NAVY LEAGUE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13263, 20 April 1905, Page 10

NAVY LEAGUE.

ANNUAL MEETIN- GOF THE OTAGO BRANCH. The annual meeting of the Otago branch of the Navy League was held in tho City Council Chambers yesterday afternoon, when Mr John Roberts, C.M.G. (president), occupied the chair. There were also present—Messrs James Allen, M.H.R., H. D. Bedford, M.11.R., F. 0. Bridgeman, Wm. Burnett-, Dr Coughtrey, Messrs Herbert Coull, F. G. Cray, A. J. Egglcton, A. G. Fenwick, l'ercival Feinvick, W. S. Fitzgerald, Wm. Fleming, Lieutenant; Gard'ner, Messrs C. C. Graham,' S.M., J.' 11. Hashing, J. A. Johnstone, C. Maeandrcw, C. D. S. Moore, W. A. Moore, Moss, Win. Murray, P. Pattullo. Langlev Pope, E. E. C. Qniek, G. R. Ritchie, T. K. Sidey, M.H.R., J. W. Smith, 11. D. Stronach, Captain Strang, Messrs .1 Sinclair Thomson, E. W. Walden, his Honor Mr Justice Williams, Messrs A. Wilson, M.A., .lolm Withers, and W. W.vinks. Messrs J. 51. Ritchie, P. R. Sargood, R. Chisholm, P. Goyen, G. Fenwick, and the Rev. AY. Cur-zon-Siggers forwarded apologies for absence. - The following arc the principal clauses in the annual report:— Formation of tho Branch—Tho Otago branch of the Navy League ww incorporated by warrant dated 7th April, 1901, but it has been thought desirable, for the purposes of tho annual report and balance sheet, to bring the branch's year into conformity with tho Government year, ending 31st Match. Objects.—ln this first report it may bo desirable to say something of tho object, for which tho league exists, which is, in a word, to ensure Britain's command -of the

se.u "But command of the Eea," writes Mr 11. W, Wilson in the current number of the. National Review, " is not a thing to be gained and held bv merely reciting formulas or pompous phrases anent ser.-power. It is an object, to bo fought for and to be won in battle. In time ot peace it can only rest potentially with any fleet, and' its potential possession depends on a considerable superiority of force. A fleet- equal to that of its antagonists in force cannot be said to command the sea, even potentially, and in estimating fnrce the duties and responsibilities which will fall upon the various fleets must be considered.' The necessity for retaining supremacy on the sea was \yell put by Lord Selborne in a speech delivered on the 26th February, 190-1, when he s'a-id: " Tho navy means for you your existence as an Empire. It means for you the fact that yon arc free from invasion; it means for you your daily food aud daily employment. The liavy is all ill »li and everything; therefore, though the cost is great, it is little compared with what it brings back to you." And the present First Lord of the Admiralty, Admiral Sir John Fisher, G.C.8., may be quoted in the exnression of his view of the policy that should bo adopted for the safeguarding of the British navy's position among the fighting fleets of the world: "We require fearless, vigorous, and progressive administration, open to any reform, never resting on its oars—for to stop is to go back—and forecasting every eventuality." Membership—Satisfactory additions to the roll of tho branch have been made during the year, and there are now 328 members and G associates on the books. In addition to these, there is ono honorary vice-president connected with our branch, this distinction being carried with an Jnnnal subscription of five guineas, and ono life member. Life membership is secured by one payment of 10 guineas, and it is worthy of remark that the honour of being the first life member in Otago has been won, not by a- member of tiic wealthier classes, but by a tradesman working with his own hands. The losses during the year number 8, and these are almost entirely accounted foi by deaths and removals from the colony. Remittance to Head Office.—One hundred pcunds has been forwarded to tho London office of the league by way of contribution to the funds of the parent body. The constitution of tho league provides for the payment of at least five shillings for every member and associate belonging to the colonial branches, but your committee found itself in a position to excecd this, and deemed it desirable to make a larger remittance. Secretaryship.—Shortly after the dale of the first general meeting ot members, Air Johnstone intimated to your committee that he could not see his way to retain the honorary secretaryship of the league. It was intendeu to appoint a paid secretary to tho post, but ultimately Mr Johnstone consented to remain the honorary secretary, on the condition that the salary which would otherwise have been paid to whatever secretary might have been appointed should be divided among the members of his clerical staff, who had been, and still are, assisting him in the work of the league. League Maps and Literature.—At the instance of the head office, your committee made an endeavour to induce the Government to adopt the Navy League map and handbook in the public schools of the colony, and also to have "The British is'avy, Past and Present," brought into use as a text-boob for the study of the subject. This effort was unsuccessful, but 25 maps were imported. «ud presented to some of the principal schools in Otago, and the Education linard kindly distributed among the head teachers of its schools a number of the text-books with which your committee supplied them. During the year Mr Wvatt's lecture, "The Mastery of the Seven Seas," was printed, and a copy given to every child in the Fourth,-Fifth, and Sixth Standards of the- Education Board schools.

