Rotary ‘diluted’, says Mayor

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32560, 20 March 1971, Page 18

Rotary ‘diluted’, says Mayor

The impact of Rotary on the community had been diluted by other service clubs and by the multiplicity of Rotary clubs in the cities, the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr A. R. Guthrey) said last evening. He was welcoming more than 400 Rotarians and their wives to Christchurch for the 1971 South Island conference. Mr Guthrey, a Rotarian himself, said that the introduction of other service clubs had brought considerable benefit to the community. Rotary should take stock of its situation now.

New service projects were ■ not needed today, or not to the extent as in the past, he said. Further, it had to be ‘ accepted that the Lions’ Club, as a younger club, was more energetic; and the Jaycees—because of the “splendid” of compulsory retirement at an early age—were more enterprising. But the maturity of the Rotary movement enabled it to give a lead in the coordination of projects, Mr Guthrey said. Referring to the fact that the convention was being held mainly at the week-end, Mr Guthrey said that too many conferences —too long and too frequent—were held mid-week. There were cases, he thought, when it should be asked: “Is your conference really necessary?” Among the guests welcomed by the district governor (Mr D. V. Wilson) were the Australian High Commissioner (Sir Edwin Hicks), who spoke on the conference theme of bridging the gaps between people, between nations, and between man and his environment; and Mr S. J. O’Halloran, of New South Wales, who attended as the personal representative of the president of Rotary International (Mr W. E. Walk, Jun.).