HIGHLAND SOCIETY OF SOUTHLAND

Southern Cross, Volume 7, Issue 22, 26 August 1899, Page 7

HIGHLAND SOCIETY OF SOUTHLAND

THIRD ANNUAL GATHERING.

It is a far cry from Southland to London, but the two places are alike in one respect —they can each boast of a Highland Society. Unlike its London namesake, which dates back to 1778, the Southland organisation is but a thing of yesterday, nevertheless the enthusiasm displayed in connection with the third annual gathering, celebrated on Friday, IBth lust., augurs well fer a long and prosperous career. The concert was held in Hanan’s Hall, and was so well patronised that standing room was gladly accepted by late comers. The Southland Pipe Band opened what proved to be a most enjoyable programme with a selection, and then the stalwart musicians gave place to the Chief, Mr Allan Carmichael, and a strong body of supporters, representatives of kindred societies and others.

The Chairman, who read greetings from the Waitaki Celtic Society, and apologies for absence from the Rev. Father O’Neill (Milton), and Messrs J, S. M. Fraser and McDonald (Dunedin), and It. Gilmour (Invercargill), explained the objects of the Society to be the perpetuation of the language, literature, and music ot the Scottish Highlands. No people could have a true regard for their native land without cherishing the highest and noblest sentiments, and he accepted the liberal patronage extended to the Society on that and previous occasions as indicative of strong approval of the Society’s objects. That patronage also proved that the Highlander had net lost- his popularity, although there was a time, if the records were true, when he was regarded ap a rather undesirable neighbour owing to his fancy fot other people’s cattle. (Laughter.) However, Highlanders were progressive, and had long since altered the old way of showing friendship for a neighbour. The chairman closed with a short address in Gaelic. One of the bards, Mr A. Kinross, then ' recited the following lines, written by him in honour of the gathering :

The years pass by, yet evermore our hearts arc still the same, Though far apart, we still revere the land from which we came. We think upon the Highland hills we trod when we were young, And where we oft with pleasure heard the ancient Gaelic tongue. And now in this fair Southern land we hav e a pleasant home, In which we are content to dwell, and never need to roam, We’ve flocks and herds on hill and dale, and on each fertile plain, We cultivate in plenteous crops old Scotland’s favourite grain. And children now are growing up to fill their parents’ place, We strive to train them worthily to carry on the race, And though New Zealand,is the land to them must be most dear, We hope the records of the past they ever will revere. The customs of our native land we hold in high regard, We meet to hear the stirring words of orator and bard, To listen to the bagpipes play, and see the tartans wave, The emblems of the Highland clans so gallant and so brave. Though speeches, songs, and poems, too, may all be good to hear, Yet better still to join the dance with some sweet partner dear, When to the music’s cheerful strains we dance schottische and reel The blood runs swiftly through our veins, and youthful still we feel. We wish good-luck and happiness to friends are ever true, And hope at many a gathering yet our friendship to renew; Then health to every Highland lad is generous and free, And health to each poetic lass who kindly thinks of me. Mr John McDonald, of the Otago Celtic Society, who had travelled all the way from Palmerston to be present, expressed his pleasure at the success ot the gathering, and at the presence in the company of Englishmen and Lowlanders. They ought to be proud of the Highlanders, for Highland regiments had fought in

