including the Chief Justice, members of the Legislative Council, members of Parliament, Mayors of the cities of Dunedin and Christchurch, the Dunedin City Council, and many Mayors from other important boroughs; chairmen and representatives of public and ocal bodies and associations, and others from a distance, who are admirers of the Poet. They are all very welcome. They honour

us by their presence.

My first duty is to sincerely thank Sir Robert Stout for coming all the way from Wellington to be with us and deliver the very eloquent oration that we have just listened to. Some eight months ago I met Sir Robert Stout in Wellington and told him of this statue, and asked him to unveil it and give an address. He unhesitatingly said he would, and to-day he has fulfilled that promise. We did expect a splendid address and we are not disappointed. Sir Robert's address was a tribute to Burns's genius, and altogether an excellent estimate of the Poet's life, character and works. I hope that we will have it reported in full, and later on have it in pamphlet form. Sir Robert (I hope he will pardon me for making personal remarks) has risen to the high and honourable position which he now adorns through his great ability, character and worth. Burns always put the aristocracy of worth before the aristocracy of birth or wealth. Sir Robert, like the great Poet, sprang from the class that has given to Scotland, and not only to Scotland, but to the Empire, its greatest ornaments. The sons of Scotland have had a good share along with their English and Irish brothers in establishing and helping to build up our great Empire. It is our duty as citizens of this Dominion and the Empire to do what we can to maintain and uphold it. Sir Robert, by his presence here to-day has honoured us. He has honoured the memory of the Poet, and shall I add that he has honoured himself. I ask you all to endorse my imperfect words of thanks by giving Sir Robert three hearty cheers.

I have also to thank Mr M'Ewan, the ex-President of the Dunedin Burns Club, which is the largest and most enthusiastic of the kind in the Southern Hemisphere, for his kind remarks towards myself and thoughtful words on the Poet. I also thank the famous Dunedin Burns Club Choir for the great service they have rendered us in coming so far to stimulate our enthusiasm by their excellent singing of Burns's immortal songs. I also appreciate very much the services of the ladies and gentlemen of our town who have co operated so willingly to help on the memorial programme. I also appreciate very much the singing of the boys and girls of the South School. Their young voices went direct to my heart. I am grateful to Mr Valentine and his staff for the trouble they took in preparing their pupils. I have also to thank the Bands for the great assistance they have given us by their enlivening strains of Scotland's national music. I have to thank you, Mr Mayor and

your Councillors, and ex-Mayor Hawkey and members of the late Council, who co-operated with me so generously to make this day successful. I must not forget to express my thanks to Mr S. M'Bride and his son for the whole-hearted enthusiasm they put into their work to make this statue as near perfection as possible. It was doubtless a labour of love to Mr M'Bride as he has a very warm heart for the Poet. I thank you all most heartily for your company here at this unveiling ceremony. It gives me very great pleasure to present this statue to the people of Timaru, and place it in our public gardens.

As many of you are aware, I have long been an admirer of the Scottish Poet, yet many very practical people have wondered why I troubled doing this. To these curious ones I might apply the famous Jane Welsh Carlyle's reply to the wondering people, who asked her how her husband Thomas Carlyle wrote so beautiful a book as his life of John Sterling-on such a man as John Sterling? Her reply was that Mr Sterling influenced and impressed Mr Carlyle so much that he was compelled to write Mr Sterling's life. In this case Robert Burns's life and works have impressed James Craigie so much that he had, too, for the peace of his own mind, to erect this modest monument as an expression of his warm-hearted gratitude towards Robert Burns.

To erect statues to perpetuate his memory and even to celebrate the anniversary of his birth are to be commended, but it is better, I think, to follow him in his honesty, his sincerity, and in his manly, independent character, and in his sympathy for suffering mankind, in his wonderful affection for all living creatures. Thereby they will become better men. They will be too proud for oppression, and have too much self-respect for blandishments and bribes, and will have an honest contempt for whatever bears the appearance of servility and meanness.

Mr Mayor, I now ask you to accept this statue from me for the people of Timaru. I request that you and the people, and those who come after us, will take care of it, and by so doing, you and they will honour the memory of Burns and show respect for the giver who admired the Man, Patriot, and Poet.

The gifted man that this figure represents" was born in poverty, he lived in poverty, and he died in poverty, but he has enriched the world.” In the words of William Watson :

He came when poets had forgot

How rich and strange the human lot,
How warm the tints of life; how hot

Are love and hate,

And what makes truth divine,

And what makes mankind great.

