NAVY LEAGUE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 299, 22 January 1915, Page 9

NAVY LEAGUE.

AID FOR BELGIANS REFUSED

A meeting of the Navy League was held last evening to deal with a notice of motion to donate a portion of one of the funds to the Belgian Fund. ' Mr .J . J. Don gall, who presided over a large attendance, said that a great many letters had been received from members on the subject, and they showed that opinion was very equally divided. The position was that £1244 had been raised at a bazaar two years ago for a barge fund. Of this £IOO had been voted to the Canterbury Patriotic Fund, and just before Christmas £SO was voted to H.M.S. New Zealand. Of this sum, £6 came from the general funds and £44 from the bazaar and barge fund. He would like the meeting to decide whether it was desirable that the money should be voted to the Belgian Fund and away from its original object. There was no doubt that the Belgian Fund appealed to all, but it was a question whether this money, which had been specially earmarked, should be devoted to some other object. Mr H. J. Mamner, on behalf of Mr C. Bevan-Brown, in moving the motion, said that Mr Bevan-Brown's view was that the British nation should do all it possibly could to relieve the position of those who were brought to poverty through no fault of their own. Had the Belgians not fought as they did, the Germans would possibly have overrun the whole of France and rendered the position, of the Allies infinitely less advantageous than it was. He felt that of the sum possessed by the league some £2OO might be spared for the Belgians/

The Hon. 0. 0. Louisson seconded the motion, expressing the opinion that the money would be granted freely, and members would lie willing to make up the £2OO again for the bazaar fund.

The Rev. Eliot Chambers, though he did not like opposing the motion, said that out of principle lie was bound to do so. The sum raised for the barge fund was in no way commensurate with the needs of any scheme for the training of our youths for the naval service. Canterbury had been very generous to Belgium, and the people individually were doing their best. It was easy to take away £2OO from a fund, but it was a sacrifice which cost them nothing and one for which they could get but little credit. The money had been raised for a special purpose, and should 'lie maintained directly for that object/ Some people were resigning from the league, and if this were so it was unless for the others

to endeavour to procure' new members. It was an utterly wrong principle to divert this money from its particular object to any other cause, however worthy it might be.

Mr Dougall said that it had been found that £I2OO was quite insufficient for the establishment of a barge. £2OOO at least would be required, and it had been suggested that another bazaar should be held this year to raise that sum. Be-" fore any action was taken it was desired to consult the naval expert, but he had been too busy to go into the matter. The committee of the league, he believed, was against the voting of the money. The sum itself was neither here nor thereit. was a matter of principle. The motion, on being put to the meeting, was lost on the voices. Mr 11. ,1. Marriner then gave his lecturette upon '' Cermany and the War, illustrated by lantern slides.