OVERSEAS CLUB

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 20, 24 January 1913, Page 3

OVERSEAS CLUB

— ADDRESS BY MR. EVELYN WRENCH A public meeting under v the auspices of tho Wellington branch of the Overseas Clvb /was held in the Sydney-street 'Schoolroom last night. There, v.a's a considerable number of people present, including a large proportion of women. Her Excellency the Countees of Liverpool attended, and was -presented by Mrs. W. C. Chatfield with a beautiful bouquet in honour of the occasion. In opening the proceeding* the Mayor (Mr. D. M'Laren) said he accepted- the invitation with the greatest dt pleasing, and sincerely hoped that the men and women* of New Zealand would be inspired with the high ideal that lay at the back of, the movement—the binding together of our people the world over. He hoped the result would be the establishment of a good, healthy, virile branch in Wellington, and that it would do valuable work in the future. He. suggested that the executive of the branch should at a later date meet him in hie room' at' the Town Hall and consider means for its improvement. (Applause.) Mr. Wrench" Heartily thanked his Worship for being present, and the gathering seconded his remarks by a round of applause. His Worship then left to attend the meeting of the City" Council, and the j chair was' taken by Sir E. O. Gibbc2>, president of the local branch. Mr. Wrench, 'in the course of his address, spoke to some extent on the lines of previous- speeches. He was, he said, pleased to ses. present representatives of tho Victoria League and the Navy Leaguej with which the Overseas Club was in close touch. In New Zealand ' he and ' Miss Wrench were learning * lot about- patriotism ; they had nothing to teach New Zealanders in that respect. Canada was the strongest centre of the club in the Empire, with about 30,000 members; there were about 20,000 in Australia, and 15,000 in New Zealand, ■and the total membership was ' 103,000-— and the club had only btjen started two and a half years. There were members wherever the -British flag flew, in the remotest parts of the world, including a lighthousekeeper at Weihaewai, and another in the -north of Madagascar. The fundamental reason of its -success was that it' was absolutely non-party and democratic j its underlying idea was that of i service. They did not. want anyone to . join for what he could get out of it. The' four primary objects of tho club were': — (1) To help one another. (2)^To render, individual. service to our Empire, and if needs- be to bear arms. (3) To urge the vital necessity to the British Empire and British supremacy on the, seas. (4), To draw together in the bonds of, comradeship the neoples now resident .-under* the British flag. Their creed was : "Believing the British Empire to stand for order and justice and good/government, we, as- citizens of the greatest Empire' in the world, pledge ourselves to maintain the heritage handed down to us by our fathers." Their desire waa^to provide a channel of Imperial information in every , town, village, and hamlet in .the world where there are British citizens,' and he believed that, in .-New Zealand the club could do, a, great deal toward* making the Dominion better • known in • other parts of the world, . because New Zealand was very poorly advertised in the Old Country. Every branch was expected to celebrate. Empire Day, more. particularly by. urging the great, responsibility entailed by»the.fact,of being a British citizen. Another -> proposal ■ ih regard to Empire Day , was -that a bonfire, as an outward sign of Imperial unity, should be lit at all the outstanding parts of the Empire. That, idea was being taken up in New Zealand, and they anticipated having' a chain of bonfires .from the North Cape to Bluff.- (Applause.) In conclusion, he - referred to the question of the. Imperial future, -principally in connection with, naval defence, and in this connection he 'said he was in Canada at the time of the gift by New Zealand of • a Dreadnought, and he ■ saw for himself what a profound effect that had on public opinion. (Applause.) ' . Miss "Wrench also" addressed the meeting. t In the course of . an interesting address she referred to the invaluable . work that women can do in , educating the children up to a high ideal- of patriotism, and giving them a true conception, of good • citizenship. -They hoped, she added, to found a headquarters in London, - where members would find a welcome on arriving there from overseas, and. in, 1916"— Shakespeare's tercentenary — they -hoped to have a gigan-. tic home-coming from all over the Empire. (Applause.) A vote of thanks to Miss Wrench and Mr. Wrench (proposed by Captain Barclay, secretary of the local branch) was carried by acclamation. A vote of thanks to Her Excellency, for being present, 'was proposed by Mr. Wrench, and heartily accorded. < In reply, Her Excellency said it had been a great .pleasure- to be present. She thought what they heard that night would encourage them to go on and make a great success of it here. (Applause.) The proceedings closed with the singing of M God Save the King.' 1 /