LEARNING SPANISH

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 4, 26 March 1927, Page 16

LEARNING SPANISH

AUCKLAND CLUB’S PROGRESS The Spanish Club created in Auckland four years ago is still holding its own. It is the only one of its kind in New Zealand, and probably in Australia as well. At the annual general meeting at the office "’of Mr. F. S. Battley, ViceConsul for Argentine, it was decided to start the evening classes on Tuesday, April 5, at Room 318, Victoria Arcade. Lessons in Spanish will be given by competent teachers every Tuesday, from 7.30 to 8.30 p.m., the season ending in October or November. With a view to encouraging the study of this tongue, a very moderate fee is charged. / Mr. W. J. Brown, for 15 years an engineer in the Government arsenal at Vigo, Spain, now in the employ of the Auckland Electric Power Board, has been elected president, and Mr. Battley secretary and treasurer. The first president of the club, now honorary president, was M. Paul Serre, who has lived for many years in various Spanish-American countries. His successor, a New Zealander, Mr. David Russell, of Avondale, who had resided for 30 years in Mexico, was in his turn replaced by Professor Ardern, of the Auckland University, an enthusiastic Spanish scholar, who is also president of the Auckland French Club. In its early beginning the club met in a room of the University College, then at the Y’.M.C.A., and last year at the Y.W.C.A. This year it will meet in Mr. Battley’s offices, Victoria Arcade. Spanish is one of the richest and most captivating of languages. Of course, Spanish is at its best in its native home, Spain, but it is widely spoken in all Central and South American countries (the Brazilians speak Portuguese, but understand Spanish) also in the Phillipine Islands, Cuba and Puerto Rico. It seems that Spanish is a most useful language for young New Zealanders to speak and understand, as they may travel in Argentine, one of the most up-to-date dairying and stock-breeding countries in the world, or at least may be able to read the remarkable literature published in Buenos Ayres on those matters.