VICTORIA LEAGUE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18324, 15 August 1921, Page 10

VICTORIA LEAGUE

mass meeting at the guildhall, prince of wales presides, viscount milner's speech. (Fbom Oub Own Correspondent.) LONDON, June 21. Added interest was given to the annual mass meeting of the Vivtoria League to-day by the fact that the Prince of Wales occupied the chair. The historic Guildhall was crowded, even the balconies at the rear of the hall and at the sides being occupied. In one of these immediately overlooking the platform were the overseas delegates, the Now Zealanders included among them being Mr and Mrs Napier (Auckland), Mrs Tripp (Wellington, Mr and Mrs Cary Hill (Christohurch), and Miss Burt (Dunedin). Among some 50 or more well-known peopie on the platform were Viscount and Viscountess Milner, Sir James and Lady Allen, the Countess of Liverpool, Sir Fabian and Lady Ware, Mrs Massey and Miss Massey, Sir Robert and Lady Stout, and Lieut.colonel Amery. Other New Zealanders amongst the audience inoluded Mrs P. R. Sargood and her two daughters, Mrs Walter young, Mrs de Castro, and Mrs Scdular. The Prince inspected a guard of honour of Boy Scouts before entering tho-halL On his* arrival Dame Clara Butt sang two verses of the National Anthem, ahd the audience repeated the first verse. " I am quite sure," said the Prince, In his opening speech, "that every Britisher who knows the purpose of the work of the Victoria League will be anxious to give his or her support, for the object of the league is a closer unity between the British subjects in different parts of the world. I think this meeting is of special interest in view of tho fact that we have in the Old Country at the present moment tho Prime Ministers of the dominions. We are very sorry that they are not with us this morning, but they arc busy discussing what can be done for the general good of the Empire as a whole. During my visit to Australia and New Zealand I met both individually nnd collectively members of the Victoria League, nnd I can testifv to what they are doing all those thousands of miles away. I would like to my hone that in this twentieth year of the league its membership may be doubled, and thus may this splendid association be plnced on a really firm and solid foundation." PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. Tho Dowager Countess of Jersey, president of tho league, recalled the tact that twenty years ago she was dining with the late Mr Joseph Chamberlain. As she came into the room he said: " Perhaps you can tell us what this Victoria League is?" For twenty years she has been answering that question. But the answer was always changing, for the work of tlie league was always spreading and fresh interest arose. Perhaps Mr Rudyard Kipling explained it in the phrase, "It was the first attempt to organise sympathy." There were many answers, but perhaps the kindest came from one of the dominions. " .Wo were a secret society of angels." They were not a secret society, however, and they could not claim to be angels except in so t'ar as that term meant messengers. Further, they could claim they were a band of people who had recognised that there was a great deal of human nature about. While they were aware that the nation and the Empire must be founded on tho skill of the soldier, and the constitution must bo framed by the knowledge and the skill of the lawyer, the Empire was comprised of men and women, and if these were to hold together, there must -bo a better knowledge of ono another and better mutual affection. They were bringing the people who visited England from overseas in touch with the people in this country, and those people who left England to visit the dominions wero brought, into touch with tho pgpple of those countries. But they could not have done this had it not been for the ready response of the dominions who had affiliated leagues in every part of the Empire. Tliet were trying, and she believed successfully, to carry on this great work, but they rauld not "extend their work into tho many openings that were presented unless they had a still larger membership. It was this point that they wanted to emphasise to-day.

