SCOTSMEN WANTED.

Otago Witness, Issue 3148, 15 July 1914, Page 38

SCOTSMEN WANTED.

(Feom Oub Own Coehespondent.) WANGANUI, July 9. The question as to whether Caledonian Societies are as Scottish as they might be was raised at a meeting of the Wanganui Caledonian Society last night, when Mr J. Driver resigned from the committee, giving as his reason that ho considered the society was getting away from the objects for which it was formed. The Scottish element, he said, was decreasing. A discussion followed this announcement, and a member said the remedy was in the hands of the members. Mh Driver Was asked to name members of the conunitteo who were not Scottish. One member who was mentioned said he was as Scottish as anyone in Wanganui, although ho was not born in Scotland Mr M'Niven (the chairman) said he did not agree with Mr Driver. Mr Muir remarked that as years passed by it would become increasingly difficult to get people in the society who were born in Scotland. Tho descendants must take their place. The experiences of several big towns were quoted. In Dunedin—a Scottish settlement—they could not get a sufficient number of Scotsmen to form a society, and they had to take in any other gentlemen they could get. In a smaller town like Wanganui they could not expect to keep the society entirely Scottish. The discussiori dosed with Mr Driver saying that he only expressed his views, and that ho thought the society could be entirely Scottish.