DUNEDIN BURNS CLUB

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17114, 20 September 1917, Page 2

DUNEDIN BURNS CLUB

There was a large attendance at the monthly meeting of the Burns Club, held in the Art Gallery Hall last evening. Mr_W. B. M'Ewan presided, and the proceedings were opened with the singing of the National Anthem. A brief address was delivered by Mr D. Paterson, of Green Island, his subject being " Scottish Nationality and Individuality." He commented on various phases of Scottish nationality, and went on to show how in contradistinction to English nationality the Scottish nationality remained undiluted, and contained an unbroken succession of the Royal race. Right from the beginning of Scottish history attempted invasions of Scotland had been successfully repelled-.—(Ap-plause.) It was Moore and Abercrombie who taught our French Republican allies of to-day that they were not invincible, and it was Mansfield, Erskine, and Lord Brougham who shone in the legal world of the Empire, while" in literature Burns and Scott stood out as it were in relief among the sons of Empire.—(Applause.) It was Watt who revolutionised the world with his discovery of mechanical locomotion, and Black it was who gained fame in chemical science. Adam Smith, the Glasgow professor, was the father of political economy, and his canons of taxation were as much quoted to-day as they were at their introduction to the world. Reid, Brown, and Hamilton were famed for philosophy, end to-day Sir Douglas Haig was elowly but surely leading the British armies to victory.—(Loud applause.) Ho also mentioned the names of Jeffery, Wilson, Dundas, Elliot, and Kames as other Scotsmen who had left their mark in history and their influence on the life of the nation. Those who contributed to the programme were Pipe-major Grant, bagpipe selection; the'choir, "My Nannie's Awa'," "In the Lonely Vale of Streams," and "The Bonnie Lass o' BaHochmyle"; Mrs C. Grace, song, "Ye Banks and Braes"; members ot the St. Kilda Band, instrumental quartette, "White Heather"; Mr 0. Paisley, song, "Mary o' Argyle"; Miss Isa Strnthers, recitation. " Satmders M'Glashan's Courtship"; Miss E. Smith, song, "Banks o' Allan Water"; Mr W. J. Gear, song, " The Auld Hoose"; Miss Clark, song, "My Heart's Sair for Somebody ,, ; Mr G. M'Ara, song, "Mrs Jean MTarUme." The proceedings closed with the National Anthem and *°Auld Lang Syne."