THE SOLDIERS' ROOM

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2509, 9 July 1915, Page 3

THE SOLDIERS' ROOM

AN ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING

That tho movement to establish a rest room in tho City. for the use of tho soldiers when on leave from Trentham has met with the keenest support from many quarters in flip City was evidenced by' the largo «nd thoroughly representative gathering whicll was held in the, \.M.C.A. rqoms yesterday'afternoon to consider further arrangements in connection with the 'matter. The meeting at which Her Excellency the Countess of Liverpool was present was presided over by Mrs. W. F. Massey, and there, were also' among 'these ■ present:' Lady Stout, Mrs. Herdman, and Mr. Varney, secretary, of..the Y.M.C.A.; In.explaining the .reasons.for its establishment and the lines on which :it| was to be carried out, Mrs. Massey referred to the success.of the Trooper' Club, which had been brought, into. existence for the-benefit of . tho soldiers of the ; New Zealand Expeditionary . .Force .at _ the time, of.their - ■ detainment ■ in-' Wellington.' When,: however, it had departed there 1 [had seemed, no further need, for its .continuance, and tlio women workers had-devoted their energies to providing comforts: and reoreation for. the military camp at Trentham,. ... Now, . however, . conditions had changed.The . weather was bad, the men had » long period of training to undergo, regular leave was granted, and they could not be expected to be content to spend all their time' in. camp. They came to town, and many women felt 1 that there! should be a place provided which they, could use as their own. In connection with Mr. Varney, secretary of the Y.M.C.A., who is in close toifeh with the camp authorities, Mrs. Coleridge, had . convened a .meeting of ladies interested in the matter.. 'What was done at this meeting was. already known. The Sydney Street Schoolroom had .been acquired by .the Executive Committee- at a. small rental for three ovenings weekly—Friday and' Saturday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and on Sunday trom 4to 10 p.m. If required, the liai) would be taken for the whole week for the remainder of the war.

Very generous responses had been received from several firms in the City,' and'. : accepted' at ,a. meeting , held on Monday: last. It had been decided to call the'Sydney.Street Schoolroom "The Soldiers' Room," and it will:be opened to the men of. the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.*on Friday,-July 16. •• Mrs. Massey then proceeded to out line in a general way. the working! of ■• the "institution.":. The rooms • were to' be furnished' with the necessary, chairs and ■.tables,? iires ; will, be' Jit, stationery, magazines, and games we're '.to be, provided, and the men were to have the use of a piano, and probably a , gramaphoneV; Thore . were. to bo no ,set entertainments, and refreshments,' consisting of; tea, ,co{Fee,•-.'scones, sandwiches, and.cake .would; be provided. A. suggestion had been made, that a small charge should be made, but as regards that the meeting itself, was .to settle. The'men of the City'were takihg great interest' in the movement, '.. and the 'committee i. had ' good reason to • hope that : tlio financial arrangements would, be put on a,' satisfactory footing.'- Among the suggestions' that had been received by the committee was one that a men's games committee should be formed to .organise and carry out any scheme that might ho decided upon. For instance, a billiard table had been offered on loan, and there were, suggestions asj to providing the men with- hot, .baths.-. The movelrent, however, continued Mrs. Massey, .was'a woman's, movement;-and tho-orig-,' inal committee' wouldl direct and supervise air future developments; To those present- at the meeting an appeal was made for practical assistance, whether in 'money , or. kind,:-but most, of- all for personal; service..' Lonjj '.lists : of. names would probably, be needed as the movement depended upon tlio continuanco of "the' war. This particular, assistance would be in the. way of .organising the refreshment * department. _. Her' • Excellency the; Countess lof Liverpool, who was,- in 'full;'sympathy with the movement-, had kindly offered to be patroness. The personnel of the officers and committee directing .the movement: were^as follow, as read by Mre.' Massey •—Patroness, Heir Excellency the Countess of Liverpool; prseident, Mrs : W. F. Massoy; vice-presidents, Lady; Ward, Lady Stout,. Mrs. J. P. Luke,; Mrs. Colo-, ridge, 'Mrs.' Sliirtcliffe, and. Mrs. :.: W. Young; lion, secretary, Mrs. Salmoiid; hon. treasurer/Mrs. H.,Hall; commit-, tee, Mesdames Allen, Herdman, Pomare, C. Earle, Firth, Moorhouse, : Pearson, Conll, Chatiiela, . Brandon, Mjles, Joseph, Joseph . Joseph, A. Pearce, A Crawford, E. Hadiield', W. Nathan, F. Samuel, : Miss' Fraser,' Miss Coates. •

Hor Excellency the Countess.of Liverpool,,who was'asked to speak, expressed the pleasure she felt in being present' at such .'a meeting. She understood it had been called together to invite assistance in establishing a .rest, room for tfro sol-

diers in from camp. Many of them were strangers who had left their homo, their relatives, ajid their friends to come to a place where they knew no one. They were giving up everything to tight for their country, and an appeal to the Dominion in such a cause as the one they were advocating was worthy of all support. • ,

Apologies for not-being able to attend tho meeting were read by Mrs. Salmond from tho Mayoress (Mrs. J. P. Luke), Mrs. Coleridge, Lady Ward, and several others; also a copy of the letter which is to be sent to the Mayoresses .all over the Dominion, asking for their co-operation. Mrs. H. Hall (treasurer) read a list of contributions which had been received up to that moment. They were as follow,: —Mrs. Conll, £10; Mrs. Firth, £5; Mrs. W. Young, £2; Lady Stout, Miss Coates; ■ Mrs. Sliirtclift'e, Mrs. Hall, Mrs. Moorhouse, Mrs. S. Kirkcaldie, Mrs. 0. Earle, £1 monthly; Mrs. E. Hadfield,. ss. monthly. An offer from Mrs. Herbert Kirkcaldie to take one evening a week, preferably Saturday, and with a committee of Khondallah ■ladies provide refreshments, . was received. ■■.■■■•

The proposal that the soldiers should pay a slight charge for refreshments was negatived by an overwhelming majority. The loan' of a billiard table from Messrs. Alcock was much appreciated,, also their offer of a man to set it- up, as well as. to instruct in taking dlie care of it. A large number of offers of assistance as well as contributions in money and promises of monthly subscriptions were received, audi the meet-r ing closed with the singing of "God Save tho King." ,