THE CALEDONIAN SOCIETY OF OTAGO.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11303, 22 December 1898, Page 3

THE CALEDONIAN SOCIETY OF OTAGO.

AN APPEAL,

\ iTlie^Caledonian -i-Society of :Ot»go * was in- . . ; '.stiUlted iA! the; early;dt.ys of the settlement. ■ ■ Since,then.it;liJßLS;me.t"with'.,the usual ups and : , downs, incidental :tp'.human affairs. '.At present ■.' ;..■ ■itris-.one of .the nibst';;popular athletic - institn1. i- tipns: 'in bur ;midst^: but-it: does riot receive that ' ■ v .'.. amount ,-",pf "■ support'ifrbm; the .'.business' com- ,;?;.;. .'rmuiity': ofv,punedifi'[,'its l 'importanc'e demands; i l:'.:V,lt.^a's',originallyi:"and i ':Still::iS',.largely represeri-. ~'!:.'.''; Times,-howeTeriihave' .'::■■ ]':■:' tchimgedi-and s :so;:has. "the f spirit of -the manage-' ,: --; -. ment,.of' the,''Caledonian':Society.. Its cqsmoj,■ ..;." pblitan. .character' pf .tp^Bay, however,, is, richly '--. V.'■■'. descrying .of:.the heartiest, support of the people. :'■'. v.. ;/AS, new~'race.;. andjneV'games have appeared ..npr; !'■.:.'"onHhe'sceng, and.the',society, to besuccessful, : . j must ;adapt* itself to" the/changed circumstances. . ■ ;■■'" "Kuledl of thelsociiityls code of ethics says: ':. ; . "'TheVobjectsvbf'Ahe'i society shall be the pro- • . ,i. ■ .'■ .motion f.of:'benevolence;.;' education, :V .literature, ; customs, ;: :'ajid. accomplishments." ;'.. ■.;: .This .a; wide (field of philanthropy ./;. and'patriotism and.their'attributes. It is wide ,'■','■■■■■'■ enoughTtq,:embttlce: everybody and - everytliing . of'interest-.to.uslas'a people. /The Greeks and ■■■ ;■'..',, :; Eomans of -old "delighted in athletic contests. V i;: ,i .BotK nations;;haveV,leftitheir indelible work :up- ■ : V?/.^ onv.the. "pages■iof:*Histo*fy.:::The physical and ::'>:.;;-.:inerital '.prowesst of /.their- people -was ai great ; j :{:: factor-intheir Buccess.as a- dominant race.-: : The ';':'.' ■'.'■: ft, athletic field .■,wa"s,ohe of '.their- best schools 'for -;-.: " ; .theidevelopmeht-jof/nationalitraits.':;ln'those .i.J': days the :State contributed towards thelionours ■■..'■:.': .•','■ ;-;^o£-;';'■ the'.'i^'contest^, «:Emperors.; ;and - generals, ■jy:-:!^ : and plebeiansv-delighted to honour -.-;■'■■!'•"'.■•''and-'.ieward theichampions; of 'the 'day.? The ,- "-■-.".. -'mantle.of thpse'.iiiebpleV'has.'apparently fallen ; v .-'■£■ upon: theßritish; race, and the Britons of to-day, "':'; : 'fromtEe'Queen Empress,down to her meanest . .';■•.■' jißubject^itake-aikeen •■ interest in all manner of / . :,,:;stHletic ;sports/i'-vWe,:.as'the 'Britons of the .":,'■'■ ■•}. South,, must not "depart "from: the traditions of ■.;:'-;..'''-\..;dßr'"race';':;''t.l'lf'we are to wield .the' sword of ■■:."■■ . 'empirein.this our new Austral world, we must .'■'.-:''." foster/physical and mental culture; ■ Peace and ....\ prosperity, are apt to chill our ancient and war-- ■]■'. ■ Jike spirit, and'so "tendI'to make us effeminate ■'■" ■/■■'. . paltrobris, fit. ohly;,to weiir tho yoke, of another -'.; .and';a superior people/; athletic field in .. ■..