ROTARY CLUB.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 143, 21 May 1925, Page 6

ROTARY CLUB.

“A BRITISHER IN NEW YORK..’

Air Harry Holmes, 0.8. E., F.R.G.S., who is visiting New Zealand after an absence of some years, was the guest of the Palmerston North Rotary Club this afternoon, when the subject of his talk was “A Britisher in New York.” Though he treated his subject in an anecdotal manner, it was qutie patent that Ah' Holmes uould be a highly convincing speaker on questions of world concern. Ah' H. L. Y’onng, who presided, introduced Air Holmes and described him as a brilliant speaker on international subjects and one keenly interested in the Y.M.C.A. movement.

Air Holmes stated that he had been in New Zealand only two weeks und had already been the guest, of two Rotary Clubs—Wellington and Christchurch. He wished he could have brought Rotarian greetings from the other side but, unfortunately, when he arrived in New York, the classification he came under was full, though on one occasion lie had addressed the Rotary members of that, huge city. “They always called me a Britisher in America,” stated Air Holmes, “although I was horn in Now Zealand. Y’ou will probably wonder why I have not the accent of that country,” lie continued; “I have always tried to avoid it.”

The speaker then told of incidents in connection with his lecturing tours, instancing the amusing episode of a young boy who came to him one day on the conclusion of his lecture and said: “Have you got any Australian stamps ?” The speaker then went on to refer to the jibes one country, England, gave the other country, America; how Air Al. Johnson, when lecturing in Chicago got one joke on the Englishman when he . said :. “If you want to make an Englishman laugh tell him a joke when lie is a boy.” “The American thinks the Englishman has no sense of humour,” stated that speaker.” On the American dollur was the inscription "In God we trust.” The Englishman retaliated and said: “In God wo trust one dollar.”

But, apart fnom ull these pin-pricks, the English and tho Americans were tho two chief white luces and had a common tongue. And in' these days of a troubled world there was no greater thing every man could do than to try and promote good feeling between the two great Empires. The speaker would point out how hospitably tho men from Australia and New Zealand were always received in America —a comradeship that was formed in the days of the Great War. And there was no American soldier who had returned to his native lund that was not an ambassador fior these two great countries of the Pacific.

One great basic reason why this friendship should be perpetuated was thut the pivot of world affairs was moving. There was hardly a person in America who did not think that the centre of human affairs in the world in the future was the ocean that lapped the shores of New Zealand. And out in the ofcean of the Pacific there were problems' leading up that would eclipse the eutnstropho of the older countries. In the great surging problems that would demand solution injhe future there was no larger power that understood the prejudices of the Australians and New Zealanders to the colour question than the American nation, and as un instrument of her goodwill was the visit to this Dominion of that country’s fleet in the next few wcoKS. “The Americans take us to fheir Tiosom,” continued the speaker, “while it takes some time to understand the English people. But I would never have known all tiio latter’s stolidity, all their loving qualities, if I had not been there.” The Americans were impatient with many things but they understood perfectly the Now and the Australians. For tliis grea't country, America, was not an Anglo-Saxon race; it was a country with 11 newspapers published in English and 36 in a foreign language. America was established only 136 years ago and her vices were due to the rapid growth of world power. But as one looked at that great republic with its 110 millions of population, with its common language, and with its too rapid growth, it appeared very plainly to one that we should preserve with the American peoples a calculated friendship. Reverting to a lighter, anecdotal vein once more, Mr Holmes concluded with the remark that ho did not want his hearers to be too much impressed with the serious problems that confronted the world—problems that were discussed in a community spirit'—for that would make them lose their joyous spirit of abandon. The speaker reiterated bis delight in being among Rotarians and with his visit to Palmerston North—the “Chicago of New Zealand.” Mr L F. ffe Berry, on behnlf of the Rotarians, tendered tile speaker a hearty vote of thanks.