GAELIC SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1916, 10 August 1888, Page 22

GAELIC SOCIETY.

The seventh annual gathering of the Gaelic Society of New Zealand was held in the Choral Hall on Friday night, and was largely attended.

Mr Johh M' Dojtald, who presided, gave a short address and referred with regret to tiie absence of Dr Stuart, who formerly occupied the chair at the annual meetings of the society. He 'also gave io me historical notes with regard to the Gaelio language, and stated that at one time it used to be the court language in Scotland. After the chairman's address,

Mr William Maclhod, the hon. secretary of the society, road the annual report, which stated that the rise and decline of several kindred associations in Dunedin would appear to point to the. conclusion that such institutions lacked the element of permanency, but the experience of the Gaelic SoclHy so far led decidedly to an opposite inference, for its meetings had been stead !y increasing in popularity. The previous annual meeting at which the president, the Rev. Dr Stuart, occupied thi chair, was a most successful one. Since that the usual number of meetings had be^n held in the Oddfellows' Hall, at which the vicepresident, Mr'Dugald M'Laughlan, always presided. These meetings were conducted in Gaelic, and most of the contributions in the way of speeches, poeniß, songs, readings, and recitations wore in the samo language. This was as it should be, the first objret of the society beiDg the coniervation of the Gaelic language and Herat ure. The council of manß«ment were greatly obliged to Mr M'Laughlan for his regular attendance and for his excellent method of conducting these meetings. On the 22nd of February last Mr W. N. Blair delivered a lecture on | "Reminiscences of Islay." Subsequently Mr D. M'MlUan delivered one on " Ossianic Poetry," and on ! one Sabbath In June Mr Archibald WL'Lean preached I a Gaelic sermon. There was not a meeting secular i or religion throughout the year that was not eminently successful. The council of management considered the advisability of postponing this an nuil fathering— as the society's esteemed chief, the Hon. )r Menzies, was in Wellington -, their revered president, Dr Stuart, was oa a visit to Scotland ; their second vice president, Osptain John Gunn, of the Highland Rifles, was laid aside from duty by indisposition ; and one of the member* of the council, Mr John M'Kenzle, was away in Wellington — but such strong representations were made to the council thatrnwiy would be duappointedif the meeting were postponed, th»t they proceeded with the necessary preparations. Since the previous annual meeting it was gratifying to be able "to report th.\t £95 17s 5d had been &rans-*itted by the society to Or Cameron, of the Glasgow Weekly Mail, to relieve the tevere diitress among the crofters in ths Hebrides. Hariyin the session, through the generosity of a member of the society, a prize fund was instituted for the encouragement ot the young ladies at the society in tha study of Celtic music j and subsequently a number of those who had distinguished themselves by their musical performances were presented with some jewellerr, It, was to be regretted that a number of these ladies had since removed to other parts of the colony. On the ere of Dr Stuart's departure from Dunedin the society presented him with a beautiful Maori-carved gold-mounted walking stick, and also relected for the Gaelic professor iv Edinburgh a silver-mounted flew Zealand grass-tree walking stick as a memento of liis connection wl'h the society while purchasing for them the books for the Gaelic library, which now comprised a nice c»'lection of Celtic works, several donations having been added by friends of the society during the yenr. At the beginning of the financial jear the socle' y had a credit balvnce at the ba/ik of £16 2s Bd, whi<;h was now increased to £17 7s 7d. No case requiring benevolent assistance' had been brought be'ore the council during the year. It was with profoii'd sorrow that they had to record the death recently of Mr Angus Wilson, one of the most useful and respected members of the society. Mr O. M'Millan re/id the annual report in Gaelic, after which Mr J. Hacgregor moved the adoption of the report, and refer-ed to the aims of the society, which he said were noble ones, and also to the good feeling that existed between people ,that spoke the Gaelic language in whatever part of 6be world they met He said he never heard two persons speaking Gae ie in the street, but what he felt an almost irresistible impulse to go up and speak to them, aKhough he did rot know them. He then jocosely leferred to the Gaelic language as being the language spoken in J?aradise, and read a humorous poem in suDport of this idea. Before concluding, he moved a vote of thanks to the council of manngment and to the secretary, whom he referred jbo as being indefatigable in the interest s of the society. Dr J. F. Gillias seconded the adoption of the report and also the vote 3of thanks, and Mr Duoiald M'Laughlan also spoke to the former motion iv i Gaelic. | A concct programme, consisting of Gaelio and Scottish songs and dances, was then carried out, and appeared to be greatly appreciated by the audience. The vocalists were Uisiei Catherine M'Donald, M. M'Donald, M'Fadyen, Blanev. 0. M'Donald, Cameron, and Mrs Lawrence ; M,enßrs A. Paterson, Neil M'Fadyeo, R. Francis, D. Munrp, and James Robertson. Matters J. anrt D. M'Keehnie danced a Highland fling, Mr J D. S. Bnrt a seauntreus, and four lades (with an equal number of Highlanders in costum«)a Highland reel. A Highland mach was ajlso played in front of the hall before the concert by a*' out 15 pipers. Towards the conclusion of the concert Sir Roburt Btout appeared on the platform, and he was subsequently asked to address the audience. In c implying with the request he referred to the fact that a number of eminent men in various parts of the world were of Highland origin' and to the desirability of the youth of this new land knowing something about their ancestors, so th*t they might be led to not only emulate their ejearap'e, but to do, greater deeds than their ancestors had done before them.