LOVE OF EMPIRE

Evening Star, Issue 23525, 14 March 1940, Page 6

LOVE OF EMPIRE

PART PLAYED BY VICTORIA LEAGUE COUNTER TO DISINTEGRATION CARRYING ON IN WAR “ This is an organisation that stands for all that is noblest and best in the British Empire, and in these days of so much dissatisfaction and danger of disintegrating forces—even in our own country—it is necessary that organisations such as this should be encouraged and supported by all right-thinking people, )} said the mayor (Mr A, H. Allen), who presided over the annual meetinrr of the Victoria League, Otago Brancir (Inc.), yesterday afternoon. ANNUAL REPORT. The annual report stated The membership total is 871, % including 39 life members. The Victoria League is reproM'H'" 1 on the Provincial Patriotic Council the president, Mrs E. C. lleynoh. .ho, with Mrs Gerald Fitzgerald, cuainvoman of the Young Contingent, is also a member of the Mayoress’s Sub-committee. This latter committee has undertaken the organisation of a Services Welcome Club for the use of members of the Air Force and other services when on leave, and the different societies represented on the committee take their turn in entertaining. On Empire Day a wreath was placed on Queen Victoria’s statue, and an “at home was, given in the afternoon by the president and executive. The league’s mam activity—the Book Club—which provides reading matter for dwellers in isolated districts, lighthouses, public Works camps, and latterly has contributed to military camps and the Services Welcome Club, has had a busy year. Prizes awarded by the league for the speaking of English competition, held at. the University of Otago and judged by Profes'sor H. Ramsay, wero won by Miss Anne Pollock nrst ; Miss Lee Garvey second, and Miss Jean Holmes third. Since the war very lew members have gone overseas, but in the early part of the year 26 letters of introduction were given to travellers.’ Mrs R. Kennedy was the representative at the annual conference in London. Miss P.‘ Jones, honorary secretary for personal correspondence, reports that during the year 204 Otago boys and girls have been linked up tor correspondence with boys and girls in South Africa, Australia, Canada, England, and Scotland. Already the work of the school correspondence scheme has been interfered with by the war, and at the beginning of November the secretary of a branch in Scotland wrote that owing to the outbreak or war ana the resultant evacuation of schools it was felt impossible to carry on the correspondence scheme. Mtss W. Johnstone, lion, secretary of the Young Contingent, reports that throughout the year membership has been increasing, until at the present date it numbers between 140 and 150. Moving tho adoption of the report and balance sheet, the Chairman drew attention to the excellent work now being done by tho Services Welcome Club, particularly in tho interests of voutig men in tho various services who found .time hanging heavily on their hands while in the city. Entertainment was provided for those at a loose end, and he hoped that young men in the drafts now coming on leave from the training camps would find their way to the club tr corns. The Young Contingent was doing its share to entertain the boys, and provided meals as well.. , , , The Victoria League helped those going abroad to make fresh contacts and often lifelong friendships, promoting the love of country and Empire which was so necessary to-day. The league, in England, was all-embracing, and carried on irrespective of race, colour, or creed. The Chairman commended the league on its splendid work—particularly the Otago branch —and all that it stood for. The balance sheet showed that it was holding its own. OFFICE-BEARERS. The following office-bearers • were elected:—President, Mrs E. C. Reynolds ; vice-presidents—Lady Sargood, Mrs W. .Laidlaw, Miss E. Jackson; committee—Mesdames A. G. Melville, Bowler, J. P. M'Gowan, K. S. Ramsay, Gerald Fitzgerald, S. 0. Battersby, Misses M. Downie Stewart, M. Smith, Begg, I. Burton, Anderson, C. M. Cutten, N. Reid; council—Mr Justice Kennedy, Sir John Sinclair, Hon. W. Downie" Stewart, Sir Percy Sargood, Dean Cruickshank, Messrs E. C. Reynolds, W. R. Brngh, W. J. Morrell, H. P. Kidson, G. R. Ritchie, H. Reeves, J. Ash, J. Begg, Professor H. Ramsay, Professor T. D. Adams; hon. librarian, Miss Cooke; hon. auditor, Mr S. P. Mirams; hon. secretary, personal correspondence, Miss P. Jones; hon. secretary, Young Contingent, Miss W. Johnstone; secretary and treasurer, Miss M. Maoandrew. THE LEAGUE IN THE WAR. An outline of the Victoria’s League’s activities in wartime was given by Miss E. Jackson. Shortly after the outbreak of war, she said, Miss Drayton, secretary of tho Victoria League in London, sent to the Dominion a report considering the position of the league in war. A meeting had been held in London emphasising that the organisation should be kept going in war as in peace, and that it should be held ready, so far as local circumstances might permit in each case, to meet any particular calls which may be made upon it as war proceeded. When war broke out representatives of the Empire societies in London were summoned to a meeting at the Dominions Office and told that the Dominions and Colonial Offices and the Defence Department had already considered the possibilities of help from the Empire societies and wished them to know it was probable that considerable calls would he made upon them. T{ie War Office asked that all overlapping between societies should bo eliminated from the beginning. The result of the meeting was the formation of a Joint War Emergency

Committee of the societies, said Miss Jackson, this being under the chairmanship of Field-marshal Lord Milne. This committee issued an appeal in Great Britain advising that they proposed establishing one or more hostels in London and in important training centres for overseas_ men, and asked also for private hospitality. . The league promised.to take an active share in welfare work for overseas troops and nurses, which was naturally in the sphere of personal and individual hospitality—the league’s own particular province. The league desired and intended to carry the friendship and personal helpfulness, which were the aims of its peacetime work, right through the war in every possible way. The London executive appealed to all overseas branches to supply London with the names of men and women from their own districts who might be going to England on war service. Once London had such information it would be able to get in touch with each individual and find out what sort of help would be acceptable or possible. Later advice from London referred to the opening of the King George and Queen Elizabeth Victoria League Club for service men from overseas, this being in peace time one of the most modern hostels for university students in London. This was College Hall, Malet street, (Bloomsbury, where accommodation for about 400 men was provided, with recreational facilities. In Edinburgh a club had been started at 121 a Princes street, and hospitality centres had been organised in Oxford by the league, and in Aldershot by the military authorities, the latter with a hospitality, committee organised by the league attached, “ The Otago league,” said Miss Jackson, “ will gladly receive names and addresses of men and women on active service, and others, and put them in touch with the hospitality organisations in Great Britain. The hospitality available for men and women going to Great Britain on war service is houndless, and the important point is to put each individual in touch with those over there who are likely to be really congenial.” Miss Jackson concluded _ with an appeal for weekly magazines and newspapers to be posted direct to the principal hostels in London and Edinburgh, an appeal which was endorsed by the chairman.