OVERSEAS VISITOR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22579, 18 November 1936, Page 5

OVERSEAS VISITOR

VICTORIA LEAGUE AT HOME WORK FOR THE EMPIRE A largely attended At Home was held in the Lyceum Club last evening by the Victoria League, at which Miss Gertrude Drayton, general secretary of the Victoria League in London, was the guest of honour. The lounge was looking very attractive with bowls of red and pink roses, sweet peas and other early summer flowers. A bouquet was presented to Miss Drayton on arrival at the club and another to Miss Mowbray, president of the league, who received the guests. A cordial welcome was extended to the guest of honour by Miss Mowbray, who, on behalf of the members, presented Miss Drayton with a memento of New Zealand in the form of a carved Maori box inset with a medallion in greenstone, and containing a greenstone pn|ier knife. After thanking Miss .Mowbray and the members for their welcome to her and for their gift, Miss Drayton spoke verv comprehensively and most interestingly on the functions of the league, "ft would be difficult for you to realise the great interest which the Central Executive in London takes in what is being done by the organisations in the colonies and , the Dominions," she told her hearers. Tbe earlier part of their business meetings was always set aside to hearing news of these branches and of their activities. Message From Parent Body

Miss Drayton mentioned that she was the bearer of a special message of goodw ill and interest irom the Dowager Countess of .Jersey, who had been president of the parent body for more than 20 years. In .speaking of the contribution to the work of the league that tbe overseas

branches had it in their power to give, Miss Drayton said that it was immensely valuable. It seemed to her that such countries as New Zealand, Australia and others oi the Dominions had a dual heritage. They not only had the heritage of the wonderful traditions oi the Mother Country, its respect for law and order, and its passion for liberty, but they also had behind them the work of the pioneers, the history of their struggles and their wide vision for the future, not yet too far away irom the present to have gassed out of present personal knowledge. She was very much struck with this when she attended tbe South Australian Centenary celebrations. Aims of the Organisation The aims and purpose of the Victoria League were traversed in detail by the speaker and its activities inmanv directions briefly played before her hearers. Ihe point that the league was sometimes thought of as a purelv social organisation was dealt with, .Miss Drayton pointing out that while there certainly was a social side to its activities it was always with the main purpose of bringing the people of the Empire into closer touch, into a more thorough understanding of one another and of opening up avenues by means of which this closer knowledge might be obtained.

Special mention was made of the educational work of the league, which Miss Drayton considered was of great importance. In later years, she said, there had been a great increase in the vitality of the league, partly owing to the increased interest taken in its work by the younger people. They were realising that if this great free-dom-loving Empire of theirs were to continue there was a great deal of work for them to do. If these younger branches also considered what Empire service they might render she thought the outlook for the future would be all the better.

Competition Prize-winners The announcement was made of the prize-winners in the league's competitions for scrap-books and doll dressing. These were: —Scrap-books, P. Cruiclcshank, two firsts; special prize, D. Binns; doll dressing, woolly girl doll, K. Brown and R. Paterson; baby doll, M. Bloomfield; best-dressed doll, D. Browne; specials, M. Warren and I. McConnell; knitted duck, K. Langsford. The prizes were presented to the winners by Miss Drayton. A programme arranged by Miss Ela Hutchison and the Girls' Entertainment Committee comprised items by Mrs. B. Reid, Mrs. H. Owers. and Misses M. and P. Cruickshank. A classical dance, arranged by Miss Daphne Knight, was also given and a fantasy in one act, "The Maker of Dreams," produced by Miss Doreen Saunders, was taken part in by Misses Doreen Saunders, lloseanne Lovell and Margaret Parkinson. The hostesses were:—Miss Mowbray, Mrs. Kdger, Mrs. J. B. Macfarlane, Mrs. C. 11. Keeble, Mrs. L. «J. Bicker by, Mrs. Preston Chambers, Mrs. Charlton, Mrs. Garry, Mrs. Dane Allen, Mrs. C. Robinson, Misses Keesing, Mrs. Heighwav, Mrs. King, Mrs. CnrrSmith, Mrs. H. Thomson, Mrs. E. Williams, Mrs. Skeates, Mrs. Ward, Mrs. Tattersfield, Mrs. Stubbs, Miss Gee, Mrs. I). B. Slator, Mrs. A. Sutton, Mrs. B. Thompson, Mrs. Kastgato.