DUNEDIN BURNS CLUB.

Otago Witness, Issue 2928, 27 April 1910, Page 87

DUNEDIN BURNS CLUB.

The committee of the Dunedin Burn* Club has every reason to be satisfied with, the attendance at the first monthly concert of the year, given on the 21st, available seat in the Art Gallery Hall being occupied, while a number of patrons had to be satisfied with standing rcom. The president of the club (Mr D. Stevenson), who presided, dispensed with anything in the form of an opening address, and intimated' that during the season an effort would be made to confine the concert programmes and speeches to two hours, so that an hour's dancing might be indulged in afterwards. The Rev. D. Dutton, the only other speaker of the evening, gave a spiritual and characteristic address on "The Scottish. Soldier," and stated tnat during the South African war he had the_pleasure and privilege of meeting both Highland and Lowland soldiers, and had found among them some of his best friends and mo6t jolly comrades. " Scotland," the reverend gentleman said, " had always contributed in no small measure to the distinguished soldier* and fighters of the British army, and h» did not know any people who ought to b« more proud of this than Scottish people themselves, who had contributed so much in blocd and treasure for the British Empire." Humorous reference was made to the fact that Scottish regiments in the army, had often in them Englishmen, Irishmen, Welshmen, and it was on record that iv one regiment there was a soldier from Jerusalem. This he took to be a compliment to the Scottish regiments, as it indicated that therms'was a desire to get into the best and most famous fighting ranks. Fighting in a time of war was a business with the Highlander, but there was no man. more ready than the Highlander, when he had conquered his opponent, to extend a helping hand, if it was needed, to a fallen foe, and numerous instances of this, the speaker said, had occurred during the South African war. The Scottish soldiers also, Mr Dutton remarked, took naturally to commandeering, and he drily suggested that this was an inherited trait—but whether this was so or not, no man in the army knew better the taste of commandeered chickens or the excellence of stuffed sucking p.ig than the Highland soldier. The patriotism and the prowess of the Scottish soldier were dwelt upon, and also the inspiriting effect of the bagpipes. The reverend gentleman was heartily applauded on resuming his seat. The concert programme included a bagpipe selection by Pipe-major M'Callum, songs by Mrs Monfc-man-Dempster, Misses Monteith, Watt, and Crawley, Messrs Garden, Barnard, and J f°-. , Mrs Robb garo two recitations effectively, and the choir, under the baton ot Mr Paget Gale, contributed a numbar of Scottish part songs, the programme concluding with the singing of " Auld larrg syne. An hour's dancing followed.