VICTORIA LEAGUE.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16162, 16 March 1918, Page 2

VICTORIA LEAGUE.

ANNUAL MEETING AND CONVERSAZIONE. The annual meeting and conversazione of the Christchurch branch the Victoria League took place last night.. Mr G. T. Booth presiding. The affair took place in ''Te AVharc," which was transformed into a drawingroom and beautifully decorated for the occasion. The platform -was banked with palms and pot plants, while hanging from the ceiling were large trellised baskets of flowers in amethyst, rose, and pale pink tones, bella-donna lilies, Michaelmas daisies, and asters' being used witli charming efiect. while palmstands bearing large bowls of flowers stood here and there. There was a very large attendance, the gathering being graced by i:er Excellency the Countess of Liverpool, as well as tlu: visiting delegates ana a large number of members and friends of the League. Her Exrellencv was welcomed hy Mrs Elworthy (president of the League) and Mrs Carey-Hill, and was | presented with a lovely bouquet or j pink lilies and sweet peas and heliotrope daisies, which harmonised beautifully with her dainty frock of heliotrope crope Georgette and satin with touches of silver passementerie. Proccediugs commenced with the reading by Mrs Carey-Hill of the report for the year, which showed that most of the League's activities Lad been occasioned -by the war. In connexion with the' Navy League. the} branch had promoted wssay competi-j tion:; on Imperial subjects. Members had assisted at the Rose Fete by running a garden accessories department in connexion with the Lady Liverpool Society's flower stall. Gifts of clothing had been sent to England. Special mention was made of the junior associates, who had worked most assiduously for the League. « The report concluded by referring to the Victoria League Conference which was being held, out of which it W3S hoped to further the already wide sphere of influence exerted by the League. In moving the adoption of the. report, Mr G. T. Booth said that the activities ol the Victoria League—an organisation consisting of British men and women—had made it widely known as a loyalist Society which was helping the nation win the war. The character ol the League recommendod it widely at a time such as the present. He referred to the great influence exerted in the war by the women of our own and Allied nations. He did not allude only to their active waY work, though that put the "ork or the men to shaine. Battles were won by armies in the field, but their valour was sustained by the influence of the women they' had left, at home. Victory could be ours onlv if tho spirit of the nation tvns high and courageous to the end, and it was tin; women who sustained that spirit; So long as the women maintained their I spirit in time of stress the honor.;' i of Brit .ain was safe. There woie ; critical times ahead. continued the j speaker, the issue of which would de- j pend largely upon the fortitude of the : women. Por months the enemy hod been putting forth peace-feelers. ITc : asked them to Temembcr the kind of enemy from whom those peace-feelers carr.e—an unscrupulous enemy whose crimes cried aloud to heaven, whose morals were the morals of a goriiia, whose crimes against humanity were piled high against computation. It was inconceivable that sane peoole could think of peace with such an enemy, until he had paid the penalty of his crimes and been beaten to his knees. A pcace with Germany at this time would mean victorv for the enamy and defeat for us. Such a peace would dethrone God and put the devil in liis place as arbiter of the world's affairs. Men who were worn out with the burden of battle might listen to these feelers, but the speaker was sure that the soul of the nation would be unheld by the spirit of tho women, and he was sure Uiat that spirit would not fail. The report was seconded by Professor Blunt, ,md unanimously adopted. The Mayor (Mr H. Holland) said that it gave him great pleasure to address a meeting of loyalists, who were all devoted to furthering the greatness of the British Empire. The Victoria League was doing a great and noble work ill fostering a Jove of country, such as tho disloyalist section of the community would do well to emulate. He had no time for the people who took all the State had to offer and then in the moment of the State's need refused their help. He urged that there should be no giving wqv to ,; war fag," and that tho present war situation should renew tho League's determination to do even more in the future than it had done in the oast. Mr Holland then moved that last year's committee bo re-elected. The resolution was seconded by Mr J