The statue is a work of art worthy of the greatness of the man in whose memory it has been erected. Eight feet from the ground, the marble image of the Poet stands silhouetted against the sky, a constant remembrance and inspiration to passers-by. The base of the erection is composed of bluestone, on top of which is a pedestal of grey Coromandel granite, which is quite in keeping with the marble image it bears. The statue itself is life size, and is a striking likeness of Burns, who is represented as standing with a quill in his hand, as if holding intercourse with the Muse. By his side is a pedestal, over which has been thrown the beloved Scottish plaid the Poet usually wore. His dress is the dress of the day, each garment, from the knee-breeches upwards, being faithfully true to period. As an example of the exactitude with which every detail has been cut, it may be mentioned that the quill in the hand of the Poet and the fob that he wears are separate from the main body of marble.

The statue is the work of an Italian sculptor of Carrara, who followed a clay model chosen by the donor (Mr James Craigie), who is more than pleased with the manner in which the work has been executed.

The pedestal bears the following inscription :-—

Robert Burns: born January, 1759, died July, 1796. "The largest soul of all the British lands." -(Carlyle).

"The rank is but the guinea's stamp

The man's the gowd for a' that.”

CLUB NOTES.

[COMMUNICATED.]

SUNDERLAND BURNS CLUB.

REPORT-1914-15.

In submitting the Eighteenth Annual Report of our Sunderland Burns Club we do so under the shadow of a grave national crisis. For nine months there has been waging (on the Continent of Europe) the greatest war the world has known. How long it may

continue no one can tell, but the ultimate result must be as it surely will be-" Victory to our Army and her gallant Allies."

At such a time as this our thoughts naturally go out to the splendid part our Scottish Regiments are taking in the conflict, to the gallant" Sons of Auld Scotia ” who have gone forth determined to settle for all time the mighty invader and his horde.

The general work of our Club has been to a large extent suspended. We have been able to meet once a month. Although the Military and Licensing Justices have restricted the hours, still we have been able to keep up the continuity of our meetings.

ANNUAL MEETING.

The Annual General Meeting of last year was well attended. This is as it should be. It denotes a healthy interest in the work of the Club. The reports submitted were encouraging and important. Messrs Lennox, Mackay, and Neilson were appointed to attend the Annual Meeting of the Federation, to be held in London in September. The election of officers for the ensuing year filled up the remainder of the evening.

PICNIC.

During the past year a Picnic was arranged on Wednesday, June 24th, 1914, to Abbotsford and Melrose. A company of upwards of forty members and friends assembled at the Central Station at 6 a.m. to face the long journey, determined to make the very best of the time at their disposal. Melrose was reached about 10 o'clock, where the historic places of interest took up the attention of the party. In the afternoon Abbotsford was visited, where the Walter Scott relics proved an interesting attraction. Dinner and tea were served in Mrs Anderson's Hotel, and in the evening games were indulged in on the park.

The majority of the Pipe Band were able to attend and proved very interesting and attractive, not only to the party but to the inhabitants of Melrose. We have to record the very great kindness of Dr James Wells for so kindly defraying the expenses of the Pipe Band on this occasion (a kindness which was much appreciated). The party left Melrose about 8 o'clock, reaching Sunderland at midnight, all having spent a most enjoyable day.

1915.

DINNER.

The Anniversary Dinner was held on Monday, January 25th, The arrangements were somewhat modified to comply with the local regulations. The management of the hotel very graciously offered us a slight extension, which was readily accepted. Hugo MacColl, Esq., presided, and directed the proceedings with a dignity worthy of the occasion. The members, for the second time in our history, decided to honour one of our own members with the important toast. Their choice fell on our respected Past President, W. H. Turner, Esq., and full well did he uphold that honour and confidence.. The oration delivered on this occasion will rank as one of the best delivered in memory of the Peasant Poet of Scotland. No apology, no defence of Burns, but a clarion call to Scotsmen to follow the example of Burns himself, whose boast was He loved Scotland, her people and her customs, and it is that love which inspires the patriotic zeal which makes Scotland stand out as one of the largest contributors in men and money at this momentous time in the history of our country."

66

A number of the representatives from the Military stationed in the town had been invited, among them the younger son of the Federation President, 2nd Lieut. A. R. M'Naught, of the 4th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. It was a matter of sincere regret that owing to new restrictions (at the last moment) they were prevented from joining us. The members of the Pipe Band rendered excellent service at this function.

CHRONICLE.

The Chronicle comes to us full and fresh as of yore. With the work of the Federation to a large extent suspended, it was thought at one time that this important publication would also be held over. The present issue fully maintains the excellence of its predecessors, and bears tribute of the amount of labour entailed on its veteran Editor in compiling such an excellent work.

THE PIPE BAND.

The members of the Pipe Band are to be complimented on the very excellent part they have taken in our local recruiting work.