RAILWAY MEN'S SCHEME.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2401, 5 March 1915, Page 3

RAILWAY MEN'S SCHEME.

TO HELP THE STARVING BELGIANS. A. meeting of representatives of the various branches of the Railway Service in' the Wellington District was heid last evening in the Railway head offices. Mr. E. H. Hiley, General Manager, presided, and explained that the object of the meeting was to endeavour to organise a co-operative effort as railwaymen in promoting-some form of entertainment to raise funds for the relief of the starving Belgians. Mr. Hiley stated that it was. suggested to hold a monster patriotic entertainment in the Town Hall at an early date, the programme to comprise a grand assault-at-arms and exhibition of jiu-jitsu, interspersed with patriotic music. Jiu-jitsu,'as applied in modern warfare, is now being taught to the troops in camp at Trentham, and Mr. Hiley recently had the pleasure, through the courtesy of Colonel Gibbons, of witnessing some, most interesting displays of this science. With the permission of Colonel Gibbons he had approached Captain Leopold M'Laglen, the jiu-jitsu champion of the world, who has been supervising the training of the men in the science, with reference to giving a display in the Town Hall. The captain being agreeable the matter, was put in train, and a draft programme prepared for consideration by the meeting. The proposal was most enthusiastically received by the meeting, and its adoption unanimously decided on. The draft programme was then submitted for discussion, and finally approved. , The following were elected a General Committee:—Messrs. E. H. Hiley, R. W. M'Villy, A. W. Mouatt, and j. Day (Head Office); Messrs. J. Burnett, H. J. Wynne, J. Besant, and R. Caldow (Maintenance Branch); H. Davidson and J. M'Donald (Chief - Accountant's Branch); J. P. Eolly, G. E. Richardson, and H. M'Keowen (Locomotive Branch); M. C. Rowe (Stores Branch) ; A. W. Hutchings (Lanibton Passenger Sta.tion); E. A. Datfson (Thorndon Passenger Station); ,W. . Wells (Lainbton Goods); R. R. Gow (Thorndon Goods); D. D. Weir, P. Cairns, and J. M'Dougaj. (Petone Workshops); T. O'Lougblin (A.S.R.S.); aud M. Dennehy (E.F. and C.A.); and various sub-committees were formed. Mr. H. M'Keowen was elected hon. secretary, and Mr. H. Davidson hon. treasurer.

It was decided that prices of admission be as follow; —Reserved seats, 10s. 6d. and 55.; unreserved, 3s'. and 25., and that tickets be at once printed and circulated for sale. ... Taking advantage of the large and representative meeting present, it was decided, as an outcome of general discussion, that the meeting form itself into a Wellington Railway Belgian Fund Committee. It was suggested that the other large centres should adopt a similar means of raising funds in their localities.