ROYAL COLONIAL INSTITUTE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2928, 27 April 1910, Page 66

ROYAL COLONIAL INSTITUTE.

ANNUAL MEETING.

(Froii Our Own Correspondent.')

LONDON, March 4

The annual meeting of Fellows of the Royal Colonial Institute was held on Tuesday at the Whitehall Rooms of the Metropole Hotel. Lieutenant-general Sir J. Bevan Edwards, chairman of council, presided, and the attendance included : Sir C. Clement Smith, Sir Montague AOmmar.ney, Admiral Sir N. Bowden Smith, Major-general Sir Henry Green, Sir E. Montague Nelson, Sir Frederick Young, Sir Westby Perceval, Sir C. H. Rason, Mr Allan Campbell, Mr F. Dutton, Mr R. S. Bond, Captain Muirhead Collins, Lieutenant-colonel H. T. Tamplin, Colonel D. Mills, Mr A. R. Colquhoun. Sir Montagu Onimanney presented the financia. l statement, which was of a satisfactory nature. The Chairman then moved the adoption of the report and balance sheet. He said the hon. corresponding secretaries doing excellent' work in all parts of the Empire, and their efforts, combined with an expansion of the work in various directions which the council was endeavouring to carry out, should enable the institute to maintain its position in the forefront of all movements for the unification and consolidation of the Empire. During the past year the number of corresponding secretaries had been largely increased, and the council hoped to have its representative at every important, centre, who would be in constant communication with the office in London and kept n touch with the latest developments of th'e work of the institute. In response, to an invitation from the Earl of Plymouth the council had consented to co-operate with. the Council of the Festival of Empire in carrying out the arrangements for the gathering which was to take p/ace at the Crystal Palace during May, June, anS y 'EXTENDING THE WORK. Regarding a suggestion that had been made that the time had arrived when some change in the name of the institute might be made, he said the council would be glad of any expression of opinion on the question from the Fellows in various parts of the Empire. But whatever was the name under which they were to continue their work there could be no difference of opinion as to the absolute necessity of increasing their membership, and with this object the council had sanctioned several schemes which were now being carried out. There was Che enlargement of the Journal. Then it was proposed to establish local centres in the large cities of the United Kingdom, and also in the populous centres in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the West Indies. Ceylon, and possibly in some parts of India. At these centre* the Fellows would be able to meet together for the reading, and discussion of papers, and in this way assist in extending the power and influence of the institute. POSSIBILITIES OF CO-ORDINATION The Chairman then directed attention to the position of the institute as compared with that of other institutions and societies which had been formed from time to time in the interests of the unity of the Empire. He said although it might not be possible for the institute to lay down any definite course of action the council recognised that it must take the lead in all matters affecting the union of the Empire, and that it must, as opportunities occurred, act promptly in spreading a better knowledge of the oversea dominions so as to remove misconceptions and strengthen the ties, that united the various portions of his Majesty's dominions. The question arose_ as to whether they should continue their efforts on the lines upon which hitherto they had been working, or whether they should endeavour to establish more closely their relations with the great, dominions of the Empire,. with, a view to devising some means by which the interests of its component . parts . might be considered more fully and impartially than, was possible under the existing partv system. Mr J. Murray Clark {Toronto) seconded the resolution, and did not think they should alter the name of the institute.

Mr ,R. Jebb thought that something might be done towards making the institute the centre of the work of those societies having similar objects, in. view; and he felt that the .time had arrived when the .title "colonial" should be chang-ed to something else. | The report was then adopted. i INSTITUTE AND POLITICS.

The Chairman moved an amendment to rule 17, which forbids the use of the institute for an address by Fellows on matters of business, extending the prohibition to letters " for any political purpose." M.r Frank Fox, who described himself as "the impenitent' miscreant" responsible for the amendmcßt being brought forward, opposed it. He argued that the very purnose of the institute was political in that It furthered Imperialism, and to

amend the rules as proposed would sterilise an important activity of the institute.

Mr A. Matheson (Australia) said that r.o protest had been made before, and it was only.made now because Mr Fox had hurt the feelings of one political party in England. He gave instances where the institute's address had been wisely and necessarily used for political purposes, and he opposed the amendment. On behalf of the council, the chairman then withdrew the proposed amendment, and the meeting terminated.