NAVY LEAGUE

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 20, 24 July 1934, Page 7

NAVY LEAGUE

WELLINGTON BRANCH

"NO MORE WAR" ADVOCATES

"LITTLE GROUPS OF CRANKS"

There was a large attendance at the annual meeting of tho Wellington Navy League at Gamble and Creed's rooms, Lambton Quay, last evening. The Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop) presided. The general meeting was preceded by , the annual meeting of tho junior , branch. Tho reports and balancesheets of both branches have been published. An address was delivered by Mr. J. B. Callan, K.C., which i's published under separate headings. ' In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, the Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop), who is 'a vice-presi-dent of the "league, remarked that the statement of accounts disclosed a very healthy state of affairs. Tho league had in its coffers a sum of £800. Mr. Hislop paid a tributo to Mr. B. Darr'och, secretary, for the work ho had done for some twenty years in delivering addresses on the British Navy to schoolchildren. Tho Mayor added that ho believed thcro had been some passing objection taken by some people tothese lectures. For the life of him, said Mr. Hislop, he could not sco any valid objection that could bo takcu to 'the lectures, for they simply outlined the story of the development of our overseas Empire, the growth of our trade, and the part tho Navy had played in that great work. Those lectures helped the schoolmaster in inculcating tho story of our' national development. . Why should we be afraid to tell the children of • the achievements of our ancestors and people? Ho then referred to thoso who walked about prating about "no more war," those- who favoured complete disarmament, and those who said they would not fight, that they would never go to - vvar, but would always give way. He thought the people generally would not listen to people of that type. ' A REQUEST TOR AUGUST 4. The Mayor said that ho listened the other day to some half-dozen, people who called, themselces representatives of the "No More War League." In reply to' a question, they said they represented' some 27 different organisations. Ho presumed they were .small bodies, ( some of them very small bodies. They suggested that they should be allowed to assemble at the Post Office on August 4—tho anniversary of the outbreak of "the Great War—then march to the War Memorial and there make speeches. Mr. Hislop said he pointed o ; ut. to them that the War Memorial was not" a placo for the expression of individual or party views. The War Memorial was-a place for homage and reverence. TKey subsequently wrote asking-permission to speak at the • triangle opposite the Government Buildings or on some adjacent space. He had not replied to that request, but he thought the obvious reply would be that the duties of citizens generally made them desirous to bo able ■to move, about in connection with■ their duties and not be interfered with by 1 bodies of people ventilating their . own private .views. (Applause.) Although that had nothing to do with tho present meeting, he mentioned it because on reading the resolutions carried by certain bodies, some people might be led to suppose that such resolutions were adopted by considerable numbers of "people. "Although in one sense wo were all in 'favour of no more war, said Mr. Hislop, we were not therefore in favour of no more war at any price; • and; he did not believe that these ■ little groups of "cranks" wore going to interfere with tho activities of the Navy League and similar bodies. The report of the Ladies' Auxiliary •vas read by Mrs. Marshall. The following; officers were elected for the coming year:—President, Sir James Grosejvice-presidents, the Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop), the Et: Hon. G. W. Forbes, the Et. Hon. J. G. Coates, Mrs. J. P. Firth, Mrs. James Findlay, Mrs. J. Darling, Sir Thomas Wilford, K.C., Sir James Parr, Sir Alexander Roberts, Mr. E. F. Hemingway, Mr.1 C. J. B. Norwood, the Hon. W. Perry, M.L.C., Mr. G. Shirtdliffe, Mr. C. Strouts, Mr. G. A. Troup, tho Hon. J. G. Cobbe; executive committee, Sir James Grose, Colonel E. St. J. Becro. Captain W. Hartmann, LieutenamCommander B. H. Carter, the Hon. W. Perry, Dr. G. E..V. Anson, Messrs. J. C. Crawford, A. Walker, F. H. Irwin, A. Mack, S. Sawell, E. W. Bothamley, A..H. Hollis, K. D. Duncan, C. H. Mitchell, B. A. Moore, Gordon Reid, W. H. Nankervis, Dr. H. Graham Eobertson; honorary treasurer, Mr. F. H; Irwin; honorary auditor, Mr. J. L. Arcus. A pianoforte solo was contributed by Miss Eileen Dennehy, A.T.C.L.,. songs by' Mrs. Moikle, Mr. Stuart Nelson, and Miss Mary MeKeowan, and a sketch, "They're None of Them Perfect," by Misses Bevan, Brian, • Ci'amond, Kendall, Menard, Thomson, and Wilcocks. Supper was provided.