MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE BURNS FEDERATION. BURGH COURT ROOM, DUNFERMLINE, 3rd September, 1921. THE Annual Conference of the Burns Federation was held here to-day at 11 a.m. Dr D. M'Naught, President of the Federation, occupied the chair. The following delegates were present : Executive Committee-J. Jeffrey Hunter, A. M'Callum, A. Pollock, W. H. Turner, J. Carmichael, P. Paterson, W. Munro, Sir Robt. Wilson, P. Sulley, H. M'Coll, J. C. Ewing, Alex. M'Kenzie, J. Thomson, W. Douglas, T. Killin, P. N. M`Farlane, G. A. Innes, and T. Amos. No. 21, No. 0, Kilmarnock-J. Ford, J. P. Dickson. No. 1, London -Sir W. Noble, J. A. Brown, T. W. B. Ramsay. No. 9, Glasgow Royalty Councillor Jas. M'Farlane, D. Gunn, Wm. Jamieson. No. 14, Dundee D. Brown, J. Neilson, M. Gibson. Greenock-D. M'Callum, W. Nicoll, G. B. Grieve, H. M'Lean. No. 22, Edinburgh-R. Duncan, No. 36, Glasgow Rosebery— W. Craig, A. G. Andrew, J. M. Alexander. No. 40, Aberdeen -A. W. Mackie, L. M. Gordon. No. 49, Bridgeton-G. Brown, Dr W. A. Burn, J. G. Sproll. No. 50, Stirling-R. Sandeman. No. 53, Govan Fairfield--J. Donald, J. M'Lachlan, T. Fullarton. No. 63, Glasgow Mossgiel-J. M. Blain. No. 67, Glasgow Carlton -Jas. Robertson. No. 68, Glasgow Sandyford-Lieut. Col. J. G. Robertson, Bailie Renfrew, A. Duthie. No. 74, Glasgow Mauchline Society-J. T. Gibb. No. 76, Brechin-R. Anderson, J. S. Melrose, F. C. Anderson. No. 81, Glasgow Primrose-J. Hair, W. G. Robertson, T. B. Paton, T. Sutherland. No. 85, Dunfermline United-Thos. Lessells. No. 86, Cumnock Winsome Willie -Jas. Neil. No. 89, Sunderland- Thos. Fisher. No. 91, Shettleston-G. S. Glendinning, A. M'Kay, J. M'Farlan. 92, Kilbirnie Jolly Beggars-A. Davidson, Robt. Patrick, W. Patrick. No. 97, Kilmarnock Bellfield--Wm. Flannagan No. 113, Vale of Leven Glencairn-J. James, J. L. Ritchie, P. Burdon. No. 118, Glasgow Albany-R. Carmichael, Dr W. Cullen, J. Niven Murdoch. No. 121, Hamilton Junior-R. Brown, D. Cross, W. Wilson. No. 128, Cowdenbeath Glencairn-W. Foster, J. Nisbet, E. Hunter. No. 133, Newarthill-C. Johnstone. No. 135, Partick Western-Albert V. Smith. No. 139, Glasgow National-J. M. Ritchie, J. G. Galpine, G. Black. No. 151, Old KilpatrickR. Smith, T. M. Walker. No. 155, East Stirlingshire-A. Glen, W. Galbraith, W. Gibson. No. 156, Newcastle and Tyneside No. R. M. Graham, J. Gibb. No. 157, Baillieston-J. Kerr. No. 160, Whitburn-Allan Johnston. No. 165, Wallsend-D. Carruthers. No. 167, Birmingham-A. Barclay, R. Kerr. No. 169, Glasgow B.C.A.-W. C. Cockburn, Isaac Chalmers. No. 175, Meikle Ear- No. No. 265, No. 274, Apologies for absence were intimated from Col. H. S. Murray, Galashiels; ex-Provost Smith, Kilmarnock; and Chas. R. Cowie, Glasgow. Minutes of previous Conference were read and approved. SECRETARY'S REPORT. Mr Amos submitted his annual report, which was in the following terms : 66 Twelve years have passed since the Burns Federation last met in this hall, and at the invitation of the Dunfermline United Burns Club we gladly renew our acquaintance with the Auld Grey Town,' and its memories of poets and kings. "Our first duty to-day is to congratulate Dr M'Naught on his recent honour. The University of Glasgow by conferring the degree of LL.D. on our president has justly crowned a lifetime's work for the Burns cult. Since he became editor of the Chronicle thirty years ago our annual has been enriched each year with articles from his pen, and the extent and scope of his work can easily be gauged by reference to the recently published Index. His book, The Truth About Burns, which will soon be published in Glasgow, has at his request been dedicated to the Federation, and we can best show our appreciation of this honour by our careful reading of this volume-the garnered wisdom of a life-long study of Burns. During the year death has removed several well-known Burnsians. I have only to mention the names of Dr Wallace, Professor Lawson, Joseph Martin, David M'Farlane, Robert Dunlop, and Andrew Sinclair to show how difficult it will be to refill their vacant places. We were proud to have Dr Wallace as our president, and at his retiral from office we appointed him an honorary vice-president. His scholarly work as a Burns editor is known and appreciated by all Burnsians, and his untiring efforts, both for the establishment of a Chair of Scottish Literature and the restoration of the Auld Brig of Ayr, will always be gratefully remembered by the Federation. Professor Lawson, another of our hon. vice-presidents, for many years adorned the Chair of English Literature at St. Andrews University. He was greatly interested in the Federation, and not long before his death, edited, along with his wife, an excellent anthology of Scottish verse. Dunfermline and Kilmarnock are poorer through the passing of Robert Dunlop and Andrew Sinclair. Both were men of strong personality, steeped in Burns lore, and intimately acquainted with the homes and haunts of the Poet. They were also both men of high attainments in natural science, and their greatest joy was either to lead a geological