NEW SOLDIERS' CLUB AT TRENTHAM.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 May 1917, Page 5

NEW SOLDIERS' CLUB AT TRENTHAM.

THE OPENING CEREMONY. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, 'Last Night. The Minister of Defence to-day opened a new Soldiers' Club at Trentha.ni, the funds for which have been provided by the Government, the Y.'M.C.A., and the public all over the Dominion. Sir Jas. AJlen, in the course'of his speech, said the club was originated fcy the Y.M.C.A. offering £looo'to establish it. The Government backed this with another ',-CKIOO, and the Mayor of Wellington then offered to (find £SOO if tTTe Government found £SOO, and the bargain was struck. The question of furnishing and equipping remained, and again the Mayor came to the rescue. The control and management would be in the hands of tho camp commandant, assisted by a military committee selected by the commandant. In view of what tilio Y.M.C.A. had done, and as they now offered to bear the whole of the running expenses, he agreed that they should recommend to the commandant a secretary who would assist him in tho jnan-1 agement of the club, which wou.'d be 11011 -denominational, A deputation from the Trentham Soldiers' Club Furnishing Committee waited op Sir, James Allen this afternoon. The Spokesman said t'hey had learnt with surprise and disappointment that the cjub was to be handed over to the j Y.M.C.A. Sir James Allen's reply was similar; to the terms of his speech at the opening ceremony. ''