PACIFIC AFFAIRS

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21578, 14 September 1935, Page 7

PACIFIC AFFAIRS

ANNUAL MEETING OF INSTITUTE MORE FINANCIAL SUPPORT NEEDED

The annual meeting of the New Zealand Institute 6f Pacific Relations was held in Wellington this week. The president, the Hon. Sir James Allen, in making his annual report, stated that the year had been important and eventful in the affairs of the New Zealand Institute. In July, the national secretary, Dr. Guy H. Scholefield, tendered his resignation. Dr. Scholefield had been elected a life member of the institute. It had to be recognised that if the Institute of Pacific Relations was to develop, and if the interest of the branches was to be maintained, a far greater amount of work was required of a secretary than voluntary effort could be expected to perform. It had been suggested that the time had arrived for the appointment of a fulltime secretary, and with it the extension of the activities of the institute. All this depended upon increased financial support. The most important event of the year was the visit of the secretary-general, Mr Edward C. Carter. In each town he met and talked with group members of the institute, and, also, in the main centres, leading representatives of business men, university and educational organisations, Government officials, Rotary Clubs, newspaper men, and many others. He delivered a number of public addresses and also gave wireless lectures from the four centres. Mr Carter's visit was of immense valua to the Dominion generally, his talks stimulating interest in the vital problems of the Pacific. He succeeded In interesting New Zealand business men in the institute's activities as no other single individual had been able to do. The New Zealand branch was represented at the International Studies Conference on Collective Security, held in London, by Dr. G. H. Scholefield and Dr. R. M. Campbell. The representative for New Zealand at the last conference at Paris was Dr. W. N. Benson, the research secretary. The extension of the scope of the institute's activities in New Zealand, said the chairman, was dependent on the more active financial support of the business community. It would also have to aim at obtaining a full-time secretary. The election of officers resulted as follows:—President, Sir James Allen, re-elected; vice-presidents, Sir William Hunt, Messrs W. H. Cocker, Walter Nash, M.P.. J. E. Strachan; honorary secretary, Mr B. R. Turner; treasurer, Mr V. N. Beasley; honorary auditor. Mr A. H. Maclver. The resignation of Dr. W. N. Benson as research secretary was reluctantly accepted. It was decided to ask Professor Belshaw to accept the office of research secretary, and to convene an informal conference of people with research training and interest in Pacific problems with e view to organising an intensive scheme of New Zealand research. Professor Belshaw would be in America next year on a Rockefeller fellowship, and would be able to confer on behalf of the New Zealand group with Isstitute of Pacific Relation leaders in the United States.