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REVIEW OE REV/l-.WS. 



CLUB NOTES. 



A great work is being done by the Over 

 Seas Club in Canada in protesting against 

 the Aniericanisation of the moving picture 

 business in the Dominion. The Montreal 

 branch reports that steps are now being taken 

 to put the production of British moving pic- 

 tures on an entirely new basis. We are as 

 tared in Australia as they are in Canada and 

 England of the everlasting scenes of Ameri- 

 can Wild W^est life, and the peculiar domestic 

 episodes shown on the Continental film. In 

 America 100 firms are engaged in producing 

 pictures; in England there are only 10! This 

 lack of British films is giving those inhabitants 

 of the British Dominions who have never seen 

 England a totally erroneous impression of 

 tbe country. If a battleship is shown it 

 usually is flying the Stars and Stripes : if the 

 film depicts the work of a fire brigade, the 

 scene is sure to be laid in an American city. 

 Winnipeg alone with its 200,000 inhabitants, 

 speaking 20 or 30 languages, throngs the 30 

 picture palaces every night, and sees picture 

 after picture of American production, because 

 British films simply cannot be obtained in 

 sufficient numbei-s. The result of the Over 

 Seas Club agitation against this state of 

 things has resulted in a desire to see British 

 scenes, a demand English firms are arranging 

 now bo meet. 



In Australia much the same state of affairs 

 exists. It would be an interesting task if 

 members of the Over Seas Club here were to 

 ascertain the proportion of foreign films used 

 compared to those of British production. The 

 members in Canada find that some 90 per 

 cent, came from the United States, France 

 and Italy. 



The Montreal branch bestows a first-grade 

 Order of Merit Badge on the member enroll- 

 ing the greatest number of new members in 

 a given time, and a second-grade Order of 

 Merit Badge on any member who enrols five 

 or more members. 



Omaru, N.Z. — The local branch now num- 

 bers 140 members. The Club flag flew for the 

 first time in Omaru on May 30th, on the oc- 

 casion of the visit of H.M.S. " New Zea- 

 land." On May 26th, Empire Day, the Club 

 gave a free concert and patriotic picture 

 show to 1200 scholars of the primary schools. 

 The children were addressed by the president, 

 Mr. Milner, and at the close of the function a 

 souvenir card was distributed to each child. 



The Farthest West Branch — Masset, Queen 

 Charlotte Islands, B.C. — The branch of the 



Club in Masset was reorganised in April last. 

 Mr. Chas. Harrison, S.M., was elected presi- 

 dent, and it was decided to call the Club the 

 "Farthest West" Branch of the Over Seas 

 Club. The secretary, Mr. Jessup, confidently 

 anticipates having 100 members in a month 

 or two. 



Bunedm iV.Z.— When H.M.S. " New Zea- 

 land " visited Dunedin, the Over Seas Club 

 then made Captain Halsey an honorary mem- 

 ber. The gallant captain regretted that 

 owing to his short stay in Dunedin he was 

 unable to meet the members of .the branch, 

 as he has done in other centres. The Club 

 despatched a cable message to the King, ex- 

 tending birthday congratulations, and re- 

 ceived the following reply: — "I am desired 

 to express His Majesty's thanks for the tele- 

 gram of congratulation and good wishes which 

 His Majesty has received from the members 

 of the Club. — Stamfordham." 



Otago, N.Z. — On the occasion of the visit 

 of H.M.S. "New Zealand" the local branch 

 of the Over Seas Club arranged to have bon- 

 fires lighted on the hillside at St. Clair, and 

 also on the hill at the back of Anderson's Bay. 

 One was burned as a welcome, the other as 

 a farewell as the gift Dreadnought passed by. 



Port Stanley, Falkland Island. — The branch 

 of the Over Seas Club here is certainly living 

 up to one of the rules, i.e., " to help one an- 

 other." The secretary, A. C. Kirwan, writes 

 that members are collecting £100 to give to 

 the London Hospital. 



Glshorne, N.Z. — The branch here has de- 

 cided to make a point of commemorating the 

 anniversaries of the birthdays of notable 

 figures in the history of the nation. The form 

 this takes is usually to offer prizes for the 

 best essay on the life of the man or woman 

 in question. 



Antofagasta, Chili. — J. S. Brace, hon. 

 sec, reports that the membership of the 

 branch is swelling rapidly, and that the in- 

 augural concert was a huge success, no such 

 gathering of British subjects having ever 

 before been seen in Antofagasta. 



The secretaries of the different branches 

 of the Over Seas Club should send any reports 

 they desire inserted in the Review of Reviews, 

 to reach Melbourne not later than the 18th 

 of the month. Address all communications 

 to Henry Stead, T. and G. Building, Swan- 

 ston-street, Melbourne. 



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