OVERSEAS LEAGUE

Evening Star, Issue 25950, 15 November 1946, Page 10

OVERSEAS LEAGUE

SUCCESSFUL YEAR CONCLUDED The annual meeting of the Dunedin branch of the Overseas League was held in the Pioneer Women’s Memorial Building last night. The president, Mrs H. E. Battersby, was in the chair. The annual report stated that 50 new members been elected. The membership now stood at 175.' The combined general and social accounts had a credit balance of £242 18s Bd.' Five monthly socials had been held, a card evening, and a concert tea. During the year the branch had entertained the president of the Overseas League in ‘London, Lord Louis Mountbatten, and the New Zealand High Comiiiissioner, Mr W. J. Jordan. Through the generosity of members half a ton of edible fat had been sent to headquarters in London for distribution by the secretary, Mr Eric Rice. Representatives from the Navy League, Victoria League, and Overseas League held a conference recently, and had decided to combine forces for special occasions, such as a reception to the GovernorGeneral.

In moving the adoption of the report and financial statement, Mrs Battersby spoke of the successful year just concluded. The increase in membership, she said, showed that the organisation was in a satisfactory condition The membership card was a passport to membership in any part of the Empire. She commended the work at the Merchant Navy, Olb at Port Chalmers. The keynote of the post-war policy of the Overseas League, said Mrs Battersby, was to foster the spirit of unity which existed in the group of nations with a common allegiance to the King. The high position which the British nation held in the councils of the world depended to a large extent on the continuance of this spirit of unity. The motion was seconded by Mr F. W. Knight and carried. 4 It was decided to give donations of £SO each to the Merchant Navy Club at Port Chalmers and the Overseas League in London. The election of office-bearers resulted as follows: —President, Mrs W. A. Ross; vice-presidents, Messrs A. S. Bruce Smith and J. Bruce McKenzie; executive^—Messrs E. Wood, J. S. Skinner, G. W. ,J. Bell, Mrs M. Harraway, Miss D. Brown; secretary, Mrs Baker; treasurer, Mr W. A. Ross; lion, auditor, Mr D. J. Calder; hon. corresponding secretary, Mr Thomas Ritchie. During the evening, musical items were given by Mrs C. Penman and Miss Betty Nieholls, with Miss J. Penman as accompanist.