ROTARY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18896, 11 January 1927, Page 15

ROTARY.

WORLD'S YOUNGEST BRANCH. OPINION ON SOUTHERN IRELAND i * irr.Oll Ol'A OWK COBRESroXDCKT.) I ' i LONDON, November 27. Protessor J. Sperrin-Jchnscn (Auckland) passesd through London this week iruiu Ireland o.i his way to the Continent. While in his native Cork he delivered an address on i\(?\v ■ Zealand before the local. Rotary Club—the baby of these business men's organisation. He went into the natural history and the people, he told of the keen interest which the Dominion takes in -Rotary, and. he emphasised the Imperialistic feeling in New Zealand, which country would remain within the Empire at all costs While he dealt generally with the characteristics of the country, he described tho people as its most interesting possession. The Maoris were noted for their wonderful carvings, and with regard to their chivalry, it was historically related that in war, when the enemy ran out of bullets, they sent to know if they wanted more bullets to carry on. (Laughter.) There were about 30,000 of these people, who were carefully looked after by the Government. It was a paradox that the New Zealand people should be the most Imperialistic of the Dominions, notwithstanding their long -separation from England. They, looked upon England-as Home, and were called the most English of all the Dominions. From the general behaviour of the' peoplo, and oxcept for the vegetation, one would imagine himself to be in England. Having referred to the strong position held'by. Rotary in.-New Zealand, the speaker dealt generally witlj some of the ethics of Rotary, and concluded with an expression of the hope that the Cork Rotary Club would be very'happy in adhering to its Rotary principles. (Applause.) The whole talk, was extremely well received. The vote of thanks "was proposed by one who had been a leading figure in the former Sinn Fein movement, and was seconded by an.out-and-out Republican. This- showed how the spirit of Rotary is developing in spite of the distracted atmosphere of politics that still existsin Ireland. . The proposer (Mr Mercjer), in offering the Club's thanks' to Professor Johnson, referred to- the : pleasure they had in welcoming hack one who had been called to so high a position in New Zealand. ■ He wondered if there was any analogy in a New Zealandc haying: "stood on Patrick's Bridge ai\d seen the city rising up and important development* taking place, .whereas.the New Zealander on London. Bridge was to See the ruins of the metropolis in the centuries to come. The seconder (Mr Barrv Epan) said in Professor Johnson; Cork had.carried her realm' into the distant land of New Zealand. ' " '.- The chairman (Mr Sinnott) took the opportunity pf conveying, through the Professor, the greetings' of the Cork Club to the Auckland Rotarians.

Professor Johnson say*.he left Ireland with an extremely optimistic feeling. He was greatly impressed with the way in which the people ,of. Southern Ireland, of all creeds, were, uniting to make the experiment of. the Free State a real success. Only, a minority was causing the sporadic troubles and outrages. He found .that people concerned with the export of agricultural products took an intense interest in what New Zealand had done, especially in the way of,the standardisation of butter. He was charmed to,hear that they looked upon New' Zealand as a really good example to follow,' and they were accordingly studying the Dor minion's methods, especially with reference to , the . standardisation of butter. \