WORKING URNS CLUBS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5838, 15 December 1879, Page 3

WORKING URNS CLUBS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE >T”W ' L.I.M) TIMES. Sir—ln the c : v • ' h,; Working Men’.-! Chib : Dili in tI find n.anv nAcrtione made to the .:- triim-nt of thn-» chi hi which are ami iloing C'Oo-1 w<>rk. ,'v 111 i of , ;;i fiOllM onlv he spoken of, in the icv-ncr imcli-liel, by those v.'ho knew no more of what thev w-re speaking of than the “man in the moon.” When I find a member of the Home speaking of Working Men’s Clubs ns “ little hells,” I can only conclude that the speaker must have so sunken without having taken the least trouble to ascertain that his assertions were found" ; on fact. Now, if the hon. member s t--et , il principles will allow him to visit the institution in Wellington of which I have the honor to he secretary—or, I venture to say, of any other bona fide Working Men’s Club—he will find u<> such habits, as those he imputes. Then let him get a copy of our rules, and he will find all .such practices as he speaks of forbidden, and I can assure him those rules are carried out to the letter. Again, it is said the police do not visit the clubs. Certainly not, in their official capacity, as the members consider I hem-elves quite as well able to maintain order as others of her Majesty’s subjects are in their own house. Now, as to the good we do. We promote literature, and also • food conduct and benaviur, and no one who habitually misconducts himself could remain a member of our club. Moreover, to any person who would pass an evening in our club, and then spun! an evening in, say, the most respectable public-house in the town (and I don’t mention this invidiously), I will warrant that the conduct of the club will be better and freer from bad influence than any public-house ever in existence. We have, moreover, through our club, a means of communication with all parrs of this colony, and increasing from town to town as respectable clubs are brought into existence, so that by passing our members from one club to another in the various places, they will on arrival find many of their own trade to give them advice jancl assistance. I grant that there are people who, being unsuccessful in obtaining licenses for public-houses, run them as working men’s clubs. There is such a house in Wellington, but that is an affair for the police, and in no way reflects upon bona fide clubs, any more than the fact that there are many sinners in the world reflects on the true character of the Christian Church. That any body of men would take advantage of the Bill just passed to obtain land is only childish, as any one who reads the Bill will see that it would be impossible to be worked in that way. There are many ways that clubs do good actively, and many ways that they prevent harm passively ; but I will not trespass on your space further. —I am, &c., Chas. Hbxdeet, Sec. W. M. Club. December 13.