TRAFALGAR DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 October 1915, Page 8

TRAFALGAR DAY.

CELEBRATED AT NEW PLYMOUTH. VICTORIA LEAGUE'S VVS I'II(>N. THE LEAGUE'S WAR WORK. Ycsterdav was the anniversary ol the Battle of "Trafalgar, and the occasion was fittingly celebrated at New Plymouth by the Victoria League last night, at the Good Templar Hall. The function embraced business and pleasure, for it opened with the annual meeting of the League. Then came a fitting address by the Bev. A. B. Chappell on "Nelson's Famous Signal," while an entertaining programme of musical items added to the enjoyment of the evening. The hall was prettily decorated and an interesting feature was the flying of Kelson's signal exactly as it fluttered from the Victory. There was a large attendance.

THE LEAGUE'S WORK. At the annual meeting of the Victoria League, the President (Mrs. C. H. Burgess), presided. The annual report, which was adopted, stated that the membership now stands at 300, and junior associates, 35. The ordinary social work of the League has been almost suspended, in order to give all the time to patriotic work. The report adds: "The League began its work by sending knitted comforts to the London office, and to Miss Talbot thanks are due for her care in distributing the gifts. It has been especially gratifying to us to have had acknowledgements from the different sources, of the good use our gifts have been put to. One thousand handkerchiefs went right to the firing line, and the acknowledgement came direct from Sister Luard of No. 5 Ambulance Train. In connection with the League's work, a ladies' sewing guild has been formed. For the rooms to work in we are indebted to Messrs. Archibald Clark and Sons and the New Plymouth Harbor Board; for sewing machines to Mr. C. E. Baker and Mr. Cocker and we thank our many kind friends for help in furnishing the rooms, not forgetting an unexpected offer for cleaning of sajne. The Sewing Guild has done well, and we are much indebted for the time and good work, which has been put into the making of garments and hospital requirements. About a thousand garments have gone to the Officers' Families Fund

through Miss Talbot. These include 326 garments from the Okato ladies' sewing bee, another case is now awaiting shipment. One of our junior associates invited her little friends to a tea party, each guest bringing a gift for tie orphans of soldiers and sailors, which were forwarded with the clothing. In answer to the Governor's appeal, 1500 articles were packed for the hospital ship. Before Mr. Wylie left for Egypt in June last, he appealed to the Victoria League for monetary help towards providing extra comforts for our wounded at the front, and we started a fund for No. 1 i New Zealand Stationary Hospital. This fund now stands at £321 7s 7d, having been contributed to, in addition to local subscriptions by: No. 1 Uruti soldiers' day £6l 9s sd,Mokau district, £3l 15s, daffodil tea, £42 2s 6d, Mrs. Nathan's recital £32 9s 2d, ladies' Sewing Guild £lO. Two Red Cross cases have been forwarded direct to this hospital, and we are endeavouring to send out one each month. Eighty Christmas gift bags are already on their way to our men in the trenches at Gallipoli, also a gift parcel to the New Zealand hospital at Walton-on-Thames. "Our work nearer home has included one hundred sacks of vegetables and fruits for the men in Trentham, and one hundred bags rifle cleaning rag 3. In addition, knitted comforts, regular pareels of old linen for hospital use, food

hampers for the sick, one hundred face cloths from the Central School children, and handkerchiefs from Okau, Tikorangl and Tongaporutu Schools. 'Packages of books and clothing have been sent to the backblocks. In connection with our patriotic work it has all been carried out by voluntary subscription, with the exception of £3 which came from the League funds. We, this year, have again sent our "usual donation (ss) for memorial wreath to Queen Victoria. Miss Talbot says: "I wish you could all have seen the beautiful effect given by that wreath, the only tribute placed on the Queen's statue on her birthday, it measured nearly 10ft in height.' Special thanks are duo to the New Zealand Shipping Co. for its kindness in conveying our cases freight free, to the editors of the daily press, for their courtesy and help in our work, to our members for the splendid support given during the past .year, and the grand spirit in which the work lias been carried out." The following officers were elected: President, Mrs, C, If. Burjcss; vice-presi-dents, rMs. Blundell, Mrs. Col vile, Archdeacon and Mrs. Evans, Mr. A. Crooke s.nd Mr. A. H. Johnstone; council. Mesdomes Eockel, Russell, Johns, Heard, Stockcr, Courtney. Denny-Brown, Dowling, Firth, F. Blundell, Fair, Hughes and Misses Baker, J. Crooke, Leatham, Whitcombe, Hodges, Shaw, Dempsey and Stanford.

