NAVY LEAGUE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 547, 30 June 1909, Page 3

NAVY LEAGUE.

' ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING. The annual meeting of . the Wellington branch' of tho Navy. League was held' yesterday: after.noon. . 'Tho Hon. -T. W. Hislop, the retiring president, occupied the chair, and there about 30 members present. - . - ' . ' > In moving the : adoption of the report and balance-sheet (which was subsequently carried), the chairman alluded to the continued expansion of , the league's activities. ■ Speaking of ■tho Dreadnought offer, lie said that though it had been, called unconstitutional, it had met with - approval from one end 'of ' the'. Dominjon to the other., The;.eharge of unconstitutionalisnt had been levelled against somo of the most, notable deeds in history. The league existed, to keen alivo. the spirit, which had in the past imbued. the British ; nation in • regard.', to its. navy, and he thought .such.-an-object deserved the support of all good citizens. Mr. Hislop also; eulogised the, work of tho hon. sec. (Mr. C. W. l'alroer). _Mr. W. Fraser, M.P., who seconded the motion, spoke of tho.great increase in tho duties devolving, upon the hon. sec. (jST C. W. Palmer); and .while praising his energy .and capability, urged the, members to. co-operate I with 'him; so as'; to "lighten'.his burden as, much as possible. l X'lt had' been-said that, the league existed for. offensivo purposes,'but, its real object was to keep.Parliament awake to itsduty. The Empiro was not aggressive/but the, maintenance of:the Navy at; the highest point of efficiency was of the utmost importance. 'The league in New' Zealand was dqmg a ,valiiable. work in. educating the young.; ... On the motion of r the chairman, Dr.; A. K. Newman (Mayor of Wellington), was, unanimously elected president for the ensuing year. Other officers wereeleoted as followVicepresidents, Mrs. S. A. Rhodes, the. Hons. Dr. Findlay and T. W. Hislop,'Messrs. W. Fraser and W. C. Buchanan, M.lVs, J. G. W.'Aitken, G. ShirtclifFe, and J. P.' Firth; hon. sec., Mr. C. W; Palmer; hon. treasurer, Mr. J. M. Butt; corresponding secretary, Mr. J. M.' Richmond; hon. auditor, Mr. E. R. Dymock; committee, Lieut.-Colonel Campbell, Lieut-Colonel Hume, Captains R. A. Edwin, A. V. Jones, nndG.T. Hall, Messrs. W. Fraser, G. Shirtcliffe. E.' J. Le Grove, E. Arnold, J. B. Harcourt', It. Darroch, J. M. Butt, C. W. Palmer, G, Laing-Meason, J. M. Richmond, D. M'Kellar,, W. H. Evett, j J. W. Joynt, Stanley, Brown,. and J. ■ T.'- ( Horn". ■: , ■ , Mr. Palmer briefly thanked the meeting for re-electing him secretary, and appealed to thoso present to help-in the work of enrolling new members. 110 also drew attention to- tho opening of. the league's; now office on Lambtori Quay, opposite the, ICclburne tram station: There is great competition among juvenile members of the league : in selling tickets for to-morrow's entertainment. Books and a medal of "Victory" bronze are offered as prizes for : tho most successful. A rehearsal of tho, children's part 'of tho programme takes; place at the Town Hall this afternoon. .