INTERNATIONAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3714, 19 May 1925, Page 32

INTERNATIONAL TOPICS.

LUNCHEON TO MR HENRY HOLMES. Mr Henry N. Holmes, the well-known T.M.C.A. leader, was tendered a complimentary luncheon by the Dunedin Y.M.C.A. on Tuesday. There was a large attendance of business men. Mr J. It. Waters (president of the Dunfdin Young Men's Christian Association) introduced Mr Holmes, who, he said, had been for eight years general secretary of the T.M.C.A. in Wellington and national secretary of the Y.M.C.A. it. South Africa. With the troops of General Botha he had Served through the campaign in German Booth-Wost Africa, had been on active Service In Fran c, ami had been torpedoed ill tholrhli Sea in a liner which sank in 12 minute*. He had also been metropolitan secretary of the Y.M.C.A. in London. Mr Holme: '©marked that it was a grand thing lo return to his own land after a long absence. One thing that had been Surprising to him during the war, no •aid, whs the friendship that existed •mong the American and the Australian And New Zealand soldiers. Indeed, the forces from the dominion onl Australia had been tho most popular in the Tlnlteo Bln tea. Tho p« iple had a great, deni In common and the warm regard in which the colonials were held had been exemplified in the reinnrkuble receptions that had

be.'u given to returning troops at New port News amt in the Panama Canal. Thit growing friendship between the great Empire and the great Republic should l»e promoted and encouraged, as it was a leSirable thing. Until the immigration lestrictions had been brought into force a million persons a year were being ad mitted Into the States, and in New York there were 11 papers printed in the English language ami 3G in other languages. The British Empire was welding the differ ent races together, and the Republic was doing likewise, though it was finding the task a more difficult one. The lives of English, French, and German lads, continued the speaker, had been influenced by national heroes, but the hope that the American boy fostered was that he might become the business man typical of his country. Referring to tho Y.M C.A. Mr Holmes said that the oiganisation was making good progress, and was doing a great work. In France no liner work l ad been done for tho New Zealand soldiers than i hat by the Y.M.C.A. The membership numbered a million and a-half, and there were 10,000 associations. lie instanced one young man who, working under Hit auspices of the association, had been instrumental in making scholars of 200,000 illiterate Chinese. He had made the language simpler. Other countries were realising the value of the Y.M.C.A., and the municipality of Salonika had last year given four acres of land as a site where an association could be opened. In conclusion, Mr Holmes dealt with Pacific problems. He said that the general belief was that the Pacific was the pivot round which activity would move in a few years’ time. At the conclusion of the address Sir George Fenwick moved a hearty vote of thanks to the speaker, and emphasised the influence that the friendship between America and the British colonies would have on the future.