BURNS CLUB.

Otago Witness, Issue 2561, 15 April 1903, Page 13

BURNS CLUB.

The annual business meeting of the Dunedin Burns Club wa6 held in the Choral Hall on the 27th ulfc. There were about 150 persons present. The cbair was occupied by Mr J. J. Ramsay (president), who was supported by Mr F. Anderson and Mr W. Brown (secretary). A letter of apology for non-attendance was received from Air v. M Fe?.. The President, in moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet (already published), said that the subscriptions had fallen off somewhat in the past year, the reason being, lie believed, that the canvassers had not been so active as in previous years. In the coming year there would be fome new canvassers, and it was hoped that their efforts would result in an increase in the membership of the club.— (Applause.) - i Mr R. R. Donaldson seconded the which was carried. The following officers were elected: — President, Mr Alexander Thomson ; vicepresidents—Mes?rs W. Burnett and J. Arkle; treasurer, Mr J, Wallace (reelected); secretary, Mr W. Brown (re■elected}; committee— Dr Gordon Macdonald, j-Messrs" John Auld, J: Main,, Alexander , Sligo, A. Sutherland, J. B. Thomson, P. .Sutherland, D. M. Fea, and R. R. Donaldson (3ix other gentlemen were proposed). . Tlie President said it wa3 his duty to handover to hia successor (Mr Thomson) the .reins 'of office aa- president, but before doing so, he would like to make a few remarks. He wtshed in the first place to heartily thank the club for the uniform courtesy extended to him during his term of office as president. He also wished to thank the office-bearers of the club for the assistance rendered to him in every respect j I during the past year. It had been bin good fortune to have an excellent committee,; and there liad been — as there should be in a club that bore the name of Burne-^the utmost harmony and good feeling.—(Applause.) He could assure his committee that he oarted from them with regret, and that he "would always look back on the associations of the past year with feelings of pleasure. He also desired to express hi 3 personal thanks to Mr Don and his choir for the excellent services they had rendered.— (Applause.) He was sure that Mr Don must sometimes have thought him a bit of a bore, but he had always found that gentleman ready and anxious to forward the interests of the club. Ma» Wright s services were invaluable, and Piper Meiklejohn's opening strains were a treat they all enjoyed.— (Applause.) That was all he ■ could say now, but words could not adequately express, all he would like to say concerning the pleasant relations which had always existed between the club, its officebearers, and himself. In conducting the affairs of tho club it had always been his endeavour to study the interests rf all classes, and in handing over the reins he thought he might, without egotism, say that the club had during the past year maintained ite P Kstige.-(Applause.) He was | glad, too, to hand over the position to- a man like Mir Thomson— a man in every way fitted to uphold the honour and dignity of the club and help it forward in its march of progress.-(Applause.) He felt sure that under Mr Thomson's presidency the club would go on to "better work than it had yet Pccomplished. There was good work ahead— work that would go in the direction of awakening in the breasts of young New Zealanders that spirit of independence breathed in every verse written by Scotia c bard.— (Applause.) They would all remenv ber what Mr George Laurenson said when addressing the club— that theb work was not to prove that Scotsmen were better than any other men, but to foster a love for all that was noblest and best in their Scotch character. And he, speaking as a Scot-New Zealander, would say that he would like to see growing up in this land a love and veneration for independence, a epirit of patriotism, and a love of country equal to that of their parents for their Motherland.— (Applause.) It had been his endeavour, as far as possible to interest the young people of the club in its work and aims with that object in view, and if he had in any, small way been able to do that ho wcukl consider Hs year of office had not .been barren of results. He had now much | '.pleasure in introducing the new president, and in asking the club to extend to him the game hearty support they had accorded himself during the past year —(Applause.) The President then vacated the chair, which was taken by Mr Alexander Thomson, amid very hearty applause. The uew President thanked the nieeting fo.* electing h ; m to the proud position of president of the club. His utmost endeavour would be to carry out the duties of the j office as efficiently as he could and he had no doubt that in his efforts he would have the willing assistance of the vice-presidents and the committee. He had not accepted the position out of personal vanity or ambition, but because he thought it was the duty of everyone in a city like Dunedin who could snare the time to assist a social inttitution of the nature of the Burns Club.— (Applause.) He considered it was everyone's duty to do something for the general good, and that was the reason he had accepted the position that night. The club was to some extent a mutual improvement association — they met together and exchanged ideas, and amused and instructed each other. It was a!i>o, in a degree, an educator of tho young, and as the club had acquired a reputation for the excellence of .its musical performances, and had had many of the leading men of the colony to deliver addresses at their meetings, they should strive to maintain their reputation by keeping up the excellence of their mtertainmente as much p.s possible, and at the same time temper thoie entertainments with some from of instruction. — (Applause.)

Mr W. C. M'Nee proposed a vote of thanks to the "retiring jjresident, the vicepresidents, the committee, the choir, the auditor (Mr Moncrieff), the piper (Mr Meiklejohn), the secretary (Mr Brown), and the treasurer (Mr Wallace), for their services during the past year. The motion was carried unanimously, and Mr Ramsay returned thanks foi the vote. A musical programme wan then taken up, the contributors being Mrs Morrison (solo, "The rowan tree"), Mrs Spain (solo, ' Ye banks and braes"), Miss Gieen (piano solo), and Mr J. J. Ramsay (recitation, encored). Miss Wright acted as accompanist.

The gathering concluded with the singing of " Auld lang syne."

The bush trade about Tapanui has been so brisk that mo-=t of the bushmen are aow sold out.