Rotary clubs aim to broaden membership

Press, 10 November 1986, Page 4

Rotary clubs aim to broaden membership

PA Wellington The Rotary Club’s district governor for the Wellington region, Mr Fred Bums, agrees that Rotary has too few Maori and Polynesian members. Mr Burns was replying to comments made by the race relations Conciliator, Mr Wally Hirsh, that Rotary did not represent the ethnic diversity of New Zealand.

Mr Buras said Rotary planned to correct this

imbalance. He estimated that of the 3000 members of the 58 clubs in his region, which covers the lower half of the North Island, about 100 were either Maori or Polynesian. He said that although Rotary did not exclude anyone on the basis of race, for some reason Maori and Polynesians were not attracted to the club.

Asked if Rotary was considered an elitist organisation, Mr Bums said unfortunately it had this reputation and the overtones that went with it.

This was a great shame, especially because those people who accused Rotary of elitism often benefited from Rotary projects. But he said this image was changing, especially with the influx of younger members into Rotary, who had different stand-

ards. Mr Hirsh told a meeting of the Hamilton Rotary Club recently that Rotary clubs should broaden their membership to include more ethnic groups. Mr- Hirsh, who is a Rotary member, said Rotarians were a group of people in positions of power and did not represent the ethnic diversity of New Zealand.

Rotary groups needed to look at ways of “reach-

ing out" to change this, he said.

Mr Hirst suggested Rotary could help race relations by supporting a new exchange scheme for secondary schools to give them cross-cultural experiences in New Zealand.

Auckland principals were setting up the scheme to let students spend three months at a school with a different cultural mix than their own, he said.

Mr Burns said Rotary supported Mr Hirsh’s comments and backed the scheme. It was taking steps to introduce the exchange scheme in the next few months.

The scheme would give students first-hand experience of a different culture and school. 7

Mr Burns said Rotary also planned to bring young people. from different cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds together at youth forums to help understanding between them.