A FOUR FIGURE CAMPAIGN

Hokitika Guardian, 5 June 1923, Page 1

A FOUR FIGURE CAMPAIGN

PROVIDING A SOLDIERS’ CLUB. At- the Town Hall on Saturday night during a benefit dance for the It.S.A. building fund in connection with the movement to provide a soldiers’ club and social hall, the President (Mr D. J- Evans) referred to a letter contri- ’ buted to a Greymouth paper by a Ho- | kitika. writer signing “Returned Soldier”. Mr Evans went on to say that the movement here was initiated at a ! large meeting of soldiers held in the Town Hull in December last when a sub-committee was set up to go into the building question. Offers of sections were publicly invited and the committee met in January and February to deal with the matter. Ultimately on March 29th., a general meeting of soldiers was convened at the County Chambers, when the position was fully explained, and it was resolved to purchase the Supreme Ilall and have the building, moved to the site opposite. which was on lease by Mr McIntosh, and which the High School Hoard was prepared to transfer to the soldiers on very satisfactory terms. Of the various other section sites offering, the Committee had found a difficulty in financing the project but with the Supreme Hall proposition, finance was possible. The .Supreme hall property which included the hall, the annexe at the rear, and the right to the lease of the valuable section opposite, was authorised to he bought oil terms; namely. £l5O cash, £IOO in November next, and a final £IOO in Miiy, 1924, £350 in all, without interest on the deferred payments. Mr Evans stated the price was considered a bargain, involving as it did a large building and the best site for the purpose in town. Air Mclntosh had since, stated if the soldiers were not satisfied with the position, he was prepared to give them £IOO, and take the property hack. Mr Evans concluded by saying there was no mystery about- the matter and nothing covered up. The meetings were all open to the soldiers and it was their own decision to procure the property. Personally lie felt a, good bargain had been made, and in a month or so they would have an enlarged hall, equal to the floor capacity of the Drill Hall, bringing in good revenue, and providing the neticletis of , the soldiers club which was so much

required. WHY A SOLDIERS’ CLUB? In a further .statement on the matter Mr Evans has said that the genosis of the Soldiers’ C'luh movement was at a public meeting of citizens at the Town Hall some three years or so ago, when the site adjoining the Dominion Hotel was under oiler. The citizens at that time agreed to the necessity for the club, but it was decided to defer action till the war memorial—the Cenotaph on Cass Square was provided for. When General Russell was here hist year, and ’waited on .Mr Evans to take the presidency of the local Club, lie (General Russell)) suggested that the matter of club rooms should he taken up, and Air Evans said that would he done when the Cenotaph was provided for. At the time of the unveiling of the Cenotaph in November last, Mr Evans mentioned at the social in the evening when General Young was being entertained in the Supreme Ilall, that before another anniversary of Armistice Day came round he hoped the local Soldiers’ Association would have a building of their own. It was in accordance with the hope expressed last November. that the public meeting of ex-soldiers was convened in the month following and the building project launched. “And having started the building scheme,’' said Mr Evans, “we will bold on to the end, and see the desire realised." The present work in hand consists ill adding 25 feet lo the already 51) feet of tile hall, with a side annex n'n the north, of 75 leet by 12 left. 'l'llis will give a very commodious social hall, and it-; earning power from the

outset premises to he very satisfactory. Tt will he opened in about a lnonlli’s time and can be used continuously from then oil. being independent i.| the Club rooms, le be erected in front, and which will lie an independent building contract. Very encouraging support is b "tig given to the project. Especially helpful is tlie aid from tile ladies’ committee 1 which has organised the twice monthly soldiers sale days and the weeklv euchre tournaments. Other events to augment the finances are pending, and the money is coming in "ueouragingly. There was a nest egg el L’2i>2 in the hank to begin with, the result of a bazaar held by the Oversea-- Club which strove all through its existence In do what it could in a practical way for the soldiers. That Club was very much missed, but in its place will he something very creditable indeed to the town and fill a long Iclt want. The newspaper eoire--pomlcnl wrote to the “Argus" that the purchase of the Supreme Hal! here was “a burning question ’. It is In be -Imped this is so. commented Air java ns as he said lie would like to see the people grow red hot with giving, fn that connection. Air Evans referred to the remarks attributed in last Friday night's cables to the ]’resident of the United States, wherein Mr Harding was credited with saying: “While the gratitude of the minim u expie-ed to-day to its soldiers the niesi genuinely felt, real gratitude consists of actions miller than words.”