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FEATURE<br />
Have you heard about....<br />
The WAIKATO COMMERCE CLUB<br />
197 COLLINGWOOD STREET, <strong>HAMILTON</strong>. PHONE: 839 0501 www.waikatocommerceclub.co.nz<br />
- A HIDDEN GEM IN THE HEART OF THE CITY -<br />
BAR/BISTRO/POKIES/POOL TABLES AND…<br />
MORE CAR PARKS THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE!<br />
OUR REMARKABLE HISTORY<br />
In 1866 a small group of commercial travellers in Adelaide, South<br />
Australia, joined together to redress for grievances that they had about the<br />
state of roads and hotel accommodation - they became the ‘Commercial<br />
Travellers Association’. The group’s efforts were apparently successful,<br />
they disbanded in early 1873, and accumulated funds were donated to<br />
the Adelaide Benevolent and Strangers Association. The group reformed<br />
the following year (1874) and became the “South Australian Commercial<br />
Travellers and Warehousemen’s Association’. That was the genesis of today’s<br />
“Commercial Travellers’ or ‘Commerce’ Clubs, many of which still exist<br />
throughout Australia and New Zealand. The first NZ Commercial Travellers<br />
and Warehousemen’s Club (CTWC) was established in Dunedin, opening in<br />
1885. In 1937 the Hamilton ‘Commercial Travellers and Warehousemen’s<br />
Club’ was formed. At that time the Hamilton CTWC was just a branch of<br />
the Auckland CTW Club. WWII saw the club close in 1940, reopening in<br />
1947 after the war ended. The Hamilton CTWC moved to its new premises<br />
in Collingwood Street in 1960 and extended those premises significantly in<br />
1972. The Hamilton CTWC changed its name to the ‘Waikato Commerce<br />
Club’ in 1991, and retains that name today.<br />
YOU’RE CELEBRATION FUNCTION.<br />
The Waikato Commerce Club held function on the 30th of April to celebrate<br />
25 years since our name change. With local band ‘Whos Asking’ providing<br />
musical entertainment for the night, there were raffles, prize draws and<br />
giveaways – plus an evening ‘gold coin donation’ barbecue.<br />
MEMBERSHIP<br />
If you’re not a Member of the Waikato Commerce Cub – what’s stopping<br />
you? Membership is only $30 per annum and it entitles you to use our<br />
facilities (and use of our meeting rooms is free to our Members) and to join<br />
our Sports groups. With some of the best prices in town available over our<br />
bar, and a fantastic bistro that you can even bring the whole family along to,<br />
we’d love to welcome you to the Club!<br />
WEDNESDAY NIGHTS<br />
Members Draw – Every Wednesday night around 7 p.m. one of our<br />
Members membership numbers is drawn. If that Member is present, they will<br />
take home the jackpot. Starting at $500 and jackpotting by $100 every week<br />
that it’s not claimed, our pool stands at $1300 this coming Wednesday the<br />
20th of April.<br />
If the jackpot reaches $1800 it MUST be won (we keep drawing numbers<br />
until we draw that of a lucky Member who is present that night)!<br />
There is also a cash prize for the Member with the number ‘closest to’ the<br />
number initially drawn.<br />
SPORTS GROUPS<br />
The Club supports our Sports Groups; Golf, Snooker, Pool, Petanque,<br />
Fishing, and Bowls. These groups play socially and also represent the Waikato<br />
Commerce Club in Tournaments, playing against other NZ ‘CT/Commerce’<br />
Clubs.<br />
Each of these groups hold raffles on various Wednesday nights, the<br />
proceeds of which go toward the travel required to attend some of the<br />
‘away’ competitions. They are always looking for new members, so keep that<br />
in mind if you’re involved in one of these sports and want to join our teams.<br />
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS<br />
Waikato Commerce Club is keen to hear from anyone wishing to set up a<br />
new group, whether it be dancing, bridge, chess, cards, travel etc. If you’re<br />
thinking of becoming a Member and you have a special interest, we’d be<br />
happy to help you initiate a ‘group’ and get other Members involved.<br />
A recent initiative has been to get a ‘business network’ going, where<br />
our Members can promote their businesses as ‘preferred suppliers’ to our<br />
Members, and at times offer exclusive deals to Members. It’s worth noting<br />
that we offer plenty of free publicity to any business that becomes involved<br />
in our Members Business Network.<br />
WHY DON’T YOU COME ALONG AND CHECK US<br />
OUT.. WE’D LOVE TO SEE YOU AT THE CLUB!<br />
Alwyn Graves who has been a member of the Commerce Club for the past<br />
50 years is still a regular at the Club these days, but few who see him there<br />
know of his interesting history of involvement with the Club. Alwyn was Club<br />
President from 1972 to 1975 and again from1992 to 1994.<br />
Alwyn recalls:<br />
The Hamilton Commerce Club (The Waikato Commercial Travellers and