OVERSEAS LEAGUE

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 25, 30 January 1930, Page 21

OVERSEAS LEAGUE

RECEPTION. TO MR. E. RICE

■ Mr. Erie Rice, traveling secretary for tb.e Overseas League, was the guest of honour at a reception held last night in the Conference Hall of the Dominion Farmers' Institute by local members of the league. Sir Alexander Roberts presided in the absence of Mr. S. E. Liimbert, chairman of the local committee, and welcomed Mr. Rice. Sir Alexander recalled that when in England he hsid received an invitation to lunch fnom Mr. Evelyn Wrench and had been sh.own over the clubhouse in London, meeting many people there from all over the Empire. He hoped members and intending members would one day be able to see this clubhouse for themselves. , Mr. Rice 'was also welcomed by Mr. W. E. Jack, who assured the visitor that he would find as much patriotism here as anywhere in the Empire. He hoped Mr. Rice's visit would increase the interest in the league. Greetings from the Navy League were extended by Mr. R. Darroch, who sfdd that the Navy League, like the Overseas League, was interested in drawing people all over the British Empire into a bond of brotherhood. The Overseas League was particularly keen cm inter-Empire trade, and at its last conference in England the Navy League lead urged its members to support this -principle. The Overseas League had 10,000 members throughout the world and they were all interested in upholding the traditions of the Empire, which ■were apt to be forgotten. Mr. Darroch urged that all should do everything possfible to support Great Britain, for if tine Home Land suffered the overseas lands muat suffer too.

. Mr. A. H. Miles added his welcome, mentioning the great kindness received through the league in England. ' Mr. Eice, in reply, thanked his hosts for the reception, given him. The league, he found, waß flourishing well iitt New Zealand, and he had found that tike Dominion was truly the most patriotic country he had visited. The league aimed to bo a sort of Empire friaemasonry for British people, not otyly within tha Empire, but in many foreign lands, and those who were members could feel they were not only doing something for themselves but holpii»g their fellow countrymen living in c*untries where they had little or no comfort. He instanced places like Mozambique, where there were only about, eight Britishers, who were all miembers of the league, also the most southernmost town in the world in Ptatagonia, where Britishers, descendants of early settlers, kept up the traditions of their homeland. The league hiad a fine clubhouse in London, and it ajlso had clubhouses in Edinburgh, Belfiast, Liverpool, Paris, and other cities. ' Mr. Eice thanked all those who had lielped him in his tour, and announced tfhat the Chief Justice, Sir Michael Blyers, had consented to become president of the local branch. He also thanked the secretary, Miss Murray. He had been able to enrol 70 members in Wellington, but it was the secretary who had to keep them enrolled. He paid a tribute to the 800 secretaries all over the world who were doing this •(Work. He referred to the league's eini,gration work, saying they had had some success, but they depended on tho local aommittees to help. He concluded by thanking all who had assisted him during his visit to Wellington. The hall was charmingly decorated with bowls of hydrangeas and gladioli. Supper was served and musical items .given by Mr. Nelson and Mrs. Meek, Mx. Rico being the accompanist. Among tjhose present were: like Mayor and Mayoress (Mr. and Mrs. G. A. Troup), Jtiady Myers, Mrs. G. Myers, Dr. and JMrs. Morice and the Misses Morico, Ijady Roberts, Mr. Birch, Mr. and Mrs. (iJorkill and Miss Corkill, Mrs. Haire, JfcTr. and Mrs. Nicholls, Mrs. Nelson, 'Mrs. S. Kirkcaldie, Mrs. H. Kirkcaldie, Mr. and Mrs. Gill, and Miss Vickerman.