• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Institute of Australian Culture

Heritage, history, and heroes; literature, legends, and larrikins

  • Home
  • Articles
  • Biographies
  • Books
  • Ephemera
  • Poetry & songs
    • Recommended poetry
    • Poetry and songs, 1786-1900
    • Poetry and songs, 1901-1954
    • Rock music and pop music [videos]
    • Early music [videos]
  • Slang
  • Timeline
    • Timeline of Australian history and culture
    • Calendar of Australian history and culture
    • Significant events and commemorative dates
  • Topics

The Wattle Federation [17 January 1913]

22 July 2015 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: An article about the inauguration of the Wattle Federation of Australasia. Published in The Examiner, 17 January 1913.]

The Wattle Federation.

Amongst the inward passengers by the Loongana yesterday was Miss Faehse, of Adelaide, who is passing through to the South. Miss Faehse attended the Science Congress in Melbourne, and took part in a meeting at which the Wattle Federation of Australasia was inaugurated. Miss Faehse has been most energetic in the work of the Wattle League in South Australia, and in the Liberal cause. In addition she has taken a keen interest in every movement for the betterment of South Australia.

Three delegates from each state were invited to attend the function, at which the wattle federation was started. Tasmania alone failed to send delegates, but the promoters, finding that Dr. Purdy and Mr. Seager were in Melbourne, invited these gentlemen to attend, and Miss Faehse, in an interview with an “Examiner” representative yesterday, spoke most enthusiastically of the services which they had rendered. Tasmania was therefore not left out of the movement.

The Prime Minister (Right Hon. A. Fisher) presided at the inaugural dinner, and afterwards a discussion took place, when it was decided that the leagues should federate. Mr. W. J. Sowden, editor and part proprietor of the South Australian “Register,” being appointed president. State presidents were also appointed. Lady Symon, a most enthusiastic member, being appointed for Adelaide, and the organisation was thoroughly established, the principal object of the federation being to foster patriotism.

At the conference the Government botanist of New South Wales (Mr. J. H. Maiden, F.L.S.) mentioned that it was altogether unnecessary to carry out the suggestion that wattle blossom be forwarded to England once a year. If an Australian wanted to see true wattle, he had either to go to the outback parts of Australia, far from civilisation, or else to the south of France. For several years past immense quantities of wattle blossom had been grown in France, and anybody could, during the English spring and well into the summer, arrange to have consignments of French-grown wattle sent at a day’s notice to different parts of the United Kingdom. Mr. Maiden went on to explain that in Southern France horticulturists had succeeded by means of cross-fertilisation in securing altogether new types of the Australian flower.”

Miss Faehse went on to remark how rapidly the movement had gained ground. The exchange of sprigs of wattle on the day set apart had become popular amongst members of the leagues. Cards were printed as souvenirs, and even wall paper and furniture were decorated with the emblem.

The membership fee was very small, and life members were elected on a moderate payment. Adelaide’s membership had jumped up in a short time from 130 to 360, with 50 life members and a further increase was expected. In Sydney the league had about 500 members, and the Melbourne league was also strong.

While Miss Faehse is on holiday bent she is prepared to assist any ladies desirous of taking this matter in hand to form a league or leagues in Tasmania. In the course of the interview the visitor pointed out that the federation had not taken up the movement from a monetary point of view. They held that the wattle bark industry ought to be so encouraged that the states should not be required to import bark, and in this connection they were working in co-operation with the forest league, a federation of which was also formed in Melbourne within the last few days, the secretary pro tem being Dr. Sutton, of Melbourne.



Source:
The Examiner (Launceston, Tas.), 17 January 1913, p. 7

Editor’s notes:
pro tem = for the time being, temporarily; from the Latin phrase “pro tempore”

[Editor: The original text has been separated into paragraphs.]

Filed Under: articles Tagged With: SourceTrove, wattle celebrations, Wattle Federation of Australasia, year1913

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Australian flag, Kangaroo, Wattle, 100hThe Institute of Australian Culture
Heritage, history, and heroes. Literature, legends, and larrikins. Stories, songs, and sages.

Search this site

Featured books

The Man from Snowy River and Other Verses, by Banjo Paterson A Book for Kids, by C. J. Dennis  The Bulletin Reciter: A Collection of Verses for Recitation from The Bulletin The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke, by C. J. Dennis The Complete Inner History of the Kelly Gang and Their Pursuers, by J. J. Kenneally The Foundations of Culture in Australia, by P. R. Stephensen The Australian Crisis, by C. H. Kirmess Such Is Life, by Joseph Furphy
More books (full text)

Featured lists

Timeline of Australian history and culture
A list of significant Australiana
Significant events and commemorative dates
Australian slang
Books (full text)
Australian literature
Rock music and pop music (videos)
Folk music and bush music (videos)
Early music (videos)
Recommended poetry
Poetry and songs, 1786-1900
Poetry and songs, 1901-1954
Australian explorers
Topics
Links

Featured posts

Advance Australia Fair: How the song became the Australian national anthem
Brian Cadd [music videos and biography]
Ned Kelly: Australian bushranger
Under the Southern Cross I Stand [the Australian cricket team’s victory song]

Some Australian authors

E. J. Brady
John Le Gay Brereton
C. J. Dennis
Mary Hannay Foott
Joseph Furphy
Mary Gilmore
Charles Harpur
Grant Hervey
Lucy Everett Homfray
Rex Ingamells
Henry Kendall
“Kookaburra”
Henry Lawson
Jack Moses
“Dryblower” Murphy
John Shaw Neilson
John O’Brien (Patrick Joseph Hartigan)
“Banjo” Paterson
Marie E. J. Pitt
A. G. Stephens
P. R. Stephensen
Agnes L. Storrie (Agnes L. Kettlewell)

Recent Posts

  • A billabong: Goulbourn River [postcard, 27 November 1907]
  • Dear Mac [postcard, early 20th Century]
  • The New to the Old [poem by Randolph Bedford, 3 January 1896]
  • New Year greetings [postcard, early 20th Century]
  • New Year greetings [postcard, early 20th Century]

Top Posts & Pages

  • The Man from Snowy River [poem by Banjo Paterson]
  • Australian slang
  • The Bastard from the Bush [poem, circa 1900]
  • The Bard and the Lizard [poem by John Shaw Neilson]
  • The Man from Ironbark [poem by Banjo Paterson]

Archives

Categories

Posts of note

The Bastard from the Bush [poem, circa 1900]
A Book for Kids [by C. J. Dennis, 1921]
Click Go the Shears [traditional Australian song, 1890s]
Core of My Heart [“My Country”, poem by Dorothea Mackellar, 24 October 1908]
Freedom on the Wallaby [poem by Henry Lawson, 16 May 1891]
The Man from Ironbark [poem by Banjo Paterson]
Nationality [poem by Mary Gilmore, 12 May 1942]
The Newcastle song [music video, sung by Bob Hudson]
No Foe Shall Gather Our Harvest [poem by Mary Gilmore, 29 June 1940]
Our pipes [short story by Henry Lawson]
Rommel’s comments on Australian soldiers [1941-1942]
Shooting the moon [short story by Henry Lawson]

Recent Comments

  • Annie Crestani on Under the Southern Cross I Stand [the Australian cricket team’s victory song]
  • Peter Pearsall on The Clarence [poem by Jack Moses]
  • Trevor Hurst on Timeline of Australian history and culture
  • Ju on Under the Southern Cross I Stand [the Australian cricket team’s victory song]
  • David Carroll on Queensland [poem by Philip Durham Lorimer]

For Australia

Copyright © 2023 · Log in