THE GAELIC SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2978, 12 April 1911, Page 5

THE GAELIC SOCIETY.

The annual lousiness meeting of the Gaelic Society was held on the sth in the Oddfellows’ Hall, Stuart street. The Chief (Mr Dugald M'Phenson) occupied the chair at the beginning- of the meeting, but had to attend a council meeting, when the chair was taken by Chieftain T. W. Munro. From the annual report read it was shown that the past year was a quiet but fairly prosperous one, the financial transactions showing some £l6 to the good, and the total balance in the bank at date £146. This included the amount still unexpended- belonging to the Quinten M'Kirmon Cairn Fund, which was considered too small to warrant beginning the intended memorial to the discoverer of M'Kinnon’iS Pass.

The office-bearers elected for the ensuing year were: —Chief, Mr Dugald M‘Pherson ; chieftains, Mr Roderick Mackenzie, Hon. Thomas Mackenzie, and Mr T. W. Munro; treasurer,- Mr Donald M'Pherson; secretary, Mr William Macleod ; committee —Captain M'Oallum, Messrs Donald Matheson, sen., Donald Matheson, jun., Oolin M‘Kenzie, John M‘Rae, John. Henderson (Oanaaru), Donald Munro, Kenneth McDonald, John M‘Lean, Peter M'Kellar, George Ritchie, R. MTCenzie, J. M‘Tumor, Simon Chisholm, D. M‘Lachlan, "Duncan M‘Donald (Hindon), Dugald M‘Lachlan (Purakanui), D M. Fea, John Cameron, Wm. Morrison, Alexander McDonald (with power to add to their number); chaplain. Rev. Duncan Maclennan, M.A. (Edendale) ; accompanist, Mis® L. Reeve; piper, /Pipemajor M‘Kechnie; bards—Mr Neil M‘Fadyen, Mr Dugald Ferguson, Mr A. C. Robertson, and Mrs Colville; auditors, Messrs Jno. Cameron and T. W. Munro.

Correspondence was read from Rev. Mr Maclennan enclosing a letter from Professor Mackiimon, Edinburgh, mentioning that Highlanders in the Home Country were purposing making a presentation to the wellknown bard, Neil MacLeod, author of the popular song, “An gleann ’s n robh mi og,” and many other songs and poems; and Highlanders all the world over were now given an opportunity to subscribe to the testimonial. The office-bearers o I the Dunedin Society would be pleased to receive any donations towards the object Correspondence was also read from Chieftain Roderick Mackenzie giving an account of the many Highland Society functions to which he was invited in the Home Country as a representative of the Gaelic Society of New Zealand. He made a suggestion that the society might offer medals as prizes for competition at its next meeting,- which takes place in Glasgow. Mr Mackenzie was authorised to give effect to the suggestion. Mr John M‘Donald (ex-Maypr) sent the meeting a cordial greeting arid good wishes for a prosperous year. In the absence of Pipe-major M‘Kechnie, Messrs John M‘Lean and Alexander M‘Kay discoursed the national music at intervals throughout the evening. Miss L. Reeve contributed pianoforte selections. Mr D. M. Fea sang “ Th© Cameron men ” and “ A

Highlandman’s toast,” Miss Chisholm, “Farewell to Fiunary ”; Mir A. C. Robert-' son, “An t eilean ’s an d’ fhuair mi m* araoh,” _“ Me nighean dnbh,” and “Ho ro mo nighean donn bhoidheach ” ; Mr Jno. M‘Rae. “Mo nighean dhonn og ” ; Master Chisholm, “ The reason why I wear the kilt”; M r Donald Munro, “An gleann ’s an robh mi og ” and “ Dheainn sugradh”; Miss Flynn recited “ Napoleon’s Address t 6 his Troops” and “The bird’s-eye View”; Mr Flynn contributed two comic songs, and Mr Finlay M’Kenzie sang “Mo shoiridh Leis na gruagaichean ” and “ Mo run a nhaightlean.”

Mr John Dow was elected a member.