Cossie Club old boy wades into scone debate

THE Golden Oldies battle to bring their baking back into the Masterton Cosmopolitan Club has won support from across the Tasman.
Kevin Ebert, who just missed out on being one of the original 100 club members and who helped bolster the club's funds for building extensions by donating his band's fees back to the club, said banning bring-a-plate functions for the old timers was a stepping stone to destroying the club.
Mr Ebert shifted to Australia 9 years ago and works for a chemical manufacturing firm in Brisbane.
He visits Masterton as often as he can and said he was deeply disappointed to learn that the kibosh had been put on the Golden Oldies dancing day afternoon teas.
Calling on the club's committee to overturn its ruling that there were to be no more self-catering functions Mr Ebert said it was "a pity" some committee members "don't or won't understand what some of the early members did to get the club going."
He said bands like The Confederates and The City Lights played for years for the Golden Oldies and at other functions free of charge, giving countless hours of enjoyment to members.
"The club was founded on free donations of time and money."
"My own band The Confederates donated our fees to the building fund, even though I was the only band member who belonged to the club, yet the others did so because it was the right thing to do."
With no legal restrictions on the club from allowing homemade scones, cakes and sandwiches from being eaten there, Mr Ebert said the committee should rescind the ruling.
"The Golden Oldies afternoon teas do no harm whatsoever."
"Let them bring the food back in and get on with it."
He said to suggest that "crook food" would be brought along by Golden Oldies cooks was a virtual insult.
"To many of them their scones are their pride and joy, they will keep the quality up don't worry."
Mr Ebert said in his Brisbane neighbourhood there happens to be a scattering of former Masterton people, including an ex staff member of the Cossie club.
They had followed the progress of the debate on the Wairarapa Times-Age website and all felt the same way about the snub to the Golden Oldies.
The oldies adjunct are having a meeting this weekend and are expecting club president Robert Thurston to attend and to speak to the group.