238 Australian Life 



The founders of the society had another reason 

 for confining its membership to those of native 

 birth. It is an excellent reason from a business 

 point of view, and has to do with the sick and 

 funeral fund. In a country newly settled, the 

 native born are all young, with the prospect of 

 long and healthy lives before them. This was 

 the case with Australia when the Australian 

 Natives' Association was founded. Its members 

 were recruited from among the hale youths of 

 the first generation of the Victorian born, the best 

 possible constituency for a benefit society. The 

 men who wanted to build up a sound and sub- 

 stantial funeral fund displayed astuteness in 

 passing by the elder men born in Great Britain, 

 who were not only less whole-souled in their 

 allegiance to Australian ideals, but less eligible as 

 benefit members. 



Among the functions of the association is the 

 celebration of the Australian national holiday. 

 This is Anniversary Day, the commemoration of 

 the landing of Captain Phillip on January 26, 

 1788. Accordingly, the Australian Natives' 

 Association holds its annual fte on each 26th of 

 January. Prizes are offered in all departments 

 of art, literature, and athletics. The budding 

 singers, musicians, and artists of Australia com- 

 pete in one part of the Melbourne Exhibition 

 Building, while foot and cycle races are going 

 on in the arena outside. There are prizes for 

 reciting, prizes for debating, and prizes for liter- 



