“YOUNG BRITONS.”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20706, 2 May 1929, Page 6

“YOUNG BRITONS.”

A PATRIOTIC ORGANISATION. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, March 21. Lady Augusta Inskip has returned from New Zealand greatly impressed by the fact that the school children of the Dominion assemble and sing the National Autheni every Monday morning, and they sing it with earnest heartiness. She wishes that arrangements could be made for the school children throughout the British Isles to begin each week with a similar expression of patriotism. Lady Augusta was addressing an- assembly in Westminster on the occasion of a concert and exhibition of work by Young Britons. There are now nearly 500 branches with 50,000 members. The idea of the organisers of this important movement was mainly to combat the evil influence of the Communist Sunday schools and the followers of the Red Flag. The Young Briton movement is steadily growing, but it wants more helpers and more funds. The children are taught everything that is useful, as well as to siug and to dance, but politics are taboo. Neither is there any distinction of class or party* The children join when very small, and Lady Augusta entertains no fear that after the age of 14 the boy and girl Young Britons wull be anything but patriotic citizens. She could not understand how anyone could sing the Red Flag with its dreary tune instead of the inspiring measure of the National Anthem, with its uplifting sentiments. The work done by the children in the numerous is put up for sale at intervals to provide local funds. Mrs C. W. Rolleston (formerly of Wellington) is very actively associated with, the Young Britons’ organisation.