VICTORIA LEAGUE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 274, 18 November 1936, Page 13

VICTORIA LEAGUE.

ENJOYABLE AT HOME. MISS DRAYTON ENTERTAINED. The presentation of a carved Maori box inset with a medallion in greenstone and containing a greenstone paper knife was made to Miss Gertrude Drayton, general secretary of the Victoria League in London, at an At Home held in the Lyceum Club by the Victoria League last evening. The presentation was made on behalf of the members by the president of the league, Miss J. Mowbray, who expressed' the hope that Miss Drayton would carry away happy memories of New Zealand. ■.

After expressing lier gratitude to Miss Mowbray and the members for their cordial welcome and their gift, the guest of honour proceeded to give a comprehensive account of the functions of the league. She stressed the great interest the central executive in London took in the work being done by the organisations in the colonies and the Dominions. News of the activities of these branches was always listened to with interest during the earlier part of business meetings.

A special message of goodwill and interest was conveyed to tlie branch 'by Miss Drayton from the Dowager Countess of Jersey, wbo had been president of the parent body for more than 20 vears.

New Zealand's Heritage. The overseas branches, Miss Drayton continued, had it in their power to make immensely valuable contributions to the work of the league. Australia and New Zealand and such countries had, it seemed, a dual heritage. Added to the heritage of the traditions of the Mother Country with its respect for law and ordw and its zeal for liberty, they had the work of the pioneers, the story of their struggles and their wide vision for the future, a vision that was not yet too far' away from the present to have passed out of present personal knowledge. This was one of the things that had impressed her most when she attended the South Australian Centenary Celebrations.

The speaker also dealt in some detail with the aims "and purpose of the league. She mentioned that the league was sometimes thought of as a purely social organisation, but she pointed out that its main purpose was to bring people of the Empire into closer touch and a more thorough understanding of one another, and to open avenues through which this closer knowledge might be obtained, and social activities often provided opportunities for this. Work of Younger People.. Miss Drayton spoke of the great increase in the vitality of the league in recent years, and she considered this was partly due to the increased interest being taken in its work by the younger people. She believed they were realising that if their Empire were to continue there was a great deal of work for them to- do. As long as the younger branches also considered what Empire service they might render, the outlook for the future was hopeful. Prize winners in the league's competitions for scrapbooks and doll Sressing were announced, the winners being: Scrapbooks, P. Cruickshank, two firsts; special prize, D. Binns; doll dressing, woolly girl doll, K. Brown and' R. Paterson; baby doll, M. Bloomfield; best-dressed' doll, D. Browne; specials, M. Warren and I. McConnell; knitted duck, K. Langsford. The prizes were presented to the winners by Miss Drayton.

The lounge of the Lyceum Club had been artistically decorated for the function with early summer flowers, red and pink roses and sweet peas, and bouquets of spring flowers were also presented to Miss Drayjon on arrival, and to Miss Mowbray, who received the guests.

During the evening an enjoyable musical and dramatic programme arranged by Mfes Ela Hutchison and the Girls' Entertainment Committee, was presented. This included items by Mrs. H. Owere, Mrs. R. Reid and Misses M. and P. Cruickshank. A fantasy in one act, "The Maker of Dreams/' produced by Miss Doreen Saunders, was acted "by Misses Doreen Saunders, Roseanne Lovell and Margaret Parkinson, and a classical dance, arranged by Miss Daphne Knight, was also enjoyed. The hostesses were:—-Miss Mowbray, Mesdames Edger, J. B. Macfarlane, C. R. Keeble, L. S. Rickerby, Preston Chambers, Charlton, Garry, Dane Allen, C. Robinson, Heighway, King, Carr-Smith, H. Thomson, E. Williams, Skeates, Ward, Tattersfield, Stubbs, D. B. Slator, A. Sutton, B. Thompson, Eastgate; Misses Keesing and Gee.