New Servicemen's

Club For Rabaul

Prom a Special Correspondent BEHIND the hasty building and open ing of the Returned Servicemen’s Club in Rabaul, New Guinea, lies one of the more heartening achievements of post-war New Guinea. In June, 1949, it was only an idea, to-day the club en joys a phenomenal popularity with 300 ex-servicemen and their guests.

In May, 1949, a handful of returned soldiers, including Messrs. John Gilmour, Snr., and Jnr., Jim White and Phil Chap man, got together and discussed the pos sibilities of building and opening a club

in Rabaul. A general meeting was con vened and an interim committee was ap pointed. This committee boasted, to the amusement of many, that they would open the Rabaul club in six months. At that stage they had a deficit of £l6O and 23 members. But those few members stood firmly behind their committee (Messrs. Phil Chapman, secretary; Wally Smythe, president; and John Whippey, treasurer). A Melbourne Cup sweep, a private dance, a concert, loans and finan cial gifts at least weighted the bottom of the club’s money bag, and building started.

But in New Guinea the starting of a building does not necessarily, mean the finishing of it. There were set-backs, until Mr. Harry Read, an aspiring Rabaul

contractor, undertook to complete the task with the six months period allowed finishing considerably faster than the building itself the committee and mem bers worked strenuously to fulfil the terms of their boast. Hammers and nails, paints and brushes became their play things and on December 23, 1949, six days ahead of schedule, the Returned Ser

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The New Club

QPQ?iH o Scfr complete with sealed bar and liqu°r licence. hpr^hir? 6 0W th< r rt l em " bersmp. Whereas 23 saw the start of the project, 250 were on the books on da y- T* lls as now rise* l to 300.

KE tremendous success of the present Rabaul club is due, in great part, to the untiring efforts of Mr. Phil Chapman. He is locally believed to be the most spirited secretary of any subbranch m Australia, and works day and night in the interests of his members. It

is felt that under his careful guidance the club must go from one success to an other.

Trading figures of the club are interesting. For the first five weeks of its active life the bar turnover was £1,300. Now, with the first novelty giving way to steady routine, the monthly turnover is about £l,lOO.

At the last general meeting of the RSS&AILA, January 25, 1950, reference was made to the club and its activities.

As a mark of sincere appreciation of the

services rendered by the secretary, the members present unanimously supported a motion that he be recommended to the Federal Executive for life membership of the League.

AT the general meeting, the existing committee was returned unopposed, and two new members were elected.

The present committee comprises: E. V.

Smythe, president; D. Jones and H. Read, vice-presidents; P. J, Chapman, secretary; A. Barry, asst, secretary; J. Whippey, treasurer; R. Williams. assistant treasurer; Dr. Clive James, P. McKenzie, W. Dupe, M. Foley, M. Munro, M. Duff and Mrs. B. Hides.