RED TRIANGLE HUT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 97, 17 January 1918, Page 7

RED TRIANGLE HUT

OFFICIAL OPENING GOOD WORK OF Y;M.C.A. The official opening of the new Y.M.C.A. hut in Lambton Quay was held yesterday, tho opening act being performed by the Dofenco Minister, Sir Jamea Allen. This "hut," which is really the first floor space of a quite substantial building, has .been open in fact for somo weeks, as some soldiers in town during the Christinas have reason to remember. It is a most attractive place, very comfortably fitted up with all the paraphernalia of restful recreation, and also for the supply of. jight refreshments. Thero nre two billiard tables, comfortable writing .tables,.and a plentiful .supply of magazines and newspapers. Walls, aro decked with pictures, of other establishments controlled and maintained by tho New Zealand Y.M.C.A. in other parts of the world. Those pictures are not the least interesting of tho things to be seen at tho. new hut, showing as they do how creat ie the effort of this very active organisation for the benefit of the Now Zea'anu soldier. Mr.' CM. Luke,, president of tho Y.M.C.A. in Wellington, presided aiid lie had a little to say in introducing Sir James A'/lon. lie .spoßo chiefly of the splendid work ; being done by thousands of men and women associated with the Y.M.C.A. for tho soldiers of tho Empire, and especially of New Zealand, who were lighting the fight of the Em-1

Sir James Allen said that it was a very great pleasure to him to como and open tho hut, and he wished the enterprise every success. It needed no advertisement from him to let the public knqw how much had been done for our. soldiers at tho front and in NewZealand by tho-Young Men's Christian Association. All along the lino at the front Y.M.C.A. huts were in existence doing splendid work, and there were not only huts, but right up to tho very front lines solf-sacrificyig servants of the Y.M.C.A'. were living in dug-outs helping the men under most uncomfortable conditions. He wished to'express his gratitude to all the officials of the I organisation for this very splendid selfsacrificing work. He did not wish to discount the work done at : the front, but ho/wished, to state his agreement with the management of tho Y.M.C.A. that the front was hot tho only place where- work should be done. In tho training camps and in the city of Wellington the organisation had done great work, for which he was grateful. Among the useful institutions established in Wellington by the Y.M.C.A. was a hostel, which, he understood, had more than fulfilled expectations. This but was evidence of more good work, and it was .an institution of which there was more need than there had been in" the past. It was more necessary than.ever that Ihe soldier should be given an opportunity of coming to a place in which all the influences surrounding him would be Epod influences. The Legislature had, quite rightlv, he thought, adopted six o'clock closing, and it was necessary that the old attractions, which were not always satisfactory, should be replaced by new ones more satisfactory. The room was fitted with all the comforts of.a home, and he honed that tha soldiers would recognise this and come to the institution. -He was pleased to give evidence nf his belief that the one thing that had instigated the New Zealand soldier to be what he had been was love of his own country, and of his home. Of this there was abundant evidence in tho camps and at the front. Ho thought that this sentiment should bo encouraged in every way possible, for he knew of no greater influence on tho soldier than this feeling of affection for home. ■ He wished to thank all those who had worked to have the hut established, and especially Mrs. George and Mrs. Varney and the other ladies who had been so prominently associated with the work. He also wished to say that he thought they had been eminently successful in securing lady voluntary workers. The soldier realised what it was to find an army of voluntary workers caring for his comfort even.at considerable personal sacrifice. Ifc was right that women should make these sacrifices, and' he was only too pleased to know that everywhere women's sacrifices were wanted they were always offered. He hoped that as the days passed they would re-, ceive that recompense which would come from the knowledge that they were doing real service for their country and the soldiers fighting for it. He knew [thlat they would never grow weary in their good work, for they knew that they were doing something to win the war. Women had been doing something to win the war ever since the war hegan. He was sure that the women would find great satisfaction in the work they had done, and ho helieved that they would find that they had grown to be better women as the result of it. He wished the room and those associated with it every success.

Mr. H. W. Kersley moved a hearty vote of thanks to Sir James Allen and Mr. Luke for their presence and for the part they had taken in lie opening of the hut. The vote was carried by acclamation. Professor Trueblood, of Michigan University, who was present, was invited to speak. He said that it had heen a revelation to him to be present to see the hut. When he left America the Y.M.O.A. had not begun to work for the soldiers, but they were talking about it, and since then they had raised twelve million pounds and something more for the work. Ho spoke also of the scheme of which ho was most strongly in favour—that of the setting up of a league of nations to enforce peace, a league which would by means of an international police force be able to restrain recalcitrant nations from attacking their neighbours until the matters in dispute had been referred to an international tribunal.