LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 57, 5 September 1934, Page 11

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

NEW ZEALAND UNION

ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Eleven branches are represented at the annual conference of the Now Zealand League of Nations Union, which opened today in ' Wellington. Tho Rev. F. H. Wilkinson presided, and in welcoming the delegates said that the past year had been a somewhat difficult one owing to the fact that the Dominion president (the Rev. Dr. J. Gibb) had boen in indifferent health. Ho was at present in Australia and had written a letter for the conference tendering his resignation. All would deeply regret a severance of Dr. Gibb's intimate relations with the union, of which he had been the founder and prime mover not only in Wellington, but throughout New Zealand. The year had been marked by unique progress in the Dominion, said Mr. Wilkinson. Statistics to hand showed that the membership had increased by about 500, indicating, he thought, that people were at last beginning to realise that the union stood for a new and better way of looking at international situations, and that New Zealand, although isolated geographically, must stand in with the rest of the civilised world in seeking some certain way to peace and cooperation for future progress. The annual report stated that while the immediate prospect for the League of Nations was not reassuring it was significant that there was a deeper interest in the work, of the League than for some time, and in New Zealand the union had in most places had considerable increases in membership and activity. There had been a growing examination into the question of war by university students and many other young people's organisations, and many more people were recognising that while the League might not yet be an ideal instrument for world peace, it was along the lines of League activity that the future progress of the world lay. Details were given of the many activities of the Dominion council during the year. It was reported that the question of a suitable school book to be used for the education of primary school pupils in tho work and objects of the League of Nations was now boing considered by the Dominion council and tho Carnegie Endowment Fund for International Peace would probably be approached for a substantial donation to enable the publication to be placed in all the primary schools of New Zealand. The question of propaganda in post-primary schools was also under consideration.