Trafalgar Day.-On the 51 s|. October. 1904, the ninety-ninth anniversary of the battle, your committee secured ike recognition of the event by the idisplay ,of flags by the city and harbour authorities, the mercantile community, and others, as well as by suitable ceremonies in the schools, while the newspapers contained leading articles dealing witii the battle of Trafalgar, and with the work of the Xavy League. For the centenary celebration this year it is hoped that it will „e possible to have an extended programme, and fo make the occasion a memorable one. School Prizes.—A competition was held in lie public schools for prizes presented by th* branch, the subject set being the naval battles described in Fitchett's bool; "Deeds that Won the Empire." Sixty-five competed, and the prize list is here reproduced:—l—Cedl M'Lean .Smith (iCaikoraii. Allan John Fairnml (Oiitram), Wilfred Graham I'vle (St. Bat.ians), William Douglas Fitzgerald (Arthur Street); ll—Stanley IT. M'Donald (Green Island); lII—W. AVardrop (Kaikorai); commended—Malcolm Ernest Buchanan (Kelso) Mary Neilson Hewson • (Tahatika), Harry Kdmonston (Hampden), James M. Abernethv (George Street), Annie Jlalcolm ■'Bruntoii (Weston), Augustus Henry Oswin (Kaikorai); gifts—Annie Harrison (Tahora), Hosie Garrett (Tahora), John Graham (Tahora). Wherever it was found practicable a. member .of the league was appointed to attend the break-ing-up ceremony of each 01 the schools from which the successful competitors were drawnj in order to present the prizes and to address the pupils on the subject of the league's work. Advantage was taken of the.'prize-clay celebrations also in connection with the presentation of the piaps before referred to, most of the schools affected being attended by n member of your committee or of the league. A competition was also held in the. Boys' High School under the auspices of the .league, and the following gained prizes:—Senior—A. Henderson and F. B. Barton (equal) 1, J. 11. Bannennaii -2. J. p. White 3; junior—E. White 1. A. U. Ussher 2. Visit of the Australasian Squadron,—On February 15 the honorary secretary visited Admiral Fanshawe on board H.M.S. Eivryalus. which had just arrived at the heads, and made arrangements for the members of the ■ league, with their families, to visit the flagship. The trip was fixed for February 18. but. as will no doubt be within the recollection of members, a mishap to the Koputai prevented those present gqing aboard the flagship. On February 21 about 200 ot the cadets from the public schools were conveyed to Port Clial-. mers by the Harbour Board to : inspect 11.M.5. Plicebe..and on the 23th uoys from the Otago High Schoo) had a similar trip. Lieutenant Robarts received the boys and, after addressing them, had them taken round the vessel and shown as much as possible of her equipment. School Branches.—Up to date the secretary has, been advised of the formation of subbranches of the league in the following schools —viz.: Otago Boys' High School, Duuedin Collegiate School, High Street, Anderson's Bay. Bannockbum, Kaikorai, and St. Cloir Public Schools. The number of school members enrolled to date is somewhat disappointing to your committee, being only a traction of that on the books of some of the'other brancb.es in New Zealand (the secretary of the Wellington blanch, for instance, having enrolled 1100 in all), in spite of the fact that there has probably been a considerably greater amount of mtoney expended by this branch for the benefit of the children in the schools than there has been in any other province. However, efforts are now being made to alter this state of affairs, and, it is hoped that next year's reDort will record a luge addition to the membership under this head.' Thanks.—Valuable assislar.ee has-been-given your committee on its work by the secretary of the Education Board. Mr P. G. Pryde, and bv the board's staff -of -inspectors; by the Harbour Board, especially . in the matter or granting the use of . tugs for visiting the vessels of the Australasian souadron: by the Otago Daily Times and,the Evening Star, in generally sunporting'therdbjects of the league. The Dunedin City Corporation, the rector of the Boys' High .School, the head masters of many of the Education Board's schools, the officials of tile Union. Steam Ship Company (Limited), and the examiner of the competition papers also deserve a word of thanks for. their work in the interests of the branch. Warehousemen's Association's Annual Prize. —Your committee . addressed the New ZsahinS Warehousemen's ' >'soeiation with

the request that it should make an annual contribution to the league, to be expended in prizes. The executive of the association litis kindly [alien in with this suggestion, and prizes arc to be awarded this year for efficiency among the members of the cadet corps attached to the various schools. Although, perhaps, this matter is scarcely within the scope of the main objects of the league, your committee considers .that in encouraging the cadet corps in (lie school it is fostering. that national spirit which must prove our best ally in attaining the ends we have specially at heart. Suggestions for the Incoming Committee Your committee feels that it is from the work among the children that the best results are to be achieved, and would suggest to their successors that more attention slioulo be given to this branch of the league's activities. If possible, frequent lectures (illustrated, if possible) should be arranged for, and -the children encouraged in every legitimate way to form sub-branches o*f the league in the schools.

