I034 



REVIEW OF REVIEWS. 



December 1, 1913. 



THE OVER SEAS CLUB. 



THE HON. ORGANISERS IN SOUTH 

 AFRICA. 



Mr. and Miss Wrench concluded their 

 world tour on November 8th, when they 

 sailed from Capetown for Eng-land. In 

 Natal, the Transvaal, Rhodesia and Cape 

 Province strong- branches of the Over Seas 

 were started. Members are both Engrlish 

 and Dutch. Mr. Wrench was much sur- 

 prised to find how extraordinarily well British 

 and Dutch g:et on together. He insisted in 

 many of his speeches that if politicians 

 and the newspapers want to serve South 

 Africa, the less they say about the differ- 

 ences between the two the better. Mr. 

 Wrench was astonished to find that South 

 Africa, unlike the other Dominions, has to 

 import food products. The org-anisers were 

 welcomed everywhere with enthusiasm. 

 Mayoral receptions were tendered them in 

 all the larger towns. They especially en- 

 joyed their stay at Government House, Bula- 

 wayo, from whence they visited Cecil 

 Rhodes' tomb in the Alatoppos. As inspira- 

 tion to establish the organisation now known 

 as the Over Seas Club came to Mr. Wrench 

 after Lord Grey had read to him Mr. Rhodes' 

 vision of an Imperial club, this visit was 

 peculiarly appropriate. 



Almost every prominent politician in South 

 Africa has now joined the club, and the 

 Governor - General, Viscount Gladstone, 

 agreed to become patron. In an interview- 

 in Pretoria, Mr. Wrench said that he con- 

 sidered New Zealand to be the most con- 

 tented of all the Dominions. He came away 

 from Australia feeling that there are as big 

 statesmen in the much-abused Labour Party 

 as any in the Empire. He spoke enthusias- 

 tically of general conditions in Australia, 

 but considered Canada one of the richest 

 countries in the world, fortunate in having 

 a climate which makes for a virile and ener- 

 getic population w^ho do work and will work. 



AN EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW. 



That the Over Seas Club has a substan- 

 tial purpose beyond the promulgation of the 

 praiseworthy doctrine of patriotism is shown 

 by an exhibition recently made in the window 

 of Messrs. Familton Brothers" shop in 

 Oamaru. There was to be seen a great 

 army of comfort-giving articles of clothing 

 made from cast-off stockings, socks and 

 kindred articles, which, under the deft 

 fingers of the lady members of the Oamaru 

 branch of the club, have been transformed 

 into singlets, mittens, and an infinite variety 

 of other wearing apparel. These articles, 

 with a remarkably large and comprehensive 

 collection of clothing discarded by their 

 owners, are to be transmitted to the club 

 authorities in London for distribution 

 amongst the poor of that great city, where 

 ^aunt poverty on an ever-growing gigantic 

 scale is to be found in conjunction with 



opulence and affluence. Other branches of 

 the club in New Zealand are also doing- 

 something in the same direction, and thus 

 providing a great object-lesson to the more 

 fortunate citizens of the centre of the Em- 

 pire. , 



THE DOMINION COUNCIL, N.Z. 



The various branches of the Over Seas 

 Club in New Zealand were the first to realise 

 the need of a Central Council for the pur- 

 pose of encouraging the better co-operation 

 of the branches, and of concentrating, har- 

 monising and making more efficient their 

 work in the furtherance of the objects of 

 the club. The Council consists of — (a) a 

 Patron, Patroness, President, two Vice-Pre- 

 sidents (one from North Island and one from 

 South), a Dominion secretary and a Domin- 

 ion treasurer, and (b) of not more than two 

 delegates from each branch of the club in 

 New Zealand. 



To defray expenses of the Council an 

 annual levy of 3d. per financial member is 

 made in every branch. The Council does 

 not interfere with the working of the 

 branches otherwise than by directing them. 

 Financial members going from one town to 

 another can become a member of the branch 

 he wishes to transfer to without further pay- 

 ment for the current year. If he remains 

 longer, of course, he pays his subscription 

 to the branch as an ordinary member. 



BRANCH REPORTS. 



There were not in November any very 

 special occasions for the Over Seas branches 

 to do much beyond holding the usual meet- 

 ings and social gatherings. In Melbourne, 

 the visit of the American Boys brought here 

 by Major Peixotto, enabled the club to ex- 

 tend hospitality to these bright American 

 visitors. Everything possible was done by 

 club members to make their stay in Mel- 

 bourne enjoyable, and other branches in 

 Australia should not lose the opportunity 

 this trip offers of getting in touch with 

 young America. 



On Wednesday, November 12th, Mr. G. 

 W. Tremaine, demonstrator of the Technical 

 College, gave the Over Seas Club in Sydney 

 a most interesting: lecture, " Electricity in 

 the Service of Man." He brought an ela- 

 borate plant with him, and, helped by his 

 assistants, showed how electricity aided man 

 in medicine, and indeed in almost every 

 science. The club goes apace in the 

 northern capital, and ere long will reach the 

 stage when club rooms can be obtained. 

 Other New South Wales branches are 

 steadily increasing their membership. At 

 Wagga an instructive debate was held upon 

 the possibility that the British Empire mig-ht 

 decay. 



Will Branch Secretaries please note that 

 unless reports are received by the 20th of the 

 month they cannot be included in our pages. 



