My compliments to Mr Craigie; may his shadow never be less! For the unveiling it behoved all sturdy Scots within hail to foregather, and Sir Robert Stout, who pontificated, found a pulpit and an occasion entirely to his liking.
Cabined, cribbed, confined in the Chief Justiceship, bewigged and begowned, the one-time Robert Stout hardly knows himself - after years, even yet. Except when in the chair of the University Senate, and impaling some mutinous professor from Victoria College - twirling him about like a cockchafer on a pin - the platform adept gets never a chance.
But at Timaru all went well; Sir Robert could let himself out, and did, - saying all the proper things about Burns, and leaving the improper things to the frivolous journalists who come after.
The criticism that occurs to me at functions of this kind, Burns Club gatherings, and the like, is that Burns's foes are chiefly they of his own household; it is the Scotch folk of to-day who limit the genius of Burns.
Sir Robert Stout, with Mr M'Ewan, of Dunedin - who said an excellent ditto to the other's excellent first - rang the changes on ''Mary in Heaven,'' ''The Daisy,'' ''Scots Wha Ha'e,'' ''The Cottar's Saturday Night,'' and ''A Man's a Man for a' That,'' with such of the love lyrics as might be recited to a Sunday School; but of ''The Jolly Beggars,'' and ''Tam o Shanter,'' where Burns is at the height, a bare mention - mum's the word.
We are too pharisaically correct for rantin', rovin', Robin. Not for us to taste the barley-bree; a swizzle of ginger beer is our ''right good willie-waught''; and the cup o' kindness for auld lang syne is cup of lukewarm soiree tea. Robert Burns would disown us. - Civis.
• A plan originated by the Overseas Club to celebrate Empire Day was the encircling of the globe with a blaze of bonfires during the 24 hours. The Dunedin branch is carrying out its part of this project to-day.
A great pile of material has been built on the Peninsula, opposite the city.
It has been arranged that his Worship the Mayor shall perform the ceremony of setting the bonfire alight at 6.45 p.m., and he will be accompanied to the scene of the blaze by the local members of Parliament, representatives of the Victoria League and Navy League, and the committee of the Dunedin Branch of the Overseas Club. In the evening a concert will be held in His Majesty's Theatre.
A good patriotic programme has been arranged, and addresses will be given by his Worship the Mayor and the Rev. W Slade. It is expected that a large number of school children will be present as well as adults.
- ODT, 25.4.1913.
