NORTH OTAGO NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 22913, 22 March 1938, Page 5

NORTH OTAGO NOTES

RDTARY CLUB An interesting address on the work and workings of the League of Nations was given at the weekly luncheon of the Oamaru Rotary Club yesterday by the _ Rev. Mr Acheson, of Waimate. During a visit to Europe last September, Mr Acheson had the privilege of being appointed a temporary collaborator in the League secretariat, and so was able to see the working operations of the League from the inside. Saying that he did not pose as an expert on international Jaw or economics, and could give only his personal impressions, such as any person with two eyes could get, Mr Acheson first touched on New Zealand’s part in the League. He said this Dominion had a very high reputation at Geneva. New Zealand was playing a more leading part in world affairs than many peoplehere realised. Mr Duncan Hall, of Australia, told him that when, after the Abyssinian affair, the Assembly asked members for suggestions for reform of the League, by far the best reply came from New Zealand. It had shown a real grasp of the international situation, and was quite a remarkable document, coming from a Government that had recently taken office. It had shown that considerable study had been going on in New Zealand for its representatives to be so an fait with conditions. Mr W. J. Jordan’s position, with no previous Government experience, having to represent New Zealand on the Council, had been difficult, but he had quickly earned a reputation for sincerity and shrewd common sense. New Zealand also had a representative on the sub-committee set up to consider the separation of the Covenant from the Treaty of Versailles. This was Dr Campbell. One went to Geneva with high hopes, but when one got there one became depressed and rather pessimistic on poli-, tical questions, continued Mr Acheson. The causes of the League’s weakness on those questions were: (1) _ There had been a tendency to go outside the League to make agreements, such, for instance, as the Nyon Pact. The League had all the machinery to deal with disputes, and yet nations, which gave lip service 7 to it, went outside. This was a reversion to the old, pre-war power politics. (2) There was less friendliness atnong the delegates. A few years ago they met in a spirit of informal friendliness, hut now many were hedged about with armies of secretaries and detectives, and met only in a formal atmosphere. What the League needed was men of vision—not crystal gazers or visionaries, but prophets_ with a message for their own day, like Sir Robert Cecil, Dr Nansen, aha Dr Benes in the early days, and, in the speond generation; M. Briand, Dr Stresemann, and Mr Ramsay MacDonald. These had now been replaced by “ safe,” cautious men—bargainers rather than men of vision. They were too wrapped up in red tape. The change of secretaryship had also had its effect. Sir Eric Drummond was a man of vision, but his successor, M. Avenol, was a typical civil servant—all red tape. After him it might be for the better, with Mr Sean Lester, of Ireland, as secretary. _ The political side was not the only side of the League. There were the humanitarian, economic, and technical sides, on which the League had had very considerable successes. No other body had such . facilities, fot-j. the tackling of big 1 world problems. One of these was nutrition, a question first raised by Dr Ada Paterson, a New Zealander. Research in this matter was going to reorient our social, economic, and agricultural policies. The worker must have nutriment to maintain health, must have health to be efficient. ' Mr Acheson was convinced that the League had a great future, if the secretariat became animated with the spirit of service and high ideals. The world had become so small that yiere must be some centre of organisation—“ a clearing house for international doctrines,” as the secretary of the Abyssinian Legation had put it. So, even in its present , sick and sorry state, the League needed everyone’s support. Touching on the League broadcasts every Monday evening, Mr Acheson said Mr Duncan Hall, of the Secretariat of the League at Geneva, would welcome suggestions for their improvement and information as to their reception. On the motion of the Veu. Archdeacon Russell the speaker was accorded a very hearty vote of thanks. INQUEST. An inquiry into the sudden death of Marjorie Cleland, wife of W. Clelancl, on March 4. was held yesterday before Mr A. W. Woodward (coroner). Frances M'Kenzie gave evidence that, prior to Christinas, deceased had complained of pains in the chest, which she thought were due to indigestion. Ten minutes before her death she had been visiting witness, and had been quite bright. George C. M‘J£enzie and Constable M'Cormack also gave evidence,- and a verdict was returned that death was due to heart failure. HOCKEY. The annual report of the North Otago Ladies’ Hockey Association discloses that there were five teams in the A grade and five in the handicap competitions. Maheno are congratulated on having won the A grade, with Pirata runners-up, and Athletic the handicap winners. Fifteen teams competed at the .seven-a-side tournament, which, was won by Duntroon, with Stafford (Timaru) runners-up. Pirata won the B grade. Representative matches were played at Dunedin and Timaru, and the Town v. Country match was a successful fixtiire. Regret is expressed at the resignation of Messrs Wilon, Coker, and M'Donald, who had been keen workers. Thanks are expressed to all persons and public bodies who helped the association during the year. BEAUTY APPRECIATED. From tho secretary of, the South Islands Travel Association the town clerk (Mr J. Braithwaite) has received the following letter:—“l thought you would be interested to learn of the excellent effect produced on an Australian visitor recently by the Oamaru Public Gardens and the Wonderland statuary. In Dunedin ho obtained a copy of ‘ Discovery,’ and tho picture of the statuary decided him to spend half an hour on a visit to the gardens. His admiration of the gardens and the statuary was apparent, and he assured me that when he visits the South Island again, in 1939 or 1940, he proposes to make a stay in Oamaru, in consequence of what he saw in the short time he was there.” AN EXODUS. Fourteen people from North Otago have booked passages for Britain, the trips to he made in the early months of this rear PERSONAL. Mr L. V. Bryant, of the staff of the Waitaki Boys’, High School, has been awarded a Carnegie fellowship in education, tenable for a year, for postgraduate work at the Institute of Education, London.