OVERSEAS CLUB.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1653, 21 January 1913, Page 5

OVERSEAS CLUB.

CIVIC REOEPTION TO MR. WRENCH.

Tho Mayor, Mr. D. M'Laren, accorded a civic welcome to Mr. Wrench (honorary organiser of tho Overseas Club) and Miss Wrench at tho Town Hall yesterday/ afternoon. .

[n extending a'weloome, the Mayor laid emphasis upon the function of tho Overseas Club as a means of welding togethor the various units of. the Empire. Ho also spoke of tho work dono in this respect by tho pioneers of New Zealand.: Councillor Smith also welcomed "tlio guests in a few short' words. ; . Miss Wrench thanked his Worship-and thoso present for extending such, a welcome.' Speaking of their mission, Miss Wrench stated that it was her wish to educato the children to an appreciation ottueir duty as members of tho Empire. Wlulo m Auckland she had had tlio i pleasure of visiting a kindergarten school, and she had been 6truck by tho daily ceromony that tho mistress of the school had organised. At tho conclusion of tho days work the head child for tho day was allowed tho honour of bringing tho Union Jack, which was displayed, before the assembled school. Then, acting in unison, the children touched their foreheads, their breasts, and then stretched out their hands at tho samo time, repeating words to tho effect that thoy gave their heads, their heaTts, and bodies to tho country. After' this they, sang "God Savo tho King," and ■ tlio flag wns furled. Tho mistress had told Miss Wrench'that tho custom was in voguo in Sydney and when she went there again slio would endeavour to visit eomo children's schools. It vias/on tho principle that,' once impressed, a child seldom fflrgets—a principle instituted by tho Jesuits of tho seventeenth century—that Miss Wrench wished to conduct tho Oversow Club in regard to ohildren. Mr. Wrench, speaking next, paid thit it was gratifying to be welcomed in such cordial manner. Ho had already found that New Zealandors had nothing to lonrn as far as patriotism was eoncerncd.- He was also very pleased to find such warm support for- tho Overseas Club, In sketching the general policy of' tho club, Mr. Wrench laid stress on the fact that it was truly democratic, and did not recognise class distinction. ,At tlio present time thero v wero over 100,000 members, and thov tfero: of nil classes. Another point which ho wished to stato was this; He,had frequently been asked whe. ther the club was "nnti-Gormnn." Ho wanted it to be fully understood that tho club was not ■ anti-anvthing." Their only purpose was to make the men and tho women of tho British Empiro realise tho importance of their heritage as British subipc'.?. For next Friday they had organised a conference of Overseas Club delegates in Wellington. He hoped that tho result would bo the furtherance of Club in Zealand,