The. .President said il only rested with him to move the. adoption of the report, which had been drafted by Mr Johnstone, and was an excellent one. Mr Johnstone had been an invaluable servant to the league, and his .report left, very little more for the chairman to do than move it. It covered every possible phase of. (lie subject, so that any remarks from the chairman would be to a large extent, repeating it. lie would suggest, that tho press should publish the report in extenso. The, movement had started a year past in February for the establishment of tlio league, which had made excellent, progress. Tho whole business of the league had been takon up with a very great amount of cordiality, and the best evidence of tho very hearty response made for support, lay in the fact that they had now 328 members.—(Applause.) There was no doubt the objects of a league like this must be left to ,a large extent to the younger members of the community. The older' ones had their own Imperialistic ideas, and most of them had a strong remembrance of tho Home Country and its associations, but the younger people of the colony were somewhat free of I hat sentiment, and he thought it rested upon tho older ones to develop a lovo for those things connected with the Homeland among the younger portion of the community, especially as regarded the things connected with the league, which dealt with one of the vital points of the Imperial position. So long as England retained the supremacy oil the sea she could always maintain her position, but as soon as she lost that, calamity would probably arise. He therefore thought their efforts' should very largely bo in the direction of educating the young people and developing in tliem an interest, in the league and its objects, and lie thought their interests might bo aroused by a syslenv of lectures. There were one or two who were prepared to. deliver lectures to scholars and the young people at a moderate fee, and it was also proposed to initiate a system of magio lantern slides, which would be more effective with young people, and would secure their closest, attention. They thought that, these slides, with the services of lecturers making periodica! visits lo tho district, would arouse a much larger amount, of interest than could lie done by any other means. They had had compel itions last vea.r in tho schools in connection with which prizes had been given, and great interest had been taken ill the schools over the mat'ler. Ho did not know whether it was desired that the report should be read, but it'iior he would move its adoption.— (Applause.) Mr .Tames Allen, in seconding tho motion, said the report was a. very excellent one prepared by a very exoellent secretary. The objects of the league and some of the statements came very near home at. the present time. They came very near to him as a Volunteer officer. Tho Volunteers were about, to enter upon Easter inanceuvres, and portion of the force was (o devote its attention to defending the coast, and so tho navy came very much into their thoughts. IFc thought, the league might well consider it. part of its duty to examine the condition of the defences of our own. harbour, and to cultivate the public feeling with respect to defence of our harbour. As far as he know, the Olago Harbour was tlio easiest and most cheaply defended of the whole coast, of New Zealand, and it could be made almost perfectly secure against a. hostile cruiser or forpedoer. He would not like to say this was so now. This not only meant something for the people here, hut also someIhing for the British navv. for 01-ago Harbour would be a place of refuge, a place for coaling and docking, and there was no place in the colony where all these facilities could be provided better than in Otago Harbour. Tho league should cultivate something stronger than sentiment with respect, to our own harbour. Tho league's objects wore such as |o commend themselves to everyone, and it did and would draw this country and the Imperial country closcr together, and showed the people 1 hat in a united navy Ihere was the strongest bond that could possibly exist— (Applause.)