FOUNDATIONS OF EMPIRE. Lord iUilner then proposed the following resolution: "That in tne opinion of this meeting the practical and non-party work of the "Victoria League for tne Empire deserves the hearty support of all Brijjsh people." The league began, said Lord iviilner, at a time of great trouble for the liinpire, when tnere was division, and not only division, but wax within its borders. It nad continued its efforts for many years in the great work of peace. It had gained for itself a recognised place and performed a special function in the net-work of economic, social, and moral schemes which held the countries under the British flag together. Its special work might appear a humble one by the side of more ambitious efforts to promote Empire unity, but it was a very useful work all the same. For if the cohesion of the Empire was largely a matter of feeling, then surely it was of ; supreme importance that men and women going from one part of the Empire to unotner should not feel as if they were going to a foreign country. The most ambitious hopes of the most ardent Imperialist would be achieved if all the subjects of his Majesty could feel at home in any of his dominions. It was to promote that home feeling wherever citizens of the Empire may do that the Victoria League existed. ' While it wisely eschewed politics in the common sense of the word, it nevertheless was of political value in the highest sense of the word. The league sought to achieve its object in two ways. It sought to spread knowledge of the Empire, to make the life and conditions and interests of the people in one part of it familiar to the people in other parts.' That was the educational side. But tnere was another side. The league sought to create a chain of friendsnip binding together the different scattered British communities. It sought to ensure that every man and women passing from one of these communities to another should have the hand of welcome extended to him or her. It might be understood what a great work the league has undertaken. But it was nothing compared to the work that remained. Bjs Royal Highness had referred to the fact that the present was a very favourable moment to stimulate the interest in the work of the league. There were met that day all the Prime Ministers of all the self-governing states of the Empire. Their labours had * prevented them from being present at the Viotoria League meeting, but he was certain they must all realise that the league was one of the agencies which was laying the foundations upon whioh alone they could surely build. The closer they came to grips witn the Empire problem the more they must all realise that it is in the main a moral, a human problem, and that especially today, when the Empire is so loosely, connected with hardly any common institutions except the Crown effective unity was only possible if the majority of the people in every one of the self-governing states thought and felt on the big vital questions alike. KNOWLEDGE AND SYMPATHY. "It is on mutual knowledge and sympathy that we must rely," Lord Milner concluded. "They have not served us so badly in the past. We must look to them to serve us still better in the future. They will in time create new institutions, i think to the discerning eye the beginning of such institutions are already visible. 1 should say the Empire tree has shed its bark, but it is growing a new one. It matters not how tar the branches may extend and stretch out in different directions' to all the winds of heaven, so long as the roots are sound. It is the work 'of this association to protect and nourish the roots." Other speakers were the Lord Mayor, Sir Edgar Walton (High Commissioner for South Africa), Sir George Perley (High Commissioner for Canada). Sir James Allen moved a vote of thanks to the speakers, and to the Court of Common Council for the use of the Guildhall. 7 lt, was a great privilege, he said, for them to meet in such an historic place, with all its association and traditions—traditions which, the people far removed from the great centre of the British Empire did not forget and claimed equally as their own with the people of this country. He would commend the speakers who had been gracious enougi: to assist in the proceedings to follow the example of his Royal Highness and visit the Empire, and he hoped to see them all in New Zealand before very long. ANNUAL REPORT. The annual report of the league states that the normal work in (its first complete year of restoration shows considerable expansion as compared with 1913-14. This is particularly noticeable in the reports of the Education and Settlers' Welcome sub-Com-mittees. The formalities in the matter o< the incorporation of the league have been long drawn out, and the actual registration will only date from May, 1921. 'ihis step has been taken by the committee on legal advice, in order to secure for the league a corporate existence, recognised by law, which it did not possess before. Without "incorporation, the league was. incapable, as a body, of holding property, of receiving legacies, or of entering into closer relations (if such were at any time desired) with other societies and organisations. The Hospitality Committee has welcomed hundreds of oversea members and their friends this year. Many personal introductions and invitations have been arranged, and the regular "office teas" at 22, Eccleston Square, begun as_ an experiment, have become an institution equally popular, as it seems, with hosts and guests. Another experiment, took the form of cooperation with the Selborne Society which has kindly made spedial arrangements for oversea members of the league to join its " rambles" in and near London. These certainly met the desires of a large number of members. The league has supplemented the Selborne programmes with special expeditions of its own. Through the help of Dr A. P. Newton, Rhodes Professor in London University, it has been possible to get into touch with a considerable number of students from different parts of the Empire now working in London colleges and medical, architectural, and other schools. Many are post-graduates, doing research work. Invitations both to Victoria League parties and from individual members have been welcomed by many of these, and it is hoped to see much more of them during the coming year. The scheme for exchange of pchool exhibitions has received a trood deal of attention 6ince last year. Its pract'eal difficulties are considerable, and progress has. therefore, been slow. The first exhibition is. however, about to be desoatched_ to New Zealand. It shows, through a variety of specimens, the different stages of cotton manufacture, and hns Taeen coMected and housed in a specially made " exhibition hox " by the boys of Henshaw's Bluecoat School,.' on the initiative and under the supervision of Mr Holland, governor of the school. Invitations to become hon. vice-presi-dents of the leaorue hav* been accepted durin'ir thr, year bv Colonel the Hon._ Sir .Tamrs Al'eri. K.C.8.. Hi<*'-> Commissioner for N»w Zoalnnd: Sir W-llinro Meyer. 0.P1.E.. K.C.5.1.. High Commissioner for TnVlin.; and H. V. the Kn.rl of Bondint>, PC. G.G.8., G.C.M.G.. Viceroy of India.