excursion or a Burnsian ramble. Joseph Martin, one of our senior vice-presidents, was for many years one of our most faithful workers. In the movement for the foundation of a Chair of Scottish Literature he acted as joint secretary, and he was for long one of the outstanding Burnsians in Glasgow. His genial presence and wise counsel are greatly missed by a wide circle of friends. To the bereaved relations of all we respectfully tender our sincerest sympathy. "I am pleased to report that the Federation is still growing in numbers and usefulness. At present there are 295 Clubs on our roll. During the past year the following sixteen Clubs have been affiliated :-Broxburn Jolly Beggars, Detroit (U.S.A.), Vickerstown, Glasgow Burns Clubs Bowling Association (Sinclairtown), Jean Armour (Cowdenbeath), Shawlands, Queen Anne (Glasgow), Caledonia (Beith), Coatbridge Bricklayers, Blantyre and District Masonic, Highland Mary (Kilmarnock), North Eastern (Philadelphia), Grahamston, Poosie Nancy (Newcraighall), and Hill of Beath. It is interesting to note that through the efforts of Detroit Burns Club a statue to Burns was erected six weeks ago in that city. We send the Club our congratulations. "In the month of January No. 30 of the Burns Chronicle was published, and the whole issue was quickly sold out. In its literary matter the number was abreast of its predecessors, and its hearty welcome by the Press must have been some recompense to our veteran editor, whom we again thank most sincerely for his arduous and honorary labours. Owing to the illness of Mr Albert Douglas, of Philadelphia, U.S.A., the Index to the first thirty copies of the Chronicle was not published until June. Through the generosity of Mr Douglas, Col. H. S. Murray, and Sir Alexander Gibb the Index was supplied to members at a nominal cost, and should prove invaluable as a book of reference to all who have a set of the Chronicle. a "On Saturday, 13th November, 1920, according to the wish of the Executive Committee, the dust of Highland Mary was removed from the West Kirk burying ground and re-interred in Greenock Cemetery. Notwithstanding the inclement weather a great gathering witnessed the ceremony, which was conducted under the direction of the Greenock Burns Clubs and attended by many members of the Executive Committee. At the grave dignified and impressive service was held by the Rev. W. J. Nichol Service, of the West Kirk, Greenock, who was assisted by a special male voice choir under Mr Percy Harmon. Mr Hugh M'Lean, President of Greenock Burns Club, and the Committee who worked with him, deserve the thanks of the Federation for the admirable manner in which the details of the ceremony were conceived and carried out. "As you may remember, Messrs Harland & Wolff offered £300 to the Federation for the purpose of erecting a memorial to Highland Mary. At our meeting in London it was announced that a site for the memorial had been fixed at Blackhill, Ayrshire, near the spot where Burns and Highland Mary are said to have parted. In the month of May a Masonic demonstration was organised by the Rev. J. C. Higgins, of Tarbolton, and the foundation stone of this memorial was laid with full Masonic honours by Mr James Arthur, of Montgomerie, upon whose ground the memorial stands. It was the intention of the Federation to formally inaugurate the memorial in September, but Mr Arthur wishes an unclimbable iron railing erected for the protection of the memorial and also an iron fence from the public road to the memorial. The distance of the memorial from the public road is about 52 yards, and it is estimated, that it will cost at least £150 to fence this path and erect the railing. In view of the amount of money required the President thought that no further action was possible until the whole matter was brought before the Executive Council at this meeting. "We congratulate the Burns Club of London on its recently published report of the Vernacular Circle Committee, which has aroused great interest in Scotland. The Circle is trying to encourage by every means possible the use of the vernacular language, oral and written, and for that purpose is offering prizes in schools and universities. Aberdeen University has accepted a prize of ten guineas per annum for the best poem in any dialect of braid Scots. This prize, as well as prizes for recitations open to the schools of Aberdeen, has been generously awarded by Sir William Noble, President of the Club, whom we are pleased to have present with us. Mr L. G. Sloan, whose hospitality at our memorable London meeting will never be forgotten, has also generously gifted the sum of £500 to the Universities of St. Andrews and Edinburgh for the establishment of prizes in Scottish vernacular literature. We in Scotland can thoroughly sympathise with this endeavour by our countrymen in London, as for years a great many of our Scottish Burns Clubs have been quietly doing work of a similar nature. Mr Pollock's report on school children's competitions will give Scotsmen at home who are unaware of what we have done some |