NGAIO "DIGGERS"

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 135, 5 December 1938, Page 5

NGAIO "DIGGERS"

NEW CLUBROOMS

OFFICIAL OPENING

AFTERNOON "AT

HOME"

An excellent example of the spirit of self-helpfulness that animates returned soldiers wherever they band together was shown to the general public at Ngaio on Saturday afternoon when the new clubroom and social hall of the Ngaio auxiliary committee of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association was opened for use. The rooms were constructed for the use of members of the association in Ngaio, numbering approximately 180, and woud never have been built if it had not been for1 the willingness of the returned men to take their coats off and saw timber, drive nails, and use paint brushes. From outside, the building, which is within a few yards of the Ngaio Railway Station, does not appear large enough for the flourishing suburban auxiliary, but the interior is roomy as well as comfortable and pleasing. The main entrance is between cloakrooms, and .part of the entrance end has also been used for a well-equipped kitchen. The remainder of the building is an open hall with gabled roof, wide windows, and a,floor large enough for a good gathering of dancers. The main room has been iinea with wallboard painted with a pale green dado and cream upper walls and ceiling. Hanging lamps with orange-brown shakes, bracket lamps with green shapes, and gold curtains combine to give the room a pleasing and cosy appearance, and an up-to-date heating plant has been installed to provide an even temperature during the winter, wiring has been installed to provide lighting for a billiard table at some future date. Before the time appointed for the opening of the hall the seating accommodation was well filled by the wives and friends of the "Diggers'" and the social life of the new rooms was given a good "send-off." Visitors were present from the Eastbourne sub-branch. Ihe Kilbirnie, Khandallah, and Island Bay auxiliaries, and messages of good will were received from auxiliaries not represented. The N.Z.R.S.A. was represented by the assistant secretary, Mr. A. Gorton. Appropriate music was provided by j a piano-accordion and harmonica band from the Hutt Valley. VISITORS WELCOMED. The chairman of the auxiliary (Mr. A. L. Franks) presided and, after the National Anthem had been sung, wel-j corned members and visitors. Thej establishment of a permanent home for the returned soldiers of the district had not been undertaken without mature thought, Mr. Franks said. The returned men had given 90 per cent, of the labour required, and great assistance had been given by business houses. The Wellington R.S.A. had helped with a loan, and when that was repaid the rooms would be a splendid monument to its builders. The object of the R.S.A. was to help returned sol-j diers, and in giving help in Ngaio the auxiliary had received the support of the public. The president of the Wellington R.S.A. (Lieut.-Colonel A. Cowles, V.D.) said that it was important that returned soldiers should get together. They tried to help one another and at the same time they tried to help the public by supporting worthy objects. He congratulated the auxiliary on the building of the clubrooms and on the work done for returned soldiers in the suburb. The patron of the auxiliary (Mr. B. J. Lynneberg) said that the returned soldiers of Ngaio had been dreaming for some years, scheming for a time, and the clubrooms had appeared without an appeal for help to anyone. Why were all these clubrooms being built by returned soldiers? he asked. Were they necessary? Comradeship was absolutely necessary in the trenches and that was where the need of the clubroom began. That need was greater today than ever before because more and more returned soldiers were feeling the effects of war service and were in need of the comradeship of their mates. Mr. Lynneberg declared the clubrooms open for the use of Ngaio returned soldiers. On behalf of the executive committee, Mr. Franks presented Mr. Lynneberg with a memento of the occasion. ■ Mr. D. Gunn congratulated the Ngaio auxiliary on having secured a permanent "home" and conveyed the good wishes of the Kilbirnie auxiliary committee. He presented the Ngaio auxiliary with a New Zealand flag from his committee. Bouquets were presented to Mesdames Lynneberg, Cowles, and Franks by three small girls and then "mess orderlies" handed round afternoon tea and the. function concluded with a social hour. The executive committee of the auxiliary is Messrs. A. L. Franks (chairman), T. Lomas (vice-chairman), W. Phillips (secretary), L. Mills (treasurer), E. Wilson, J. Paul, S. Simpson, D. Clarke, and H. Johnson. This committee arranged for the building of the rooms and Messrs, Lomas, Paul, and Wilson acted as building committee while the construction was in progress. All members of the committee expressed appreciation of the way in which members of the auxiliary had come forward to help with the actual construction work.