THE NAVY LEAGUE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16496, 5 August 1921, Page 2

THE NAVY LEAGUE.

' REPLY TO CRITICISM. EDUCATION BOARD SYMPATHETIC. A deputation from the Canterbury Branch of the Navy League waited oh the Canterbury Education Board this morning in support of ail application for permission for representatives of the league to deliver addresses and lectures to the school children, and to form branches Of the league in the schools, where the children wished to form branches. .Mr H. J. Marriner (president of the league) said that for some time past unfortunate- statements had been circulated regarding the nature of the league’s propaganda in the schools, and the deputation had waited oh the board with the object of explaining: its position. YJr the past seven or eight years, most- of their energies had been in the direction of assisting those who had suffered in the war. Out of aNew Zealand fund of £190,000 for the purpose of helping the dependants of 1 lio:*o who had lost their lives at sea, the Canterbury branch, which included the West Coast, had collected £60,000. The league had also assisted those who had come back after the war. The league intended to cultivate among the children an intenser patriotism and loyalty to the Throne and people, and they never intended to appeal to the militant instinct. If the league had its own. way it would abolish militarism and naval instruction to-morrow, but j considering the state of the world to- | day they were not in a position to scuttle the whole of the navy. The league proposed to instruct the school children by means of lectures which dealt with the lives of great naval men. There would also be lectures on, industrial matters, and thus inculcate in the minds -of the children an idea of what had built up the Km* pire. The league did not intend to step into the curriculum of the schools; all they asked was that the masters allow them to hold lectures in the schools, and for this purpose a -new kincmatograph had been obtained recently. Also there were many socialistic ideas about the talk of kicking over the traces. All that the league sought to do was to inculcate a truer idea of patriotism among the children. .Mr M. Holland, in endorsing MiMorriuer’s remarks, said the league' wished to impress the children with a love of Empire and of the British flag. The league desired permission to visit the •schools once a year and give a short lecture* and w henever possible a limelight or kincmatograph entertainment. Mr J. J. Dougall said that one of the features of the league’s work was the teaching of history and geography, so that they had uu educational as well ns a patriotic value. There was a considerable amount of insidious disloyalty about, and the league was an offset to that. "Mr J. -Jamieson, a member of the board, said that to settle the matter he would move that permission. be granted. file chairman: We must leave that nnatter till the deputation withdraws. After the deputation had withdrawn Mr W. A. Banks moved —“ That the board sympathises with the objects of the league and grants its representatives permission to visit the schools and give lectures and to form juvenile branches of the league at the schools if it desires to do so.” / The motion was seconded in several places and carried unanimously.