SYDNEY STREET SOLDIERS' CLUB

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 286, 22 August 1918, Page 2

SYDNEY STREET SOLDIERS' CLUB

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of tho Sydney Street Soldiers' Club Committee was held in tho club yesterday morning. Mrs. W. J?. Massey (president) presided, and thero were also present Mesdaines Hall (hon. treasurer), Pearson, Samuel, Young, Moorhouse, Blundeil, W. Nathan, Coleridge, C. Jiario (hun. secretary), S. Kirkcaldie, 11. Kirkcaldie, Jacob Joseph, Lady Gibbes, Miss Coates, and Miss Bothenberg. Apologies were received from Lady Stout, Mrs. Shirtcliffc, Mrs. Russell, and Mrs. Hadfiold.

Tho report presented by tho hon. secretary was as follows:;—" The annual .meeting of the Soldiers' Club Committee (August 21, 11118) takes ue into the fifth year of the greatest war tho world has ever seen. Since •tho.Aast annunl meeting many changes place, the most outstanding bein* the serious illness of the committee's first secretary, Lady Salmond, which has caused hor resignation, Mrs. C. Earle being elected to the vacancy. Much has been done in the way of entertaining visiting troops, which inciudod French troops and Tahitian men who were the committee's guests at tea and at the dances. It is a gratifying fact that although the notice received of tho arrival of soldiar visitors is mostly a matter of hours only, many hundreds of soldiers have been successfully entertained within a remarkably short space of time. The president ban on every occasion sho has been-, in Wellington extended a cordial welcome to the visitors on behalf of the committee. Letters, not only from the men, but also from the Government, of their country, expressing appreciation of the committee's effort, have been received from time to time. By the' death of Mrs, Herdman, wife of Mr. Justice Herdman, the committee lost one of its most interested workers, whose services, when her health permitted, were eve> ready for any good work. Although a complete system of advertising has been arranged the attendance at the club has not increased since last year. This is due to tho altered train service. This fact led to a discussion during the year as to the wisdom of keeping the club open or ] not. At the meeting it was unanimously , agreed to "carry on" as usunl. It has been a matter for congratulation that during the year honours have been conferred upon six membors of the committee, tho following ladies being tho recipients-Mrs. Massey, Lady ' Ward, Mrs. Moorhouse, Mrs. J. P. Luke, Mrs. BoUcston, and Miss Coates. Each will have tho continued good wishes of tho committee, with tho hope that she may he long spared to carry on her good works. A change hns been mado in the club's working staff, the second caretaker having resigned. Fresh, arrangement was made which has worked quite satisfactory. Acting upon a suggestion made by Mrs. Coleridge, that in viow of the early closing of hotels, an entertertainment of some .kind . should bo held in the club every Wednesday night, it was agreed it should lako the form of a dance. These danee3 are very popular, aud are' held weekly, tho Dance Committee being in attendunco. As a result they have more than paid their way. During the year tho gymnasium has been loaned to several p'atrotic societies for various patriotic works, and n.c.o. dancts, and on one occasion the main room was used by tho Navy League for a war lecture. Through the energy and enterprise of Mrs. Samuel iu collecting money a new piano has been purchased. TM instrument is a first-class ono, and as»'ing of joy for tho pianist. The hostesses'continue to tuko their turn each 'night, as also do the ladies in chargo of the coats, with vsry littlo alteration in tho list during the past year. The loyal and unselfish support extended by the General Committee, their regular attendance at meetings, the faithful desire to help in any emergency, have mado tho duties of the president and House Committee a pleasant and light one. The financial statement of the treasurer is ono to be proud of." The balance-sheet, (which is published in another column) presented by the Lon. treasurer (Mrs. H. Hall) showed an amount in hand, arid in tho bunk carried over from July 31, 1917, of i» ss. Gd., while the receipts for tho year just ended amounted to i:6S3 3s. lid., making a total of ,£1547 9s. sd. ../The expenditure for the year amounted to ,£ll6l 4s. 'Id., and thero is left in the Post Office Savings Bank an amount of .MM Gs. 3d., and in tho Bank of New Zealand JJ77 Bs. sd.

In speaking of the work for tho year, Mrs. Massey congratulated members upon tho good work which had been accomplished, and considered that tho record spoke well for the activities that; were carried on at the club. Votes of thanks were passed (o Mr. Vickery and' Miss Wright for then' valuable' assistance in .regard io tho book-keeping in connection with the club's accounts, to the Dance Committee for, their services, tho House Committee, the hostesses, and the secretary and treasurer. Accounts to Iho amount of ,£S3 gskwere passed for payment. . _

A recent acquisition lo tho club has been the purchase of- a new piano, which was subscribed for by yarious friends and well-wishers interested' in the matter of providing hospitality and entertainment for our soldiers. In addition to the subscriptions recently published, the following amounts have-since been received:—"W.N.U.-," .lohnsouville (Mrs. Belhune), .t2 25.; Khandallah Sewing Guild, .tl lis.; Mrs. W. Bothnnilev, XI Is.; Mr. J. I>. Luke, M.P., C.M.G., ,tl Is.; Mr. J. M. Geddis, £1 Is.; Mrs. W. Moorhouse, JCI; Mr. Clarke Johnston, ,tl; Mrs. J. Joseph, 10s.; Miss Barnett, as.; Mrs. AV. Young, XI Is.; Patriotic Guild, Lower Hutt, .£5. Donations received by Mr. James Macintosh (totalling .-C35 155.) are as follow:—General Henderson, £h; Mr. C. Haines, .£5; Mr. Waller Nathan, £1; Mr. E. W. Lowe, ,£1; Mrs. W". D. Stewart, £■>; Mr. H. Beauchamp, ■.£1; Mr. W. D. Hunt, JSj Mr. J. T.

Martin, .£1 Is.; Mr. W..G. Duthie, M asj-Coulls, Culling, and Co., Ltd. (further donation), M Its.; "Q.," i 9 95.: total, »CB9 15s. _ This amount entirely wipes out all liability for the piano, which is now a very desirable adjunct of the club. ,