THE NAVY LEAGUE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9554, 29 July 1909, Page 5

THE NAVY LEAGUE.

VISIT TO MASTERTON OF NAVAL OFFICERS. SMOKE CONCERT AT ARCAEIA TEA ROOMS. LARGE ATTENDANCE OF CITIZENS. Yesterday was rather an important day in the history of the Masterton Branch of the Navy League. Masterton was honoured by a visit from Captain Colomb, Staff-Paymas-ter R. F. Wardroper and Lieutenant Locksley, of H.M.S, Encounter, who came to attend a banquet given by the Masterton Branch of the League, the function being held at the Arcadia Tea Rooms, Exchange Buildings, in the evening. The visitors came by the morning train from Wellington, and were escorted by Mr C. W. Palmer, the enthusiastic Secretary of the Wellington League. They were met at the station! by Mr Hugh Williams, President of the Masterton Branch and the Secretary, Mr E. R. B. Daniel. Other leading citizens were also at the station, and a number of the general public, also, assembled to witness the arrival of the visitors. Mr Williams formally welcomed them to the town, and drove them in his motor car to the Masterton Club. In the afternoon the visitors paid a visit to the golf links, and indulged in a game, returning later to M W. H. Hosking's for afternoon tea. The function in the evening was an affair of considerable importance. The pretty_and commodious rooms in which the function was held was filled with a gathering of local citizens, representative of every | institution in the community, particularly prominent being members of the Navy League and volunteer officers and men. Mr Hugh Williams occupied the chair. The visiting officers and local volunteers attended in their brilliant dress uniforms, and their presence therefore gave the asae mb lage quite a bright tone. The Chairman opened the proceedings with the customary loyal toasc of "His Majesty the King" The proposer said the present King bad been the most useful man in the Empire during the past few years. He had established an entente cordiale ""hat was such as would make Germany think twice before attacking Britain. However the speaker believed that the Germans h'jid such an intention. He reserved further remarks for * later toast. His Majesty health was enthusi asticaily toasted, with musical honours. The Chairman also proposed the toast of the British Navy. In doi' g so, he said His Majesty's Royal Navy I ad maintained the peace of the Empire, andjof the world, and for this peace the New Zealand taxpayer had paid one-tenth of that supplied by his British brother at Home. New Zealand should therefore not be backward in further contributions. (Hear! Hear!) He coupled Captain Colomb's name with the toast. (Applause). The toast was drunk with musical honours. Captain Colomb, in reply, said he heartily thanked the gathering for the hearty way it had toasted the health of the Navy. He said he hoped the Navy would when required do its duty in the future, as it had done in the past. The Navy's duty was at sea. not in port, but the hospitality accorded them made it almost a desire that the duty of the Navy wa3 in port. He was asked by Mr -Palmer to be present, and it gave him great pleasure to do so, if it would advance the cause of the Navy League, and raise in the public mind more interest in the preservation of a Navy of the English efficiency. The speaker said he believed that it was almost entirely due *:o the Navy League that the magnificent offer had gone from New Zealand to the Motherland of a Dreadnought. He believed that the offer was appreciated at Home in its true woiti. Captain Colomb said he wished to draw attention to the insidious idea advanced in a sister colony of local coastal defence. He illustrated by showing how Russia had failed in that way in defending the Manchurian coast against the Japanese. Referring to harbour defences the Captain said that it was once thought that if an enemy wished to take a place he would rush a harbour. If the Encountor had any designs on Masterlon's mutton export for instance, it would certainly not take such a course. An important point which the speaker closed with was to give his opinion that there were places adjacent to the colonies in the hands oi'J possible enemies, which micht he used as bases in time of war. He .thought such a fact should be faced at once. The speaker resumed his seat amid prolonged applause. A': this stage, the Acting-Premier, the Hon. J. Carroll, arrived from Greytown. Staff-Paymaster Wardroper then proposed the toast of "The Army of the Empire." In doing so he said he belonged to the Army himself in a way, but he had never seen a shot fired in anger. (Laughter). He said the Army had rendered such service to the Empire as to call for no praise from him. Ha psi.l a tribute to the co!o.i.Ll regiments in South Africa,

saying that but for them the war would probably be dragging on now. He coupled with the toast the name of Lieut.-Colonel R. W. Tate, N.Z.D.F. (Applause). Lieut.-CoI»nel Tate, in response, said the present was a unique occasion for the public of the Wairarapa to appreciate its opportunities, and its responsibilities. Captain Colomb's reroorks were much to the point, and they had only to look at this district. We had three weak infantry corps, and one weak Mounted Rifle Corps. How was the country to be defended if such defence prevailed? We should have in the valley a full battalion of infantry, and a full battalion of mounted men were required here. The speaker hoped that the young men of the Empire present who had so enthusiastically honoured the toasts of the King, Navy, etc., would take a lesson from the remarks made as to the necessity for practical support in the defence of the country. (Applause). "The New Zealand Parliament" was the next toast proposed, Mr D. Caselberg being entrusted with it. The proposer said he thought he was right in saying our Government was the most democratic under the sun, and all would agree that the splen- j did and spontaneous gift of a Dreadnought hadjwakened a spirit of happiness throughout the Dominion and the Empire. He coupled the toast with the name ot the Acting-Premier, the Hon. J. Carroll. (Loud applause).

