SOLDIERS' CLUB.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 August 1919, Page 8

SOLDIERS' CLUB.

QUESTION OF FUTURE MANAGEMENT. A special meeting of the New Plymouth U.S.A. was held last night tor the puipofe of dealing with the matter of the future management of Hie Soldiers" Club. There was a large attendance, over which the president, the Von. Archdeacon Evans, presided. Captain llartnell reported on the annual re-union of the club, and intimated that the president. (Archdeacon Evans) had asked to be allowed to pay the. .cost of the catering, and that the flags for the decoration of the rooms had been kindly lent by Mr. A. S. Hasell. Thanks was expressed to both for their generosity. Captain llartnell moved, and Mr. Davis seconded, the following resolution, which was carried unanimously: "That this general meeting of the R.S.A. feel that they cannot allow the present, opportunity to pass without extending to the public of New Plymouth their very grateful thanks for having so generously handed over to the association as a free gift the Soldiers' Club, together with the sum of £2SB: wo also wish to especially thank Mrs. Burgess and her band of women helpers for the services so willingly rendered, and to the New Plymouth Borough Council who for the past three years gave the soldiers the free use of' the club building, together with 1 ■ the lighting of the same. .Special reference was made by the chairman to the excellent services rendered in connection with the club by Mr. Davis, as secretary and treasurer, and on his motion, seconded by Mr. A. S. Allen, a vote of thanks to Mr. Davis was passed with enthusiastic acclama- * fcion. Captain MacDiarmid reported on the matter of handing over the club to the U.S.A., which took place on the ISth inst. Archdeacon Evans, in referring to the purpose of the meeting, which was to deal with the future policy of management of the club, intimated that through the exchange of properties that had taken place the building they were now in had passed 'into the hands of the New Plymouth Harbor Board, who were of a mind to let the building for offices, etc., and the club would have to look i'<>r. new premises at the end of the year. Do felt that the club was very essentia*!, and they would have to consider how to meet the need for new premises. The secretary pointed out that the position was at present that the association had to meet the Harbor Board at the end of the month to discuss the matter further. A discussion then took place on the matter of the future of the club. Capfain llartnell reported that the executive recommended 1 hat a committee he set up (say of live members), who would be entirely responsible to the executive for the management of the club. Mr. A. S. Allen asked whether the club was to be for all soldiers or simply for members of the R.S.A. Personally he thought it should be open to all soldiers, hut that the committee should reserve the right to restrict the membership, and he moved that the club be open to all soldiers. Mr. Hunter Booth opposed the idea, and thought that if the club was for R.S.A. members it would tend to encourage returned soldiers to join up n;ith the association. He felt that to open the club to all soldiers was making the door too wide. Mr. Allen explained that in suggesting all soldiers he meant under existing conditions. Further discussion was in the direction of limiting the club to members of the R.S.A., and eventually Mr. Allen withdrew his motion, and remarked that he had moved it in order to ge{ an expression of feeling. Mr. 'Baird drew attention to the necessity of all members wearing the association badge. He also said it wes time the association took steps to see that no one not entitled to was allowed to wear the badge. He did not know that it obtained much in this district, lint in, at any rate, one other district there were many men going about with badges without numbers, and it was quite impossible to identify them. He had recently seen a man in New Plymouth wearing a badge who had no right to. The secretary asked that if members knew of any such instances they would immediately communicate with him. so that he could endeavor to get the badges called in. He stated that it was impossible for anyone to get a badge from him without a number on. Subsequently it was unanimously decided to admit to the club only members of the R.S.A. It was then decided to accept the recommendation of the executive to appoint a committee of five to manage the , club and the following were appointed: Captain llartnell, Messrs A. S. Allen, S, Higgs, E. Jurv, and IT. Davis. Mr. W. Ellis was unanimously reappointed manager of the club, several _ of those present expressing warm appreciation of tho manner in which he had managed the club in the past. With the permission of the meeting Mr. Allen mentioned a matter in connection with the recent conference at Stratford in regard to permanently disabled men, in which he said it had appeared that a New Plymouth representative had voted in favor of grantinn a lump sum of money to men. Tie asked ie if the delegate was sent from (be y executive, and what instructions were le given as to his vote on the question. Captain Tlartuell explained that the executive had selected three men to go. f. They had also in some wav discussed what attitude should be taken up. The executive was of opinion Ilia) pension* should be nucrmented rather than, larce '■' sums of money should he voted to men. !' Mr Booth, who attended the conference, said he was under the impression .hat oven' permanently disabled ninn _ was to get a whack out of the £4(1.000 available. Thev found, however. Hint only a portion of that sum was available for the purpose, and that it was to be for men in necessitous circumstances only. He' was in favor of the men netting £1 a week. Mr. Allen pointed out that it was a question of priiieinle. The <>xeoulivo represented some rtOO members, and what went out from them should be adhered to, and no representative of the association should vote in opposition to the expressed opinion of the executive. It would have been better to have no official rem-escnlnlivo present than to have opinions expressed that did not reflect (he views of the officials/of the association. The discussion was then allowed to drop.