VICTORIA LEAGUE.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16161, 15 March 1918, Page 2

VICTORIA LEAGUE.

—T~ FIRST DOMINION CONFERENCE. The first Dominion Conference of the Victoria League of New Zealand opened in the Provincial Council Chamber vesterday. Mr "W. J. Napier, president of the Auckland branch, was elected preThe delegates were officially welcomed bv the Mayor (Mr H. Holland), who said he was present in his civic capacity and that ho was proud to be associated with the League, which was -wimung o-ood opinions from aU classes of the community. Ho was sure the delegates would enjoy their stay in tlie Garden City. \ PRESIDENT'S ADDREsS. |In thaaUing the Mayor for.hi s welcome. Mr Napier said that ( . hr,i - t . c l,, " : J| was famed as the most, old-world and scholarly city in tho Dominion, and lie had been much impressed by its resemblance to the cathedral tow ns ot England. He thanked the Conference for electing him president, and greatl> appreciated the honour of presiding at. the first Dominion Conference of the League. Continuing, Mr Napier said. "After some ten years of labour by the individual branches in the Dominion, it, was at length felt that there should be closer co-operation co : ordination between all the branches, and that a periodic Opportunity should bo o-iven the members for the intercliango of ideas upon League work—hence the Conference which meets here to-day. I extend a hearty welcome to all the dole-o-ates who have come, and I trust that our deliberations will result in greater unity of effort in the cause of the Empire, and still more pronounced success in the League's many-sided .activities, especially its Red Cross work." After setting out the objects of the League, Mr Napier went on to say: "Our war work has consisted of the labour of thousands of women and • girls, exerted to nllcviato tho miseries and discomforts of our hcroic boys at the front, A\ e scarcely realise in this far outpost of the Empire, that the peace and security of our dailv lives depend upon the shield of tho British Navy, and the unbreakable khaki line across France, which has stemmed the onrush of the Teuton liordos. "There is no touch of Jingoism about our League. Our Imperialism is that of a sane democracy, passionately attached to tho civilisation, the institutions, and the ideals of British citizenship. Wo cherish the fundamental attributes of the British character. Wo are out to propagate the principles of the British Constitution —than which no human instrument has ever been devised moro effectively to secure wellordered liberty for human beings. This Conference will, with God's help, result in teaching us how better to carry on. For carry on we must and will, until freedom for all —the weak as woll as the strong—is secure. There are no timid counsels in tho Victoria League. We neither give car to aristocratic backsliders of tho Lansdowne type, nor to tlie ill-informed pacifist of the street corner. Steadily, persistently, unfalteringly, until our ends are achieved and the Empire is made safe, -we shall, one and all, unitedly, and with tho wholo of our strength, carry on." (Applause.) Miss Coates (Wellington) moved that the Governor-General and the Countess of_ Liverpool be asked to become Dominion patrons; of tho League. The motion was carried with applause. BRANCH REPORTS. Miss Jackson (Duncdin) reported that in Dunedin the League worKed lu conjunction with the Soldiers' Welfare Committee, and the members d,d what they could in assisting the wives and children of tho men on active seivice. Magazines were collected for tro >p and Jiospital ships, and varioiii other patriotic activities were assisted. There were 310 adult and 350 junior members of the branch. Mrs Carey-Hill reported on the work of the Chris tchurch branch. In addition to war work, the League had joined the Navy League in educational work in the schools. For Wellington, Mrs Chatficld reported that no transport left that port without' medical comforts and hospital clothing from the League. The branch had also co-operated in every patriotic effojt, and had assisted at camp concert! since tho time when the Main Body was encamped at Trcntham. Miss Holland (Auckland) detailed the large amount ot work done by that branch of the League. A Soldiers' Graves Committee had cared for the graves of soldiers, sailors, and friendly Natives who fell in the Maori war, until the Government had taken over this work, and a magnificent le morial to these men had been arranged for, the sculptor being Mr Eyre Maclyn, A.R.A. An Advice to Settlers' •Committee had under consideration plans for settling Imperial and New Zealand soldiers on tlie land at the close of the war. The League had been the first Auckland body to take up Red Cross work, and had also sent a motor ambulance to tho front. The branch had also assisted in raising large sums of money lor various funds. A lied Cross shop had been opened, and it was through the instrumentality of the branch that a Soldiers' Clu'd had been started in Auckland. Mrs Anderson (Wanganui) said that her branch had been in existence only sincc the beginning of tlie war. The principal work had been assisting other .patriotic societies, notably the Lady Liverpool Fund. For North Otago Mrs Woodward reported that every month twenty cases, containing soldiers' bags, were sent away. Tjie branch met twice a week, although it was a small one, with only 35 members. Gisbornc reported that for two years it had ruu a shop in aid of tho British Red Crosg, Fund. The proceeds for that period had been £10,000. In addition considerable sums of money had been raised for other patriotic purposes. Tie Manurewa branch reported that it had sixty members, who met fortnightly for Red Cross work. Mr Napier said that he believed the activities of tlie ten branches in New Zealand represented a sum of £1-50,000. A committee was set up to report as to the best means of increasing interest in and extending the membership of tho Victoria League. Mrs Murdoch Anderson gave an account of the work in South Africa of tho Loyal Women's League, now the Victoria League. GIFT AEROPLANE. . After the luncheon adjournment Mrs Chilton (Christehurch) brought forward a proposal to present an aeroplane, to be called the N c w Zealand Victoria League Aeroplane, to the Imperial Forces. The motion was seconded by Mrs Napier (Auckland). The president said the proposal was a good one, and more sensible than the recent idea of sending a tank. In answer to a question, Mrs Chilton said an aeroplane would cost ud to £1500. * The motion was referred to a subcommittee for a report. COST OF LIVING. A remit from the Wellington branch to the cifect that the League should endeavour by lectures and talks to housewives to spread information with regard to the cost of Jiving, and practical economics was discussed at «ome length, members holding that the matter was beyond the provinco of the League.

On the motion of the president, the remit -was altered, and a resolution was passed to the effect that the recent great rise in the cost of living required. on Imperial grounds, the attention of the women of the Dominion. The oonferenoe then adjourned until 11 o'clock this morning.