-'.■•'■■'• o"ur present is the' only sahool we^have :: ■. ';:fpr ;fostering bur; traits 'as a race)-' It is the "'":'. •';■! test "school'a youngJmai!:can possibly" ciiter to ':;.. :;'■- teach' him obediencej endurance,'.perse%'erarice, ''.:-. emulation, physical'culture,' personal restraint, ■-.-.' ;. and' all the other^'qualHies "which' go to make .' ;; ■. tKei'hero soldier or,the successful general. ;■'.■ ■■'■: ■■-■■ '■■'■-- .'.'Hayirig said so. much,-let us retxirn.'to our ; local' Caledonian Saciety..;' The directors feel ;: tEat'the/membership of so useful and'desefvin;; :a!n::mstitutibn buglif to'be much larger'thah.it : ; is;;rA'tti3resent the membership consists of 200 ■ •;. .-. pjsrsonsV arid the'directtirs take this opportunity .-..■.■ : of. appealiK.1'" *• ■'the public' at 'large for an "in- . . crease p'f ;Ei sab'ei-s.' '■■ The;.management of the •''-."'■■. society is not in the haids of any one set of . ;. persons or nationality. .The directorate is open ..■■■': to anyone," be" he Jew or Gentile, bond'or free. ; .'This'year the ".board of :dire6tors' consist pfre- . .., ■'-.^,: ;presentative .cifkens'ifroin' Scotland; England, .:' 1 Ne^Zealarid,' and elsewhere. As time . . :.-;- r '"rolls'm/tK'e"gp"verning".'bodyr will be'entirely of ;,■/,.■ "•: ;lfew..Zealand^•;pngi£i'.and tha't'is as if should ',' ■.' : : Be,''but in "the'meSntiirie»we are' in' the tfansi:;i: '-i'tipii' sjlage, 'pr, ,>sjit;; were, :beiiig. fused :in' the -.. '•"i furnace of: nations; arid preparing to" evolve that ; i 'f'prpSigy'^of:,the;;future;' the:," Austral BritbW' ."■■■ :-' This year(th.e;sum "of Ssoo;'will .be given away' '.X if!, i in; prizes^.;;^' Jafg& part; of thai sum' is 'derived • ■'•■ • ; '{■;'■; from!;gatS 'money, :but';the balance ha 3 tb'be !:.:::';':: made !ifp by private donations and membership '■■'.■ '■ i! subscriptipna...; .The: directbrs accordingly. ap- .', ,-:";pearto"the people* for:a'large, a'geherpus, and :■ '" ;»^ hrartyt'siipport^"'^They;derive;.no "benefit, '. ■;."■'' direct or .'iridifectjjjrdm'their office, and merely ■ : trouWe'themaelvdl^as a 'matter of love and : national'spirit.' r: In1 times gone; by the'society did much to foster education, but;of late years % . the whole!pf!their income has been.spent upon V .■■'■ ,"berieyblerice,/custpms,' '.: and.. accomplishments." . :. It.is.hardtp;rid;oneself of sentiment,' and it is ;• , equaUy; hafdtfpr:*the;;old'"folks .'arid the. brigi•natbrs. pf^his'isocietyitpjsee the child'of their ■ ypiith'slip'from.their'grasp." Time, howevor, "' : '■;is■'■ inexorable/'and;chariges^must come. The > - .'fold; folks i'may ieasonably console : themselves ,-'■..• 'with fine;' happy ■. thought of, : having done' their : ... .fduty.tpf having .sown; the seeds of national : .spirit, Va'nd. leaving f the. future; to the guidance '•.';i .; of ihoir sons'; arid,sbris'. Spris^the rising race, . ■ : :wh'b"in;many fields .are': showing themselves to : " : ;:be^ ' .'•.;.-;ism, : sndthe;energy.,of. their sires.' _ ■>:'-;■•.