YOUNG MEN'S CLUB.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 120, 12 May 1908, Page 4

YOUNG MEN'S CLUB.

FOR NEW PLYMOUTH I To the Editor. Sir,—l notice that there has been a deal of correspondence in your columns lately regarding the necessity for a ronng men's club Of an undenominational character in New Plymouth. There can tie but little doubt that <uch an institution is very much needed in this town, lint it won't be started by a lot of talk. It would have to be started on business lines. 1 would Suggest that all persons willing to actively assist in establishing a club ould send their names and addresses to

>u, sir. I, or someone else, could then "II a meeting of those who send : n their names and the busings cml i he

iorougbly discussed and put 011 ,i pru-|,-r basis. I enclose my own n.uir' ;"id address for the purpose nicnlimnd. -I am, etc., JOURNALIST.

[We shall l>e pleased to in this worthy object and help our correspondent bv receiving the names of young "entleman willing to assist in establishing such a cluli with the object of convening a meeting Should the prosj>eets of support seem sufficiently encouraging.—Ed. -'News."]

To the Editor. J Sir,—l have read with interest theletters which have appeared ill your paper relative to the cStal.lMiiuent of a young men's club. I waited, in the hope that someone with greater leisure than I possess would have taken the matter up, but up to the present nothing has been done. That something should be done can hardly be denied. I honor our Roman Catholic friends for what they are doing to meet the needs Of their jtnrng men, but the Roland Club of necessity must more or less be identified with the church under whose aegus it exists, and cannot, it seems to me, satisfy the general need. lam inclined to think that an institution 011 the lines of and connoted with iLt great world-wide Y.M.C.A. ought to be formed, but 1 am not wedded to this if anything more advantageous can be suggested It has been said that "a city's chief asset is its young men," and th'ic i# much truth in the words. This i,.'i ig so, I feel it to be somewliat of a r"proval that so little has been attemp -a for our young men by many of our Christian churches. I know somethiug of the difficulties to be overcome, vet am convinced that an united effort would succeed. If any of your corespondent* or any others interested care to talk the subject over I shall be «!ad if they will call, when perhaps we miy see our way to make some definite effort.—l am, etc.,

U E. IiKLLiUNuIiK. i'o tlie Editor. Kir,-For years just elloris iuve been "lade, but with uo tinting tucct-so, lu establish mutual improvement societies, literary and delating clubs, etc., in our rnuUt. Sow »-e are lu fcav e another try '« loriu a iiuiaud Club, to wJiieli ob Jtctioii* are made, Wik'ily ovviug to lis -uuiiu iiat sectarian uature. itowever, I'J' the admission to uiemlx'ishiij of all' shades and no shades of religious belie!, it may tenu to bring into closer ha»uiony our feUow men. i regret »enmuch tie nature of the club s syllabus, including, as it does, card-playing aud other amusements, and, may 1 venture to say, bordering on frivolity. Tlii> element will divert the energies of its members from titled to improve their mental faculties which ought to be the sole aim of the institution, lhe niiuds of too many of u 4 are not inclined towards high-thinking, and what '* "'anted is an entrance into the vari<>u> iields of knowledge by aid ol the the microscope, thereby showing the majestic movements of the heavenly bodies aud other helps to science. This would interest, instruct, and euoble the mind, which card-playing, Iwxing. cofl'ee "upper* and dancing in an atmosphere of tobacco smoke will never accomplish -1 aui, etc., lIOBEKT (JLE(it!.

The following letter on the above subject is from a Fitzroy resident"ln connection with correspondence nowgoing on and commenced by a young man who desires that a \oung Mens Club .should be formed licre, to be conducted similarly to a 1.M.C.A.. would you announce that an effort is being made to arousp some interest in this matter. We hope to call a meeting ol young men and interested at an early date to take action iii the matter. ' If 'Mr. I'enir and other /"ling men will combine to get the young men to attend meeting, .and it yeu will continue to exert the influence of your paper tu make this desirable movement a success, another progressive step in Xew Plymouth's history may be taken."