NAVY LEAGUE

Evening Post, Issue 56, 7 March 1934, Page 15

NAVY LEAGUE

TOUR OF SCHOOLS "A meeting of. the executive of the Navy League was held at the league's offices yesterday afternoon. Apologies for absence "were received from Sir James Grose, Colonel N. S. Falla, Captain Hartman, Mr. R. W. Bothamley, Mr. Arthur Mack. Mr. A. Walker, and Mr. J. C. Crawford. Letters-read by the secretary included one from Archbishop Redwood thanking the league for the congratulations, it had tendered him on the occasion of his recent jubilee, arid also one from M. Armand Nihotte,- - Consul for Belgium, expressing thanks for a message of condolence in the death of King Albert which he' had received on behalf ,of the league. It was decided to write to Sir James Grose on' behalf of the ladies' auxiliary, conveying its congratulations to him on the honour he had recently received from H.M. the King., It-was gratifying for the. league to feel, that its president had .been thus honoured. Mr. Gordon Reid, late general manager for New.Zealand of the Commercial Insurance, company, was elected a -member of the executive. ''-.■-. After consultation with Mr. -\V.'"A. Armour, principal of Wellington College, it was agreed that the letterpress to accompany the photograph o£ Captain Taprell Dorling, D.5.0., F.R.Hist.S., R.N. ( Taffrail") on the school members' souvenir for this .year should be John Hoilond's first discourse on the Navy, written in 1638. ' '■ ' The secretary (Mr. R. Davroeh), reporting on his tour of schools in the Nelson district, said that by the kind oflace of the Nelson Education Board, he had visited the schools of the Nelson education district between Springrove aud Westport to speak on the aims and objects of the Navy League. He addressed the children and teachers on disarmament, the Navy, the merchant service, and interi/mpire trade, especially emphasising the necessity in the first place to buy New Zealand manufactured-goods, to enable our men to get back to work, and in the second place English manufactured' goods as a return for England buying our primary products. He specially drew the attention of the teachers and pupils to the serious position of the British merchant service, and exhorted them as a cardinal principle to support in every possible'way our own mercantile companies throughout the world. About twenty-one schools were visited, said Mr.-Darroch, the children and pupils being most interested • and enthusiastic. J. he gathering of. over 600 Children and teachers,at the Westport Primary School and their intense interest and enthusiasm was an experience never to be forgotten. Ihe thanks of the Wellington executive V/ re ™c t0 the- Hon- W- H- Mclntyre and if" Th°rnton. of the Education Board, W-1 jm _de aII tlle arrangements and provided the transport to make a well-arrang-ed tour. "It was a pity that many of our representative city folk cannot see the work being done by the teachers arid cm Wren in Some of those remote schools, and especially in the mining districts," Mr. Darroch remarked.' As a retired schoolmaster he observed them with the greatest admiration. They were performing a great service to New Zealand, and, mdeedj to the Empire.