OVERSEAS CLUB.

Otago Witness, Issue 3071, 22 January 1913, Page 10

OVERSEAS CLUB.

WELCOME TO MR AND MISS WRENCH. A welcome was tendered to Mr Evelyn Wrench (organiser of die Overseas Club) and his sister, Miss Wrench, by members of tho Dunedin Branch of the club on the 10th in the Art Gallery Hall. Tho hall had been beautifully decorated for the occasion, the stage presenting a very pretty appearance. The Dresden orchestra was in attendance and playefl’ a number of selections previous to Air William Burnett, the president of tho Dunedin branch of the club, opening tho proceedings. During the evening Mrs R. A. Power sang “ There’s a land” and “Lovely spring,” Mr R. Bryant “Young Tom o’ Devon,” and Mr R. A. Petersen “ Land of hope and glory ” and “ Little grey home in the West.” Mr Osborn contributed as a recitation “ Tho Ballad of tho Sea.” Mr William Burnetc, in the absence of the Mayor, extended a most hearty welcome to Mr Wrench and Miss Wrench, who were visiting Dunedin as organisers of the Overseas Club. Most of those present were members, and he need not explain the objects of the club. The club had been started by a few patriotic men in England, and members flocked to it in thousands, and ho hoped that before it was very much older they would number millions. He had received a telegram from a gentleman in Hunterville containing greetings and it was a very fine tiring to find such a feeling existing so far away as Hunterville. He wont on to re-ft'r to the sailors of olden time as the men who had made the British Empire—(applause)—the men who had made it possible for us to live here in Dunedin to-day. Ho hoped tho necessity for contributing to the upkeep of the British navy would become firmly impressed upon all. Through it we enjoyed wonderful freedom, and wore protected by it. He hoped that members would remember that we must return to that grand old country some of the kindness she had shown us.—(Applause.) Living as an island we would have a maritime population, and he thought all would five their services and assistance to the Impiro to which they belonged. He hoped our sons would bo able to say, as their fathers did, that they were masters of the sca-s. —(Applause.) Mr Wrench addressed those present at some length. Ho was received with loud applause on coming forward to speak, and, having expressed nis appreciation at the welcome accorded him, said he had wanted to come to Dunedin which, for overseas matters, was one of the bright spots in the Empire. He thought that was largely due to the energy of the secretary, Mr J. R. Macfie, who was for several reasons well qualified for the position he held. He (Mr Wrench) did not think members quite realised how fortunate they were in New Zealand. They had not the problems to face that bad to be faced in the Old Country, where there was overcrowding, poverty, and other evils. In the matter of tho navy New Zealand had done her duty, and he believed she would do a little more. He went on to refer to the profound effect the gift of the Dreadnought had had, and said he believed New Zealand would lead the way in such matters. Ho explained that he and Miss Wrench’s trip did not mean any expense to the club. They had visited something like 16 organised branches of the Overseas Club in New Zealand, and were now on their way back to Auckland. The club was abso-

lately a non-party one, and recognised no class distinctions, and there was no organisation representing the worker so well. The membership was 1003 resident outside the United Kingdom, and there were 500 branches, also outside the Unitecr Kingdom Speaking of the effect of the club, ho said it brought isolated British citizens more into touch with the Old Country, and it was a centre for disseminating information concerning Imperial subjects round the globe. The club did not compete with any other society doing work along similar lines, and ho believed the time would come when such clubs or societies would become merged. One thing it was hoped every branch would do was to look after a proper celebration of Empire Day, and it was further hoped they would interest the school children. In a number of centres lectures and debates were held, and Trafalgar Day and Shakespeare’s birthday weijf celebrated. In "Western Canada the club was endeavouring to get hold of the children of foreigners, and introduce moving pictures. There American pictures were shown which did not place the British people in a favourable light. In South Africa the club was trying to bring the Briton and the Boer together, and to heal the sores that existed. Touching on nival matters, he pointed out that in 1896 Germany poesessed a fleet of four second-rate battleships, but in 1915 she would own an organised fighting-lino of 6450 miles, with 40 Dreadnoughts and 60 cruisers t of the latest description. He hoped the time would come when interests in the Pacific would be looked after bv the fleets of Canada, Australia. and New Zealand. It was no use building up local fleets if they were going to act on their own. He went on to refer to how little New Zealand was known to the outside world, and urged that it should take a leaf out of Canada’s book. In England you could not take up a newspaper - without reading something about Canada. He believed New Zealand wanted population provided it was of the right sort, and thought the Overseas Club could help to bring that about. A primary obiect of the club was to dispel ignorance with regard to Imperial and other matters. The Mother Country had enormous tasks before it, arid in this connection he referred to the governing of India, South Africa, and the Federated Malay States. Provided wo produced the right kind of people ho did not believe they need worry for the future. We would remain great so long as we produced great men.—(Applause.) ( Mies Wrench spoke on “ Patriotism as it Striker? a Woman.” She said in the course of her remarks that a woman’s work seemed less apparent than a man’s, and women were very human and liked to have their work recognised. Women loved their country every bit as much as men, and anyone loving their country must serve it in some shape or form.-—(Applause.) We wanted our country happy and even more prosperous than it was already, and a happy country implied happy individuals, and they w<ere brought up in happy homes, so it seemed to her that we came back to woman as the heart and centre of patriotism. To woman had been given the greatest of all duties —the cultivation of character, —and nothing but character counted in the long run. It was the hand that rocked the cradle that ruled the world. She had been told on one occasion that New Zealand children feared neither God, man, nor the devil, and if that were so whose fault was it. Children did not bring themselves up. No patriotic scheme was complete -unless it included the children. The Mayor (Mr John Wilson) made a few remarks towards the close, and the proceedings terminated with" the singing of the National anthem.