many a battle in defence of the Empire. In the space of thirty years the Isles of Skye had furnished ten regiments, and a great many officers and pipers. i Mr J. A. Mitchell, President of the Caledonian Society, who quickly discovers the , droll side in everything, said that while he did not wish to introduce politics, the chairman, who was an aspirant for Parliamentary honours, had proved that in addition to his other excellent qualifications for a member, he possessed one that excelled all the others. He alluded to the reference made to the way in which the Highlanders used to acquire stuff belonging to other people. (Laughter.) A gentleman who went to Parliament and expected to secure what was good for his constituency must have tarry fingers, “ and I feel satisfied,” continued the speaker, “ from his own admission to-night, that the chairman is the man for Wallace.” (Laughter.) It was quite true, as Mr McDonald had stated, that the Highlapders had fought for the English, but that was only right after having taken their cattle. —(Laughter.) Mr J. Sinclair, President of the Irish Athletic Societj, also gave a short address, remarking that all three nationalities were wanted to build up this grand young country. The Very Rev. Dean Burke opened with a sentence or two in Irish Gaelic. “ I am speaking in the mellifluous tongue of Munster,” he added. (A voice ; I understand what you are saying.’’) Dean Burke, continuing, said that be regarded it as a privilege to be asked to speak at the annual gathering of a society whose aim it was to perpetuate the traditions of the grand old Celtic race. It had seen many ups and downs ; but there was an extraordinary recuperative and expanding power in the Celt, and he is found to-day not as a mere ghost reminiscent of the hoary past in the British isles. He is found in millions in the home-lands and in decades of millions abroad, and everywhere he brings with him his enthusiastic, sensitive, idealising spirit. Deep-thinking philosophic Englishmen have come to recognise that it would have been an awful calamity for England herself to have extinguished the Celtic race by destroying their language, their memories and their race-customs, their love of light and life and gaiety, their poetry and music, and social, happy temperament. “ No service,” says Matthew Arnold, “ which the English can render the Celts by giving them a share in their many good things can surpass that service which the Celts can render the English by communicating some of their good qualities. These times of coarse Philistinism give the greater opportunity to the greater delicacy, spirituality, and ideality of the Celtic peoples to make themselves prized and honoured. In a certain measure the children of the Gael and the Cymbri have now the opportunity for renewing the famous feat of the Greeks, and conquering their conquerors.” Dean Burke went on to say that at present there was a great movement in the world whose scope seemed to be to Europeanise or wipe out the non-European races of the earth. In this movement England was taking a forward place, and shoulder to shoulder with Angle and Saxon and Norman all over the earth goes forth the Celt, relieving with his poetry and eloquence and romance, with his quick perception and strong emotions, with his love of the brilliant, the beautiful and the ideal, the dull everyday materialism and creeping earthiness of his big-fisted, flatfooted, more practical brother. (Laughter and applause.) Saxon phlegm would be a poor thing if not relieved by Celtic sentirftent. There was, then, not annihilation, but a great work, a great future before the ever-green, elastic, aspiring Celt. The Dean closed with a sketch of the meeting at Dublin in June last of the Irish Gaelic League, at which 2,000,000 Celtic-speaking people were represented, and made special reference to the presence of & hand-

some young pair, the 5 cynosure of all eyes-—Duncan McDonald and bis sister Emily. He charmed the people with his singing, and his sister accompanied him on the Highland harp. “ I never auv,” said one who was present, “ greater delight on any faces than beamed on those of the young Highlander and his sister as they were cheered by their Irish audience.” The Rev. Gibson Smith, in an address reminiscent and anecdotal, dealt with “ Memories of the Mother Land,” and conveyed to his hearers a keen sense of the fearful joy he had snatched from the ghost stories told by the fireside of a winter’s night and of the high delight at holiday time of excursions to the blae berry woods. The light and shadow, the mingled gladness and sadness associated with home - land memories were very happily blended in the address, and the story connected with the music, language, and liquor of the Highlanders provoked roars of laughter.

Mr J. McNeil (one of the Society’s bardsj contributed two songs in (jaelic, Mr A. MoKellar gave a reading in the same tongue, the Black Family played an orchestral selection and Miss Elsie Black a violin solo, Mr J. Black sang two comic songs, Messrs B. B. Wilson and E. W. Wright sang, Mrs Blue’s vocal numbers were marked by all her wonted charm, Miss Thomson also contributed several songs with good effect, and Messrs G. Anderson, W. Jenkins, H. Geddes, and J. D. Mitchell danced a Highland reel. Mrs Blue and Miss Black played the accompaniments, and the Black Family and the Pipe Band afterwards played at the ball. The Chief having thanked the speakers and singers and audience, and Capt. Gardner having complimented the Chief on his conduct of the gathering, the audience dispersed, many of them finding their way to Guthrie’s building, where a ball, in which over 100 couples took part, and in which the Pipe Band headed the Grand March, closed a most successful reunion.