch exists, in every Canadian city. It is a xlub which calls the business men of the city together -once, a week round the luncheon table—in the first instance to dine in amity,, and, secondly, to listen to*a.6peech for twenty minutes or half an hour-by a prominent man possessing sufficient knowledge or experience' to speak, ex . cathedra as-it were, on a given subject.

Air. tlolmes, in introducing the business,said that priifianiy tho aim .of the ciub would be to ioster among business men a lovo of their own country—tlie most desirable iorrn of patriotism, and to Wiat end speakers could 0© selected to speak, say on our geology, timber resources, deience. strength of ueets, social life, or any subject tliat would be likely to interest such gatherings.' At such luncheons in Toronto, Mon-t-real, and Ottawa, lie heard addresses dolivercd by tho Canadian Minister for Kailways (who spoke on State ownership of railways as against the C.l'.U.), tho Hon. Dr. Grenfell, and other ■ very prominent men. Here in Wellington many interestffig people passed through. They; met half-a-dozen peopie, -perhaps, and then went on. Tho club would bo a happy medium for meeting such an d hearing them, spcuk perehanco on subjects in which they (the audience) were particularly interested. For Ithis reason he had called those present together, feeling sure that there was something prohtablo in tho idea. • ■• Speech by Hon. C. Fowltfs.

Tho. Hon. Geo. Kowlds (Minister for Education) spoke in favour of tho'proposal. Ho had been entertained by such clubs at Boston and Minneapolis, and had a high opinion of tho good purpose which'they served. Perhaps such gatherings would "not- make for narrowness if wo spoke of ourselves-and our country all tho time, and he, therefore, trusted that; tho scopo of thc .club-would be broadened . so' as. to tako in . a -wider range of thoso.subjects tihat visitors might :bo able to speak'on. Mr. Holmes, should bo tharikod for bringing the proposal forward. It was one that.he could highly commend.- ' ■ /Mr. P. C. 1? reeth said that the club would bo a valuable institution as a means of bringing business people into contact.with' prominent visitors to Wellington. Invariably these visitors meet only tho few'people whom they had letters to, and, perhaps; 1 a .pressman or two, but they could never present their ideas to'a pressman as they might to such gatherings: as were suggested. -The idea , was a capital one, and he hoped i that it wouJd be carried to fruition. . ..' .

Mr. G. M. TTiomson, M.P.; said.that he had .bceii -unaware of . the purport , of the luncheon up til] a few minutes before, but he agreed with other speakers,that tile idea,was a' splendid • one.: W'liilst- admitting that the life of a. business man in'Wellington 'was a strenuous one, he thought that anyono with a subject near his heart could fire it. off in half an hour. It would bo his endeavour to initiate such a movement in Dunedin. (Ap. plausc.) Mr. Geo. Shirtcliffo also thought the idea a capital one, and congratulated Mr. Holmes on having introduced it; to those present. ■Mr; J. G. Harkness agreed, with other sperjters that business life .was strenuous, and that it might be difficult to get . hold of'men. in the middle of the day. ' But he maintained that-it might be doing the very, best thing-for tho-individual to get him and his'.thougnts away from business in the manner proposed once a week. He know how difficult it was to get busy business mon away:from their work , for even a few minutes to attend to matters c.oficorning the general weal, such as Chambors of Commerce and local bodies, but lie held that -it would lie better for tho community and themselves (in the end) if they were diverted now and again - .from their all-absorbing .work. Ho had much pleasure in proposing , that a New Zealand Club be formed, and that the provisional cqinmitteo bo Messrs. M. Myers, Olanville Hunt, P. C. Frcclli, and H. N, Holmes. Mr. , Harry: Hart ■ secon'ded, proposing at tho same timo to add the namo of the proposer,' Mr. Harkness. .. . ■ This was unanimously agreed to. . ...