The Acting-Premier (received with great enthusiasm) in reply. lead off with a haka, a number of Maoris present taking up the refrain, delighting the visitors and receiving a vociferous encore. Mr Carroll said that as democracy spread the wider was the field from which selections were made. Political matters generally at present were concentrated on Home Defence, and functions such as the present would go far to foster the requisite national spirit. Though not versed in military matters he took second place to none in desiring to conserve the peace and prosperity of the Empire. He believed that when the call of Empire came it would show.that no section of the community would fail to obey that call. (Hear! Hear!) The advance of science, however, showed that more necessary even than the spirit of desire to defend the Empire was the necessity for insured efficiency of defence, and it behoved the nation as a whole to adopt every lesson afforded by every nation (Hear! Hear)! The Dreadnought was given by the country's Government, and confirmed by Parliament. A gift not given to attract prominence to our islands, but as the outcome of tin strong national spirit which had tenement in our bosoms. (Loud applause). Taking pakehas and Maoris—and in the latt r were a people than whom none in the Empire were more willing to take up arm 3 in defence of their cour.try —was a unanimous desire to unite in mutual protaction. None were more disappointed than the Maoris that they could not assist in the Empire's struggle in South Afiica. He hoped that when the Armageddon came, no distinctions would be made, and in the words of Kipling—

So long as the blood endu'e3. 1 shall know your right is mine, You shall feel that my might is yours In the day of Armageddon The last great fight of all That our housa stand together And the pillars do not fall. . (Loud applause). Mr W H. Beetham proposed the toast of "The Maori Race." He said words failed to express his admiration for the Maori race. During his 50 years' residence in New Zealand he had found the Maoris goo i, kind, and honest. In the early days the speaker's father had had a transaction with the Maori 3 which proved to the hilt how honourable the race was, in that a sale of 100 acres of land in which no document had passed had been adhered to with the utmost fidelity by the Maori vendors, in spite of strong overtures to them by others interested parties asking them to repudiate the sals. Later times showed that in similar transactions he same honourable principles were adtiered to. (Applause). The toast was coupled with the name of Dr. Buck.

Dr Buck in responding, said that he thought it was no doubt interesting to his heavers to learn that before the British Navy League had a branch in New Zealand there was a Navy League in New Zealand in the Polynesians of his mother's race When the British nation was in doubt as to whether they should venture on the deep this ancient Navy League furrowed the deep with its vessels, and there was no part that this great Navy did not explore and name. (Applause). He bslieved this exploration was carried out in the same spirit as that which inspired the original British naval exolorers in those latitudes—the spirit of adventure. Historic records of the Maoris showed that even the Arctic regions were explored by the ancient Native navieator Huiataingioa anl hn man in the year about 650 B.C. At list the British came This was then foretold (the speaker here recited the ancient prjphecy in Maor , amid loud applau3i). In the past the Maori anJ the Phoenician—the i'luenician second in place (laughter)

-—were the ancient races. The Natives had lost the navigating instinct, but they joined hand in hand in hoping for the the efficiency L of the British Navy. The Natives were a diminishing race—only a remnant—but when the time came again to fight he hoped the Maori would bo given a show, and the war would be an "empire" war. (Loud applause). There would be nothing better to keep up the Maori national instinct and love of his Empire. Dr. Buck concluded a most striking and eloquent speech with an ancient Maori battle cry in response to a call to arms, concluding with a haka. in which the Acting-Premier and the other Natives present joined. The speaker was most warmly applauded. "The Navy League" was a toast very cordially received. It was pro> posed by Major Cameron, who laid the object of the League was a most laudable'one—-the preservation of an efficient and sufficient Navy. The toast was coupled with the names of Messrs J. D. Cruickshank and C. W. Palmer.

Mr Cruickshank, in reply, thanked the gathering for its enthusiastic honouring of the toast Having been, associated with the local Branch; since it? inception, he could express his pleasure with the progress made by the League. He paid a tribute to tiie cordial manner in which the officers of the Encounter and particularly Captain Colomb for the splendid manner in which they had cooperated with the League, by throwing open the vessel for visits of League excursionists. He hoped the League would continue to receive the unanimous support of the district. (Applause). Mr Palmer (received with prolonged applause) first thanked the Press for its great help to the League. He also most heartily thanked Captain Colomb for his cooperation in the work of the League. The speaker said Masterton had the most live inland branch of the League in New Zealand, and he was proud of the fact. So long as the public supported the League it could exist, and when that support ceased the League would be crippled. He hoped to see the country and city co-operate in the on« great cause-*-the maintenance of a great and powerful Navy in the cause of universal peace. We had the heritage uf sea-power handed down, and it should not be allowed to slip away through apathy. (Applause). Mr W. H. Jacksou, Headmaster of the District High School, proposed the toast of the President of the Masterton Branch of the Navy League, Mr H. Williams (the Chairman), paying a thigh tribute to the enthusiasm and energy of that gentleman. Mr Jackson referred especially to the enthusiasm of the School Cadets in naval matters, and he hoped the adults would take pattern. (Loud applause). Mr Williams duly responded. Mr Logan proposed the toast of the "Press," in doing so paying a great compliment to the press of the Dominion for its unanimous support of the naval expansion movement. Mr G. Cullen responded, in his remarks stating that the press realised that in the British Navy lay the secret of peace, not war. The Very Rev. Dean McKenna proposed the toast of "The Young Maori Party," which was responded to in eloquent terms by Dr. Fomare, who also closed with a haka.

The Hon. Carroll proposed tne toast of "The Ladies," responded to by Mr H. VV. Kishworth, and Mr W. T. Mansfield (Town Clerk) the toast of "The Hostess."

The function concluded by the singing of "The British Navy," "God Save the King," chsers for the Secretary of the local branch of the League (Mr Daniel), and "Auld Lang Syne."

The gathering was one of the most unique ever held in Masterton. During the evening songs, chiefly of an appropriate character were given by the Acting-Premier, and Messrs G. Branson, W. Iggulden, H. Elcoate, H. Hall and H. W. Rishworth.