ST. ANDREW SOCIETY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26632, 1 December 1947, Page 8

ST. ANDREW SOCIETY

ANNUAL CELEBRATIONS ADDRESS BY PROFESSOR KNIGHT The fourteenth annual celebrations of the St. Andrew Society of Otago took the form of a social evening, and were well attended by members. Visitors at the official table included the Mayor, Mr Cameron, and Mrs Cameron, the guest speaker, the Rev. Professor G. A. F. Knight, Mr G. Eorthwick, president of the Council of Scottish Societies, and Mr J. Lachlan Thomson, representing the Gaelic Society. The president of the St. Andrew Society, Mr D. Minnick, occupied the chair. The chairman’s opening remarks were followed by a brief address by Mr Cameron, who congratulated the society on its work.

A plea to Scottish people to help New Zealanders comprehend the desperate situation in the United Kingdom was made by Professor Knight. The speaker recalled the war years, when most people had been working every Saturday and three Sundays in the month. They were strained and tired, but they had been very loyal After toiling an 11-hour day, men had given their services to fire-watching or the A.R.P. during the nights. The transport problem for workers had been extremely serious. The professor continued that life was still pathetically very drab. For five months during the summer, Scottish people had not been allowed any fuel in their homes. They were again working every Saturday, and at least one Sunday each month. It was a duty for the Scottish community to bring the force of these conditions home to New Zealanders, too many of whom were complacently unaware of the situation.

Professor Knight was supported by Mr Minnock, who urged that more vital action be taken towards providing aid for the British people. Scottish songs were sung by Miss Darracott and Mr L. Dunbar, and dancing occupied the latter part of the evening.