Caroy-Uill. and carried unanimously. W. J. Napier (Auckland) said that the \ ictoria League was entitled to the support of every loyal citizen of the Empire. The winning of tho war depended on unity, and he believed that civilisation would be saved by the doggodness and unity of the British nations. Tho ideal of German dominance had been inculcated in the mind of every German child, for years back. He advised all to beware of the people, who cried ''stalemate! We want peace." They were the enemy. They were everywhere with their insidious whispering. In justice to all-who had fallen, in justice to their children, it was our duty to fight on until victory was assured. An account of the work of the Victoria League in South Africa was given by Mrs Murdoch Anderson (Sou'h Africa). An interval was then made for supper, which was served by a number of girls. The supper arrangements were in the hands of Mrs Cross, After supper, musical items wero given by Mrs B. B. Wood and Miss Jennings, the accompaniments being played by Miss Pitts. Among those present were The Countess of Liverpool, the Mayor and Mrs Holland, Sir John and Lady Denniston, Mrs Elworthy, Mrs Cox, Mrs Chilton, Miss Coates (Wellington), Mr and Mrs W. J. Napier (Auckland), Prof, and Mrs Blunt, Miss Amy Holland (Auckland), Mrs Chatfield (Welling- I ton), Miss Burt (Dunedin), Mrs J. H. ; Hall, Mr and Mrs Carey-Hill, Miss Mowbrav (Auckland), Mrs Woodward, Mrs Anderson (Wanganui), Mi?s Evelyn Bing, Mr and Mrs Tapper. Mrs Croxton, Mrs "Wanklyn, Mrs Isaac Gibbs, Misses Wilson, Mr and Mrs .L. A. Horne, Mrs Grey (Wellington), Mrs Macdougall, Mrs Virtue, Mr and Mrs Bevan-Brown, Miss Mary Jones (Wellington), Mrs Meredith Kaye, Mrs Xormsm Macbeth, Mr Crowther (Auckland) Miss Stella Murray, Mrs M. L. Reading, Mrs and Miss Fairhurst, Miss Jjoulie Bean, Mrs Barrett and Edna Barrett, Mrs Raphael, Miss Thelnia Raphael, Mrs Jack Collins, Mrs others- OVellincton)., and many

BUSINESS OF THE CONFERENCE. The first Dominion Conference of the National League was continued in tho Provincial Council Chamber yesterday, Mr \V. J. Napier presiding. A special committee set up to consider ihe best method to extend the membership and increase public interest in the League, reported as follows: —"(1) That carh member should bo urged to bring in at least one or more new members during the year; (2) that the lantern slides sent out by tho parent League should be made use of in lectures to draw in new members; (3) that Empire Day, May L'-lth, should be made a rallying day tnroughout the Dominion, special arrangements to be made for speaking in the various centres: (4) that the organised existing patriotic and war leagues should bo re- , quested to decide that they would not . disband at the termination of the war, j but join this League en masse." The report was adopted. | The committee further resolved that j it was in sympathy wi'tii the idea of : providing a New Zealand V ictoria i Leaguo aeroplane and recommended , that the matter should be referred for , favourable consideration to the respou-j tive local councils in each district. i After some discussion the matter of raising funds wa,s left to the branchos for consideration. . ! ' Tho conference expressed its deep : sympathy with Mr and Mrs Haliant, j of "Wellington, in the loss of their only son. recently killed in action. ! Mrs Anderson (TVnflganin) brought up the question of closer co-operation, and the retention by tho Leafnie, as « members of those leaving the district. . of the branch to which they had for- < merlr belonged. ; ■ It was TGSolvod that the membership ; of the League should be deemed con- ■ tin nous in such cases. J The President strongly urped the . branches 1o become incorporated, eo as in frive them legal standing and the j rights of a limited liability company, i 'An interesting report on the -work of I the Advice to Settlers Committed -was adopted. js

Tho President brought up the subject- of co-operation with the Teachors Institute* in disseminating information about and a love for the Empire. It was decided to hold the next Conference at Auckland come tiro® IB April, 1919. . This concluded the formal business of the Conference. Mr Napier congratulated t'ne Christchur'ch branch 0» the successful way in which it had carried out tho League's first Dominion Conference, and thanked the branc# for its hospitality to the visiting gates. lie especially congratulated Mrs Carey Hill for the able manner i® which she had undertaken the major portion of the worlc. The thanks of the Conference were also due to the Department. which had lent the beauti Provincial Council Chamber. Votes | of thanks in accordance were carried. | On the motion of Mrs Chatfield, * vote of thanks was passe 1 ! ' to M* Nanior, as President, of the Conference. The Conference then rose.