Y.M.C.A. WORK FOR SOLDIERS

Southland Times, Issue 24882, 23 October 1942, Page 2

Y.M.C.A. WORK FOR SOLDIERS

PATRIOTIC COUNCIL’S DISCUSSION The board of directors of the Y.M.C.A., Invercargill, is to be asked to send representatives to a conference with the executive of the Southland Provincial Patriotic Council for the purpose of discussing the question of the association’s expenditure on the provision of amenities for soldiers on leave at the association’s institution, Tay street. This decision was reached at a meeting of the patriotic executive yesterday morning when a request was received from the association . tor grant of £5OO from the patriotic fund to finance its work on behalf of so - diers on leave. . ~ . The Mayor, Mr A. Wachner,.said .he was fully in sympathy with the of the Y.M.C.A. on behalf of the soldiers, and he was grateful for what the association had done. At the same it was possible that some of the mo y which had been spent, or which it was proopsed to spend, might have devoted to the provision of a convalescent home for returned soldiers. He thought the matter should be discussed with representatives of t e as sociation. . — , X 7. In reply to a question from Mr D.. . Stalker, Mr H. C. Gimblett said that before incurring expenditure Y.M.C.A. had consulted the patriotic executive, though the cost of some o the work had been higher than was expected. CONFERENCE SUGGESTED

Captain W. Grieve said that the Union Jack Club in Christchurch had been opened practically free of debt. J-* l6 building had been given and the furnishings had been donated by various organizations and citizens. The Licensed Victuallers’ Association, for example, had furnished the library. Inlnvercargill there were not many soldiers in the early stages of the war, and when later it became necessary to provide for soldiers on leave they had to turn to the Y.M.C.A. The Y.M.C.A. had readily agreed to do the work. Improvements had been installed at the Y.M.C.A. which would be useful to the association in its normal activities after the war, and he thought there should be a conference with representatives of the association to decide how the cost of these was to be allocated. Mr P. L. Hodge said that the Y.M.C.A. was arranging to make an appeal to the public by means of a street day. It was hoped that in this way sufficient money would be obtained to meet the expenditure that the association had incurred in its work on behalf of the soldiers on leave, and thus relieve the patriotic fund of any cost.

Mr Gimblett said that an arrangement had been made whereby, after the war was over, the Y.M.C.A. should take over at valuation improvements and furnishings provided at its institution for the benefit of the soldiers. CONVALESCENT HOME

Referring to the subject of a convalescent home for soldiers, Mr Hodge said the Metropolitan Patriotic Committee thought that one in Southland was urgently needed and hoped that one would be established with the help of the Red Cross Society. Mr Gimblett: Is not that a matter for the Government? Captain Grieve: At a conference of patriotic councils early in the war it was laid down that the patriotic fund should not be used for the establishment of convalescent homes as that was considered to be the responsibility of the Government. Mr Hodge said there seemed to have been a change since, as Mr G. A. Hayden, secretary of the National Periotic Fund Board, had talked of establishing convalescent homes in various centres. . ~ .. On the motion of Mr Gimblett it was decided to forward a remit to the conference of provincial patriotic councils in Wellington on November 18 expressing the opinion that a convalescent home for soldiers was urgently needed in Southland and inquiring what provision was being made in this direction. , It was also decided to make a grant of £260 to the Y.M.C.A. to meet, expenditure already incurred in its work for soldiers on leave, and to suggest to the association that it should apply to the City Council for permission to hold its street day on November 20. Mr Stalker said that the Invercargill Traders’ Patriotic Assistance Committee would give the association every help in its appeal.