9|0 



REV/EW OF REVIEWS. 



Soeemher 1, 1013. 



BRANCH REPORTS. 



Sydney. — Mr. Duncalfe reports that the 

 Sydney branch presented Admiral Patey 

 with an address of welcome, which we repro- 

 duce herewith. The membership steadily in- 

 cieasfS, and ere long club-rooms will be ar- 

 ranged for. 



Tnoiroomha.. — Mr. Austen sends an account 

 of the first social function held by the Clul). 

 which was one of the most successful gather- 

 ings the town had witnessed for some time. 

 The Club has started a movement to get the 

 scholars in the schools to march past and 

 silute the Union Jack at least once a day. 

 This is already being done at the Hnrristown 

 School, Toowoomba. The Committee is ar- 

 ranging to have a notice thrown on the 

 scieen at the local picture theatre r( questing 

 the male portion (at least) of the audience to 

 stand still and uncovered during the playing 

 of the National Anthem at the close of the 

 performance. Prizes are being offered for 

 the bfst essays on Trafalgar Day to the 

 scholars of the local schools. The member- 

 ship of the branch is now over n70, an in- 

 crease of more than 600 during the year. 



Aitcklaml. — At the annual general meeting 

 i.i September Mr. Farnell reports that the 

 question of erecting a welcome ball at the 

 .\uckland Exhibition was discu.^sed. The 

 matter was referre<l to the Dominion Coun- 

 cil. The chairman, Mr. Beekett, praised the 

 good work done by the Ladies' Committee in 

 helping Sir John Kirk's Hagged School Union 

 with gifts of clothing. It was proposed to 

 hold business luncheons on the occasion of 

 the arrival of any notable visitor in Auck- 

 land. After discussion the subscription fee 

 was raised from 2/6 to 5/-. The following 



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We Sdiid w/jere veK, ships could sail. \ ^ 

 We Founded many a miqhly stale ^ 

 Way Cod our grealhess may nofTail 

 ThrouQli craven Fears or being grea"^^^^ \ 



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iaWESTYS 



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motions were sent to the Dominion Secretary 

 for the Executive's approval, in which case 

 they will be presented to Parliament : — (I) 

 '■ Understanding the islands of tile Pacific 

 Ocean are gradually being populated by the 

 overflow of alien peoples, the Auckland 

 branch of the Over Seas Club, through its 

 Dominion executive, urges the Government 

 to enter into negotiations with the Tonga n 

 Government with a view to annexing the 

 Friendly Islands to New Zealand, and thus 

 to preserve them from encroachment by some 

 forei2;n nation." (2) 'That the Government 

 of New Zealand be asked, through our 

 Dominion executive, to allow the patriotic 

 institutions of New Zealand, the Victoria 

 Leiigue, the . Navy Lt^ague, and the Over 

 Seas Club, to have a representative on the 

 New Zealand Defence Council." 



Oamant. — At a social gathering held l)y 

 the branch, the Organiser, Mr. A. Smith, 

 and the Hon. Secretary, Mr. C. H. Swinartl. 

 were presented with Club badges set in gold 

 and suitably inscribed. The arrangements 

 for fittingly celebrating Trafalgar Day were 

 concluded. 



Christchurch . — The branch entertained Sir 

 Joseph Walton, M.P.. one of the members 

 of the British I'arliamentary delegation, at 

 lunch. The Mayor of Christchurch, Mr. 

 Holland, presided as President of the branch, 

 and many representative and distinguished 

 men were present. Mme. Nordica sent a 

 characteristic letter of apology for not being 

 able to come. Sir Joseph was made an 

 honorary member of the Club, and gave a 

 splendid address on the Empire, and the 

 loyalty he liad found throughout Australasia. 



Duncilin.- A large and most successful 

 .social gathering was held on October 10th, at 

 the Art Gallery Hall. Mr. Eraser, K.C.. 

 pKsided. The Rev. D. Dutton gave a stir- 

 ring address upon patriotism, drawing on his 

 South African experiences to illustrate his 

 theme. He crystallised the spirit of the 

 Club in a sentence. " Members join," he 

 said, " to do and not to get." A euchre tour- 

 nament and a musical programme helped 

 to pass tlie evening. 



Wagga Wagga. — Miss Purnell reports that 

 the members now number 75. At the monthly 

 meeting three interesting papers were rea<l 

 up'^^n what women have done and are doing 

 for the Empire. The subject of discussion 

 at the n^eyrt meeting is to be " Will the Brit- 

 ish Empire Decay as Past Empires have De- 

 cayed?" 



JUuvnrra. — The Hon. Secretary. Miss Mar- 

 tell, writes that at the annual general meet- 

 ing Coloi\el P. Owen was elected Patron and 

 Mr. W. Robertson President. The member- 

 ship has increased by 116 during the year, 

 and the junior branch now numbers 40. An 

 Honour Board will be presented by the 

 branch to the military cadets, on whicTi the 

 names of the winners of the yearly competi- 

 tion will be inscribed. The branch is giving 

 also two trophes of one guinea each as prizes 

 for maikmanship amongst the cadets. 



