Y.M.C.A. NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 544, 26 June 1909, Page 10

Y.M.C.A. NOTES.

'-■"- '"•'■-' ■ : -: The'■;■ .Wellington„ Association ; again Intro-. : duced 'a - unique' feature into their many : ac;tivitios'. when;',th'e.. resident' members';in tho building "gave their; first "at'.'home.":: ; The. programme'inclnded: musical- and' elocutionary .items;"-': Adi exoiting: game': of basket-ball was also held j: and a visit of inspection round the building: was followed by supper, which .'was exquisitely'servedin-the dining-rooni. r ■; -The-visit.'of:Mr.' Jv : J. Virgo,'of Sydney, is'.looked forward tov!.'with'-: much" interest;,. .'A ; planned for ;in Wellington, •; followed on the 16th (Thursday) : by, the seventh anniversary in tueTown Hall, and. thoJNeiv Zealand Secretarial Conference is being held'next day. - -'--"Right away 'twenty-seven: miles. iri the the' Mississippi, long .leaf, pine forests,- the Y.M:O.A.; isidoihg, a grand work. The Eastman-Gardiner' Lumber Company, which, works ; one lof /; the ':; largest,'-'• lumber 'plants'in -the'south; of the, United States, ' nasj.iust v'eree ted f'-the.'.-T-.M-.CIA.'-:.-building thbrer.at':iit3 ! - lodging?:camp, andJhasLput a trained: association secretary on its '■; pay-roll. to-'managevit'ior them.' This'has proved ' sqch a; godd. ..thingfor ■' the: town.' the men, arid'ithe :compahy. that'.theCpresidont of the iattor; said thati'the. association was : ! one of -thVbest assets of'/their manufacturing plant, as; it/made tho men.sober, .saving, and, per- : tnanoTit;'; -'The. superintendent; of. the' loggmg;camp;was '.afraid.; that, a religious ,organisa-: itipA;.wbuldi.-'not..-db,;-.as :the- town "was- made : tip of, whites/, blacks, foreigners, Protestants,: Boman.Catholids, and Hebrews, but now!' he says.ihe .was- mistaken;' for..it.iias /succeeded .splendidly,!, and' the; life' of• v tho'..plijce is oen.tre^'::in the., association .'.building.': -It, pro?, vides-,,a 'happy i combination pleasure, and'.religious;.meetings.-,-This experiroent. led 'ahptner great lumber company. ; tp ' ; brect, and .'bquip:, au .'association 'building I(ri the'new,-tpwri,,of, ( where' the Southern Lumber Company; worts ihe,largest mill in tho':wbrld.' In Minnesota ,foui\'companies recently '.established' a ; YiM.C. A. • nave issued a ; signed statement .declaring that the' association had ;even;e'xcoede'd ; : their expectations: in its -beneficial; influence .Jon 1 the community.?.?.—"Absoriation Mcn:!.!c2/; ; , ' : ;i /; : :; : ; : . -,'. ■-•;';.•'■! '-', The Congress of'"the"'Unrted: States,'/Amorica t ;has just passed an appropriation for pro-' yiding fonr Vinore ;Y;M.OiA. ; buildings for the men-cutting the canal on the; Isthmus ;of Panama.' : '■:'{•'■?;; ' :"'-■"'"" "^:: , -.- : 7';'.':;:.' : - ,''V ; . •Sir James Fairfax,; for'fiye" years president of,, thei Sydney. ABspciationjhoiijusti'retired,' being' about to/start, oh- a journey .•round; the world, with -his .'family.;' Sir., not''called to presidency: bf'the: association', becanso of-his': title :or.'position. : ,;iSinco ho was seventeen-year's •of :age,. he ■■ haVbeeu a member of the association, and -his' father was- its '.first •presi- 1 dent":in ; Ußo3.:,'''.He.is tho.proprietor of-tho "Sydney Morning Herald." ,Sir James is'a "practical business rnanj and.:not ;a platform orator.;'\Heis'' : most.at.home when,:guiding ilie councils of the board... In the fiveyeairs of .his-administration.'tho.Bssociation grew, ■from 500 -to 1303 genuine paid-up 4 mcmbers, and .rebuilt;,au'd,adapted'-'tho"-building,: makr ing 'it :.tho : strongest |,counter-attraction; to :the'resources ofiVice.in the.city.-' -He-is most ■of-all'at;homo;,when receiving '■'■ and advising ■young,-men.:inii'his; spacious : honrevand .gardens.' ..'■ It; is well: known that if.' Sir-James : . in-, i'vites 600 to .700 : young, men to a social gaih-;ering,!arrangcments-have to';be : or.tho ;full;number;,. Ho is- a popular and influential !man'with men .who admire his well-balanced, clear-i&deVlness and,' staunch character, and /ho "has inade a most successful president.: :