THE STORY OF TRAFALGAR. The lecture given by the Rev. A. B. Chappell was very interesting. After outlining the facts concerning the battle, the lecturer said there was a feeling in some quarters this year that the anniversary should be allowed to pass unobserved because in the present struggle the French were our comrades in arms, but the truth was that of late it had been from the French nation that our appreciation of Nelson's victory had received a new impetus. French soldiers had halted at Nelson's Statue in reverent appreciation, Frenoli writers had lavished praise upon his triumph, and French statesmen had acclaimed him as a saviour of their own nation. Nelson saved England from the domination of autocratic Napoleon, and thus kept alive the llame of constitutional democracy in England till France could light her own national fires from it. Nelson gave France an opportunity for a happier, freer development than the continued regime of Napoleon would have permitted. Reverting to Trafalgar, the lecturer said that as now, England stood then, in the way of an ambition whose one aim was the annihilation of other Powers. To strike at England's heart was Napoleon's fondest hope. He longed to "leap the ditch," as ho contemptuously called the English Channel, and this trait was to-day echoed in the Kaiser's reference to Sir John French's "contemptible little army." Nelson and his men prevented Napoleon's leap. After dealing in detail and at some length with the story of the action—a narrative which the Rev. Mr. Chappell gave in a striking and interesting manner —ho referred to the signal hoisted by Nelson, "Engage the enemy closer." This signal was never hauled down and remained until it was shot eway_ in the

fearful cannonade of the fight. It was the kind of signal a true Britisher loved. There was, said the lecturer, a parallel for this signal in the present position at Gallipoli, and there bad been suggestions that the expedition should be discontinued, but he thought everyone would have been pleased to learn that day that the authorities were obeying the true British instincts at the Dardanelles, that they proposed to "engage the enemy closer." . Nelson's last words were, "Thank God, I have done my duty," and in these words and in the characteristics of Nelson. could be seen lessons for the present day. The hoisting of flags to illustrate Nelon's signals was excellently carried out by a number of 'Boy Scouts, under Major V. W. Sandford, THE CONCERT.

The musical items given during the evening were very enjoyable. The members of the musical circle of the Victoria League gave a toy symphony, which was very well done, and reflected mucn credit on the young ladies and on Miss C. Leatham, who was responsible for the arrangement of the items. Songs were contributed by Miss Rea and Mr. George Lambert, and Captain Allen recited. During Captain Allen's recitation, Misses C. Leatham, Blundell, Brewster and Whitcombe went around with flags into which coins were thrown, and a substantial contribution was received for the Red Cross Fund. Before the function concluded the flags which had been used in the signals were auctioned and brought £22. The last purchaser (Mr. C. H. Burgess) handed them back to the Boy Scouts. The collection amounted to £l2 10s. The Victoria League desires to thank especially Mt. and Mrs. G. W. Browne and other friends of the Tironga Tennis Club (Vogeltown), for their foregoing of a hooking of the Good Templar Hall, and so permitting the Trafalgar Day celebration to take place on the historic date. "ALL'S WELL WITH THE FLEET." ! HEARTENING MESSAGES. ! Received Oct. 21, 7.40 pjn. i By CaMe—Press Association—Copyright, i London, Oct. 20. • Mr. Balfour, in a Trafalgar Day mes- ■ sage to the Navy League, said that GerI many's aim is world domination. Against s this the British fleet, since Elizabethan - times, had been the surest and most ' effectual protection. 1 Mr. Churchill said: "We are stronger 3 than ever. ' Since the war began we have ? adapted war conditions. There are - hazarduous struggles, vast expenses, and - hard privations before ua, but , "Courage! All's well with the fleet."