SCOTTISH SOCIETY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXI, Issue 9771, 31 July 1924, Page 7

SCOTTISH SOCIETY

| FORMATION IN GISBORNE. i ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING. | “To foster national sentiment to promote good fellowship among the i Scottish community and to encourage j the study of Scottish music and liter-ature”-—these are the aims of the J Gisborne Scottish Society which was j formed at the public meeting last j evening in the Cosmopolitan Club, j There were about 25 present, over j whom Mr R. 51. Birrell was elected j to preside j In explaining tho object of the j meeting, Mr Birrell said that it was j called as the outcome of a promise | given at the Bums’ anniversary gnthi ering last year. This function each ! year was only a “scratch” gathering : and it was felt that there should he , some organisation in the town to look i after the interests of Scottish conj certs. A suggestion had been made j to resuscitate the Caledonian Society, ; and lie. was of opinion that it would i be a wise move to re-form this organ- ! isation. He traced the efforts of the Caledonian Society in the past years, which had been unsuccessful, as there was no co-ordination between the members. There was a deplorable lack of national sentiment among Scottish people in Gisborne and that was why they were making one lasteffort to resurrect the movement. If the Society was resuscitated, be wanted to see vigorous efforts made by tiie younger generation. One of the best foundations of such an organisation was the formation of a junior pipe band. Mr T. Corson said that the gathering was a good sign that the national spirit was not dead. He regretted that the annual Scottish concert had fallen through now that tho Society bad become defunct. Ho was sure "that the time had arrived for the reformation of a Caledonian Society or a Burns Club. Mr McLeod thought that the national sentiment was only dormant and only needed a little revival. He was of opinion that some effort should be made to re-organise the movement. He thought that the Society should be named tjie Gisborne Scotitsh Society and that they should promote a number of concerts during this year. Ho proposed that a Gisborne Scottish Society should he formed. The motion was carried uiianimous-l-r.

lyThe chairman expressed the opinion that the Burns Anniversary function should be such as to include ladies as well as men. This proposal met with the unanimous approval of the meeting. The election of officers resulted as follows: President, Mr R. M. Birrell; vice-presidents, Messrs J, McLeod and T. Todd; secretary, Mr. W. M. Hogg (jun.); treasurer, Mr T. Corson ; committee, Messrs Park. W. G. McClure, T. A. Hogg, J. Nisbett, Shaw, McMurray,, C. E. Johnston. It was decided that the names of four ladies should he added to the committee after a meeting of ladies has been hold. It was decided that subscriptions should be 10s 6d for man and wife, 10s 6d for single men, and 5s for single ladies. . A suggestion was made that a children’s function should he held on Hallowe’en night. The first meeting of the committee was fixed for Monday night next.