THE NAVY LEAGUE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 568, 24 July 1909, Page 7

THE NAVY LEAGUE.

MEETING OF EXECUTIVE.

A! mooting of the: Wellington Executive of ;the Navy League,i'held/last .night, was at-., tended by Mr. J. IS. Harcourt (in the chair), 'Messrs/ J. W.' Joynt, K. Darroch, D. M'Keliar, E. J: Le Grove, G. T. Hall, and C. W. l'almer. Apologies were , received from ■ several otheT members. ■ With' reference ''to* the' proposed' 'benefit' ■performance, of "Jane"; at .the Opera House ion' August. 12,; 13, r ;ajid 14 by tho bank Dramatic .Club, .it was decided:' to ;donate . one-half ' the', netproceeds to -the .■Victoria College ' extension; fund fcrr . tho relief .of tho unemployed. ' .-- '■ ■„ 'An invitation was :received -from the Mas|tsrtoh". sub-branch,, for members of the executive to 'attend .. the: smoke concert being iorganised : by, the ; league in Mastcrton for t 'July: 28." It was .-decided ; that': Mr. Palmer (secretary) should represent the Wellington branch on that occasion. :.

Tho ' hony secretary's; action : in . ordering •one gross of copies of ''The Riddle of:;the Sands" for the. use of the Wellington Col•lege boys was approved.' . , •. • Mr. Ivan B. Livick. was asked to act -aa Representing the;. league at Gisborneji in conjunction, with Mr. jSank Heron. .: . :.. The secretary's action in purchasing a set jof laiitern slides,, depicting life oa, board the lAniokuraj at £I', was approved. ■ ... .:■ ' Very encouraging reports yrere .received from 'Wanganui, Napier," and Masterton subibramches, 'and', from ;. letters: received 'from the Canterbury and Otago ! branches, it. appeared that tl» league was in a'very flourishing condition .-.in -the.* south.- , . Tho hoa. .secretary submitted a statement 'showing: the.; details in connection _ with . the ■league's ' recent annual. demonstration. The receipts totalled £32 Ms. 6d., and the' expenses £27 155., leaving a crodit balance of £•!• 19s. 6d.

It was .stated that the Hon. R.'M'Kenzio .'was amongst ..those who had recently joined ■the local ' branch of the league. Arrangements made inV. regard to a .Public. Inquiry faaid Enrolment' Office; at No. 207 Lanibton Quay, was approved. ■ In view of the. , ; faetV that, for the past yoar, the. secretary had , found it.necessary to devot® almost the .whole .of' liis. time to the work of tho league, it was resolved to ask Mr. Palmer to accept an honorarium of :£2s'for' ; the year. .This, was accepted in the light of.a of out-of-pocket ox■penses incurred by him iii the earlier stages ■of the 'league's existence. . -v. . . The following copy of a letter received by the secretary from a prominent citizen of Wellington was read as follows"Dear , sir,~ In an Auckland paper /of . recent dato appears an illustration of . the German Navy League ■ collection boxes, as used .in the. German schools, restaurant's,,. etc.. Underneath tho illustration is a translation; of-the: in-, scription on the boxes':/ "Give ub your pennies that wo may '.thrash the English.". I would suggest that the league should'obtain facsimiles of these, boxes, and place them where they.may bo.seen by the adult public. Tho boxes, I would suggest,_might bear three inscription?,- viz;: (1) Facsimile of German Navy League collection box;' (2) the German words actually used, and "underneath that (3) the English translation, "Givo us your-ponnies that we may thrash, the English.!' Tho inscription on these boxes would iiow the publio that a war of conqucst is being dolioerately. planned, and' will bo declared at a time" convenient to the promotors." ' The decision, of. the. executive was to the -effect that, being avorse to fostering a spirit of -Jingoism similar, to that displayed by the German Leaguei the executive should not adopt the suggestion," but should 1 hand a oopy of the lotter to the' press. . \