RETURNED SOLDIERS' CLUBHOUSE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 253, 20 July 1920, Page 5

RETURNED SOLDIERS' CLUBHOUSE

FUTURE ADMINISTRATION , IN HANDS OF LOCAL R.S.A Subject to a confirmatory resolution to be passed in a month's time, the functions of tho Wellington Returned Soldiers' Clubhouse Societv have come to an end, and the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association will tako :ver tho assets and liabilities of tho club. A meeting to. voluntarily wind up the society was held in the clubhlonso last night, and was presided over by Mr J. P. Maxwell. Air. Maxwell said it was thought that in view of the fact that tho inon had returned from tho front, it would now bo fitting to hand over the functions of the Clubhouso Society to the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association, tho committee of which wits agreeable to take over tho assets and liabilities of tho society. The.Clubhou.se Society was started about the beginning of September, 1916, tho original committee being composed as fallows:—Civilian members, Messrs. A. Gray, K.C., E. D. Bell, C. R. Smith, James Macintosh, J. A, Simpson, Philip J. Nathan. Returned Soldier members: Captain Donald Simson, Major M'Killop, Messrs. Loftus, Broad, J. D. Harper, and Mansfield. Of these gentlemen, Messrs. Gray, Bell, and Harper were the only remaining members cf the comiAittee. Throughout its career the society had worked in perfect unanimity with tho R.S.A.- (Applause.) They had passed through strenuous'times, and Mr. E. D. Bell had been a pillar of strength to the organisation. (Applause.) Great help had also been given by Messrs. J. I. Fox and Harper. It was not possible to express in terms of money values the assistance that had been given to the society and in establishing the present clubhouse. At least ~£12,1)00 had been expended on the place, but there had ■been many donations in tho way of gifts of food and furnishings. There had been some heavy items in the way of expenditure. The success erf the institution was due to the Jiherality of the public. ~When the balance-sheet was available about the end of next month, he believed that there would be about .41800 to hand over for the purpose of carrying on the club. It was a matter for pride to have been associated with the work of the society. At any rate, the civilians had a duty to perform to the men who had fought for them, and who would no.doubt be prepared to fight again. (Hear, hear.) The ladies had performed some especially good work, particularly Miss Stevens and Mrs. De Castro. (Applause.) Mr. Maxwell said that both ladies were deserving of the heartiest thanks for what, they had done. He moved a formal resolution that the society be wound up, and that the assets and liabilities be handed over to.the W.R.S.A.

Mr. W. Simm seconded the motion. He Temarked that although the wording of the motion suggested ; that the society was to 'be wound up, the actual fact was that there would simply bo a transference of the activities of the society from the combined civilian and returned soldier committee to the Returned Soldiers' Association. Should help be needed at any time, the committeo of the association need have iio hesitation in looting to the old civilian members of the committee. (Applause.) Messrs. Fox, W. G. Cullender, and W. Hardham, V.C., had performed excellent service as managers of the clubhouse, Air.- Fox hav-

ing done a great deal of the spadework. (Applause.) One member who had done a great deal for the clubhouse was the late Mr. Hamilton Gilmer, and the speaker trusted that he had now reaped his reward. (Applause.) Returned Soldiers' Thanks. , Mr. W. Perry, president of t,he W.R.S.A., said it was only proper that the returned soldiers should extend their thanks to the members of ihe Clubhouso Society for what they had dome. '(Applause.) Had it not been for tho Clubhouse Society, it .'was-possible that the W.R.S.A. would have gone out of existence. Those who, by force of circumstances, had to remain behind during the war, had "done their bit" by exhibiting a cheerful spirit and so helping to bring the war to a successful conclusion. So far as the winning of tho war was concerned, the women had been the backbone of tho nation. There had been tho anxious time in watching and waiting for news of their loved ones. The R.S.A. was being continued for the purpose of doing good for the returned soldiers, and to let the public know thatonly recently there had been a war on. There was one section of the public, who would never forget the returned soldiers —the people who had spent so much time and energy in promoting tho success of the Clubhouse Society. (Hear, hear.)

Mr. J. D. Harper supported Mr. Perry in testifying- to the good work that had been done by tho civilian members, of the Clubhouse Society Committee. Hundreds of people had helped the siciety, mid the work done by Mrs. De Castro in welcoming returned soldiers was wonderful. A gentleman who liad given in-, valuable aid to the society, often by way of liberal donations, was Jfr. A. P. Whatman, of Masterton. (Applause.) Mr. ?,. D. Bell had been an outstanding figure in connection with Hie sceicty. and the late Messrs. .Tam;s Macintosh and C. I?. Smith had done :<n enormoiw amount of splendid work. The future of the club depended on the returned men themselves, and Mr. Harrier appealed to them to continue- the-club's successful career. Perpetuating Past Memories. Mr. J. I. Fox said that when the organisation got under way a sum of ZSOO was needed to pay oif some initial liabilities, and a cheque for that aniount bad been g'enerously given by a certain gentleman. (Applause.) When the returned soldiers movement was ■ started there were some misgivings on the part of the public as to what would be the outcome of the project, but they knew to-day that tho returned soldiers vere to be trusted. Tho'spencer eMimoted fiiat some 50,000 returned soldiers had made uso of tuo •lubhouw, which h?d really been the birthplace of t.ho HtEjR.S.A. Tho funds that were being handed over to the 11.5.A. would be tsed in carrying on tho objects for which tho £ub was started. With the nucleus of what was being given lo them the W.R.S.A. intended to continue an institution that wmil dbe of value to the returned men and would serve as a place in which, to perpetuate tho nen.ories of tho part. The institution could bo run on the lines of tho iN'ational Spotting Club in Lou lon. and in it the vanons sports, bodies could locato their offices. Mr. Fox said that had it not been for the. civilian members of the Clubhouse Society Committee- he would not' have been able to carry on his duties a3 the first, mriager of the club, and he wished to thank them for the noble work they had done. (Applause.) Mr. Marcus Marks said it was impossible for the civilian members to express sufficiently the great amount of good that had been done for the society by Messrs. B. D. Bell and A. Gray, K.C. One of the hardest tasks at the outset had been to convince the public of tho necessity for supporting the institution. Ho would always bo proud of his association with tho club and wculd always bo willing to lend assistance- in forwnruing its interests. The returned soldiers who had served an the committee of the society had shown iJvtnt ability ■and had "dono tho B.S.A. proud." Ho wished tho club every success and trusted that it would bo a permanent ii-eti-tution. (Applause.) Colonel J. G. Hughes, D.5.0., seid he was certain fchrtt tho civilian members of the committee had been the of making the society a success, and without thom tho E.S.A. would not have been able to "carry on."

The resolution was carried unanimously, and will be submitted for confirma-tion-to another meeting a month hence.