ST. ANDREW'S DAY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19173, 2 December 1927, Page 7

ST. ANDREW'S DAY.

CALEDONIAN SOCIETY'S CELEBRATION. The Caledonian Society's hall being engaged on Wednesday, the Society's celebration of St. Andrew's Day was observed last night. Mr C. S. Thomas presided over a fairly large attendance. Mr Thomas read a most interesting paper on "Wallace, the Hero of Scotland," and dealt with the threo important periods of his life—his early struggles, his rise to power as Guardian of the Realm, and, finally, his betrayal and death. The work for freedom 60 nobly begun by Wallace, he said, was carried on by Bruce and culminated in the triumphal battle of Bannockburn. After speaking of Wallace's place in the world's gallery 6t heroes, Mr Thomas said Wallace was the forerunner of a lengthy lino- of liberators, and the spirit of freedom by which he was animated had been exemplified on many a hard fought field and also during the Great War. As a result of Wallace's heroic deeds Scotland, from being the poorest and most uncivilised nation in Europe, became a nation of stalwart freemen, henceforth never to unite with her powerful neighbour except on terms of perfect equality* ' "' ' ""