LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Evening Star, Issue 21091, 2 May 1932, Page 13

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

OTAGO BRANCH'S ACTIVITIES The annual report of the Otago branch of the League of Nations Union, to bo presented at the annual meetingnext Tuesday, deals with the activities of the past year, and states;— The branch desires to take this opportunity to make an urgent appeal for greater support from the public. In every family at least one member should belong to the League of Nations Union. For it is by the membership roll of this and similar societies that the New Zealand Government can best estimate the extent of public support, on which it can rely, in the greatest and most special task of the twentieth century. The supreme task facing all Governments is to substitute international morality for the narrower national morality of the last century, and to promote the growth of unity and fellowship throughout the world. It is a matter for congratulation that the Hon. W. Downio Stewart, M.i’., consented to become a vice-president ot the Otago branch, and in him we have very active support of the League of Nations in the Cabinet. Tliq total membership is 659 members, consisting of 114 guinea members, 321 live shilling members, 224 one shilling members. The following bodies are affiliated as “corporate” members: —Fifteen educational organisations, six industrial unions, live women’s societies, three Bible classes, two one church, one medical clinic. The Chamber of Commerce and the -Rotary Club are represented on the executive. There are in addition to the Dunedin centre, throe sub-branches —Gore, Fort Chalmers, and Roxburgh. Four small groups have unfortunately gone out of existence. Reference must be made to the excellent work among young people by the various members of the council. In the Otago Boys’ High a: d John M'Glashan College and in the four secondary schools for girls. Though all of these have not formed junior branches, yet the same work goes on ? but with varying methods of expression. One of the most original was the presentation of a wedding breakfast, enacted by the girls to celebrate the union of Miss Geneva Covenant and Mr Kellogg Pact. (It was definitely expected that the 1931 Assembly would affect harmony of undertaking in these two agreements.) Perhaps because New Zealand is geographically isolated we are the recipients of a number of foreign publications ; mercifully the majority are in the English language, but the French, German, and Russian are in their respective tongues. We are under deep obligation to the Information Section of the League of Nations secretariat and to the International Labour Organisation for a full service of verbatim reports and reviews, including a most valuable series of studies and reports on industrial research. A French bimonthly magazine: a quantity of propaganda pamphlets from Japan and China; a hook on the Hungarian grievances; much and varied literature from U.S.A. and Australia, with an occasional Russian newspaper. There is the jnonthly supply of pamphlets and leaf-

lets from the British Union, and every month 175 copies of ‘ Headway ’ are distributed to in the city. From Tokio came an invitation to send exhibits to an educational exhibition and leaflets were received from the Japanese Economic Federation. Energetic action has been devoted to securing signatures to the declaration in support of international disarmament. Forms obtained from Auckland were distributed throughout Otago and Southland; some were returned direct to Auckland, but 1,600 names went from this office. At the special request of the executive Dr Merrington circulated forms to the Presbyterian churches in the whole dominion, and through this source a further 2;550 went from Otago and Southland, with another 460 from the Roman Catholic community. New Zealand sent 40,000 names to be included in the 8,000,000 that formed the petition from the British Empire presented to the Disarmament Conference in the session at Geneva, 1932. It is a matter for deep regret that the assembling of the Disarmament Conference coincided with tho grave imbroglio between the Chinese and Japanese in the Far East, which seemed to threaten at one stage to jeopardise the whole conferncco. In view of all circumstances it is a cause for thankfulness that some measure of success was achieved, and tho prospects when the conference is resumed appear quite hopeful, In tho latter part of 1930 the need for funds was very urgent. The secretary, with the, aid of Miss MTntyre, spent some months exploring every possibility by which to raise the needed money, though not till March. 1931, was any definite plan evolved. Then a small committee was appointed to consider tho project of staging a model of the League of Nations Assembly. Tho following September, after nine mouths’ strenuous organisation, tho ‘ Assembly ’ was produced at His Majesty’s Theatre, under tho able stage management of Mr Lloyd Ross, M.A., LL.B., and presented to a full house. Wo desire to_ acknowledge tho valuable co-operation of some members of the following societies who helped to enliven tho performance from the auditorium: —The Home Science Department, tho W.K.A., tho Y.M.C.A., the Y.W.C.A. and Bible Class members. Tho lady principals of the girls’ secondary schools and the Head Masters’ Association contributed their share to tho success of tho evening.