Reports from The Vegetarian (London) November 17th and 24th, 1898:
National Vegetarian Congress.
THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH
(BY OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT)
The National Congress was opened by the Rev. Professor J. E. B. Mayor, on Monday September 12th at 4 o'clock. The large hall in which the exhibition is held, and where the opening ceremony took place, was not particularly well-filled at the time when Mr. Hills called upon Professor Mayor to open the proceedings, but later on Vegetarians dropped in from many quarters, and the scene soon presented a very brilliant and animate appearance.
I encountered in my walk round the hall several flesh-eating acquaintances, who had come not so much to scoff, nor yet with the smallest intention of remaining to pray, but merely to enquire and discover what manner of beings Vegetarians are. They had a pretty sample to choose from. Mr. Hills with the bronze of sea breezes on his cheeks, Professor Mayor with the dust of the study about him, Indians in gorgeous Oriental robes, old gentlemen with patriarchal beards, young sparks in the highest collars, clergymen, men of letters, merchants, clerks, mechanics, and innumerable boys and girls - both white and coloured.
[followed by further observations of the exhibition, and a very long verbatim report of the President's address]
National Vegetarian Congress
OPENING DAY (Continued from last week)
The coing stone of Monday's proceedings was the evening Conversazione. (description followed)
TUESDAY'S PROCEEDINGS.
[opening speech by Rev. James Clark]
Professor Mayor then submitted his paper on "Vegetarianism as a Social Force." (details followed)
Mr. Taylor, in the absence of the author, then proceeded to read Mr. Sydney H. Beard's paper on "The Raison d'etre of the Food Reformer," (details followed).
"VEGETARIAN MISSIONARY WORK"
Treating this subject, Mr. R. E. O'Callaghan said (details followed)
[details of discussions followed]
THE WOMEN'S SESSION
Mrs. McDouall, who presided at the Women's Session held on Tuesday afternoon, expressed the pleasure they felt at having so many gentlemen present. (details followed)
Congress and Cookery
(report followed)
(extremely long and detailed reports followed, of the rest of the Congress up to the Friday)
November 12th, 1898:
OFFICIAL REPORT
The Committee was held on Friday, October 21st. Present : Mr. A. F. Hills, Councillor Malins, Mr. Geo .Jones, Mr. C. W. Forward, and Mr. J. Naylor, and by Chairman's permission Miss Righetti was also present as a visitor. The Reports of the Provincial Secretaries were presented. The meetings arranged for the future and collections made during the past month were as follows: Southern Province (Mr. R. E. O'Callaghan), meetings arranged, 31. Midland Province (Mr. A. H. Saunders), meetings arranged, 13. Oxfrod Province (Mr. D. W. B. Ackerman), meetings arranged, 16 ; collections 5s. Irish Province (Mr. R. Semple), meetings arranged, 12 ; collections 14s. 6d. South Wales Province (Mr. G. C. Wade), meetings arranged, 6 ; collections £4 3s. 4d.. Mr. Buttemr was appointed Hon. Local Secretary for Godalming and district, and Mr. B. B. Doshy Hon. Local Secretary for Ahmedabad, and the offer of the latter to send a couple of Indian chefs to demonstrate cookery at the Paris Congress of 1900 was accepted. A photograph of the President's garden party was granted to Mr. Karl Mann. Information re special rates of insurance for Vegetarians and method of obtaining Vegetarian insurance statistics was instructed to be obtained. A Press Department of the V.F.U. was formed, and Mr. J. H. Downes was appointed Hon. Decretary, and Mr. J. Naylor and Mrs. McDouall were elected to the sub-committee.* The death of Mme. Chautraine was reported and a resolution of respectful sympathy with the family was passed. The oublishing of Mr. Newcombe's pamphlet was adjourned, owing to a lack of funds. A rough balance sheet relating to the Congress was presented, which showed that, whereas the loss last year was nearly £20, this year it was below £3. Stalls for the Congress Exhibition, 1899, have already been taken by Messrs. Cadbury, Hovis, Clapp, Albene, Vejos, Nucoline, Falona, and Mrs. Eliot. The Glasgow Exhibition, 1901, was discussed and referred for further information to be obtained from the Scottish Society. Preliminary suggestions for winter missions were considered, and the schemes as presented by the N.H.V.S., Cardiff V.S., and Gloucester V.S., were approved. Correspondence re the International Vegetarian Congress of 1900, at Paris, was read. A resolution was passed that all affiliated societies should be invited to hold stalls at the National Congress in London, next year, and that one half of the proceeds should go to these societies. More complete arrangements for the Congress were left to the next Committee. +
* All persons wishing to help in this department are requested to apply, as early as possible to the Secretary.
+ All suggestions for the Congress of 1899, in London, should be sent to the Secretary in time for the next Commitee.
December 10th, 1898:
V.F.U. COMMITTEE
OFFICIAL SUMMARY
The Executive Committee was held on Friday, November 18th. Present - Mr. A. F. Hills, Mrs. McDouall, Mademoiselle Viegelé, Miss F. I. Nicholson, Mr. H. Begbie, Mr. C. W. Forward, Mr. G. Jones, Mr. J. Nayler, Mr. Harry Phillips, and the Secretary.
It was resolved that provincial secretaries should, on and after January 1, 1899, be required to raise one half of their salaries within their province.
It was resolved that the affiliation fees of Societies in the London district should be paid to the V.F.U., through the L.V.A.
It was resolved that the annual meeting of the V.F.U. should be held on Friday, January 27, at 4 p.m., and that a conversazione should be held in the evening, under the auspices of the V.F.U., but in conjunction with the L.V.A. and the V.C.C.
It was resolved that Provincial Secretaries should prepare lists of suitable persons within their several provinces to act as Consuls for the V.F.U.
It was resolved to invite the V.S. to hold their May meetings in London, under the joint auspices of the V.F.U. and the V.S.
It was reported that the P. & O. had, on application, made special provision for a Vegetarian lady missionary going out to India.