Ilis Honor X(r Justice Williams expressed tiio opinion that the report was highly satisfactory, and he was pleased lo sec to much good work had already bsen done. T'ho league was an institution Ihal could not stand still, and it must be made as active as possible. There could bo 110 doubt it. was of tlio utmost importance to the British Kmpire that its navy should I) 6' supremo. It was really impossible to exercise the virtues of weakness and forbearencc unless a country was strong.—(Laughter.) It was. moreover, our duty not to lead our neighbours into temptation. As far as the Kmpire was concerned there was no doubt whatever about the' necessity (or .1 strong; navy, and for united public opinion !o teop such navy in front. JI. should not. be a navy for offence, bill one for defencc; the nation did not want anything that belonged to anyone else, Iml it wanted to protect, what belonged to it. Having u very excellent coast line, New Zealand was very liable lo attacks from roving orui.-or*. and there was special reason why New Zealand should take iin this matter—(Applause..) He trusted iho league would eonl'inue lo prosper.— (Applause.) Mr A. Wilson, rrvtor of the Boys' High School, referred (0 (lie excellent work dono by the honorary secretary, Mr Johnstone. Ho (Xlr tVilson) had not the knowledge to niy whether. an increase in the navy was justified. He confessed an inclination to lielieve that the men who controlled the destinies of Great Britain had iho sonse to know what was required in the liritish navy, and also the resolution to see that: the navy should kce.p naco with national requirements. Certainly if caught napping Iho nation would hp in grievous case, and in 110 part of the Empire more than in New Zealand. A bier navy was expensive, and tlu< taxpayer, might cry out against it, not being far-sighted enough to tee that this expenditure was the truest economy: it was really an insurance premium. The boy of to-day would be the taxpayer of to-morrow, and therefore the boys 6hould be educated in the objects of the Navy League. This, he took it, was the object of extending (lie league to the schools. Ho desired lo thank Mr Johnstone for all the trouble that gentleman had taken in regard to the schools. The chief weakness in the malter was one he (Mr Wilson) had foreseen, and that was i that there was nothinsr to do. With regard to cadet corps, football club, ctc., there was a definite routine—each boy understood that he was a brick in an arch,—aii',l that was what was wanted in connection with the league. There was riot enough to do, and what young people wanted was something to dc—somo responsibility. Something more than sentiment was required. All that had been done, however, had succeeded well, and so far its influence had been entirely beneficial.—(Applause.) Mr Sidey said it was generally agreed that if you wanted to get citizen soldiers who were amenable to discipline, and organisation it was necessary to commence witlt the boys i iu the public schools, The method by which I Imperial sentiment laid been endeavoured I to be instilled into the children bad l>eeii by competitions for prizes and by the presentation of maps. These had been pro ! senled at the annual break-up of the schools, | and since then, as far as he could learn, 1 no effort had tac-ii made to establish sul>- ! branches of the league in the schools.' He ■ ; thought the greater number of Jliese i brandies that could be formed in the ' schools the belter. The question of having ■ ioint branches had occurred to bii\. Tf tliev had some centre in which the different , branches were represented, the branches ' could speak as a whole, and might be ablo i to speak with more authority than indi- | vidual branches could. By this means ; Government might be induced to increase its contribution. Latterly the intention of the Government bad l>ecn to fortify two ; harbours—Auck'and and Wellington. He . could not say for certain if this was so: ; but if it was, he did not sec that, it should make them r»!ax th»ir efforts and have our harbour left- in the lurcli. Mr J. W. Smith said they had formed a. branch of llio league in the High Street, School and h.'d enlisted fiO members, which 7 be had no doubt wou'd increase to .1(10. There were seven cadet corps in sailor uniform., and he thought if .proper'representation was made to tlx* officers each corns would liecome members of the school league.

Ha mentioned that Mr Rattray and Mr Hosting had promised , special prizes to him for the school. ..■ The motion for the adoption of the report *was then put and carried. ELECTION Of OFFICERS. ' Sir T. K. Sidey, M.H.R., moved that the present ofrioe-bearers bo re-elected, with tlio exception of Messrs C. W. Rattray, J. M. Ritchie, and P.;R. Savgood, who had asked to be relieved, owing to various' reasons, and. instead of tliesi! gentlemen the addition of Messrs G..'Ritchie, '\Y. E: Sargood, and W. Murray. _' ; The office-bearers wcro. then declared' elected-'as follow-.—President, Mr .lolin Roberts, C.M.G.; hod. secretary. Mr .'I. A. Johnstone; vicc-presidents Hons. A. Lee 'Smith and Hugh Gotirley, Captain ]iasthor, 11. N., and Air Robert. Chisliolm; committee—Messrs ,Tas. Allen, M.H.R., I l '. 0. Bridgeman, George Feuyrick. P. Goycn, J. H. Tlosking. C. Macaudrew, .las. Mills, W. A. Moore. I'. G. Pryde, ,7. Sinclair Thomson, J. P. Wopclhouse, G. Ritchie, W. Murray, and W.JC. Sargood. Mr 11. I>. Bedford then proposed Hie vote of thanks included in tho report, with the addition of tho names of Messrs P. Ban- and A. J. C. Brown, auditors. This was carried unanimously. Mr Roberts briefly responded on behalf of the ofl'ioo-boatcrs, and moved a very hearty vote of thanks to the secretary (Mr Johnstone), which was also carried with acclamation. Mr Johnstono thanked those present for the vote, and wont oil to say it had been of very great, benefit and assistance to him. to have associated with him the aide members of the committee. Members, however, should remember that each one might try to "induce someone else to join. In some other centres there were ladies' branches, and the ladies had presented a shield to the Admiralty for competition in gun-lay-, ing. It was quite tnio the difficulty foreseen by Mr Wilson did exist, but the league was stirring in evr-rv way possible to create tho interest in the school. The committee had been in consultation with the military authorities, and a scheme would be brought into operation, partlv through the liberty of the Warehousemen's Association, whereby there would bo shooting for the lioys at floating targets, and a signalling competition was part of the scheme. The league was addressing a comprehensive loiter to every schoolmaster in the province, urging formation of branches of tho league.—(ApI plause.) A vote of thanks to the chair concluded tho meeting.