COUNCIL MESSAGE ON MORALE

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 20, 18 October 1941, Page 10

COUNCIL MESSAGE ON MORALE

Further Moves To Be Made COMMITTEE SET UP AT MEETING

A large gathering filled the Council Chamber -'in the Wellington Town Hall yesterday afternoon when definite action was taken toward implementing the recent action of the mayor and city councillors in issuing a message to citizens calling for unshakable morale and greater spiritual faith in the present national crisis.

The mayor, Mr. Hislop, who presided. read a letter to him expressing on behalf of a group of well-known citizens, thanks and appreciation tor the action the council had taken in Issuing the card message. The purpose of the meeting was to implement that message by taking some appropriate action. Mr. Hislop said he had received a number of letters supporting such a proposal, and :clegrams bud also come to band from a wide area. These included one from the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, who saw virtue in this strengthening of the moral and spiritual forces of Hie community; from the Leader of Hie Opposition, Mr. Holland, and other leading men in AVellington and other parts of the Dominion, Mr. Hislop said the council had sent the message out in Hie hope that it would remain with the people and be a guide to them in their everyday activities. Now it was no longer a matter, for the mayor and councillors, but one for the citizens themselves. Terms of Resolution.

Mr. AV. 11. Price then moved the following resolution: "That this meeting of AVellington citizens wishes to congratulate the mayor and councillors ou the significant lead they have given to the community in issuing their message on morale. Believing that the widespread application of the spirit contained in lhe message will greatly strengthen our nation against attack from within or without, and also lay the foundations for sound post-war reconstruction, we recommend all citizens to study the implications of the message; and we urge that a committee of citizens be set up to give further emphasis to the message.”

Mr. Price said he nioved it as one of the signatories to the .letter asking the mayor to convene the meeting. The issue of the card, he felt, could only be productive of good. Its sentiments were really excellent and if those sentiments were lived up to everyone would be more happy and contented.

In seconding the resolution, Mr. AV. H. Hindle said they were not only living in very serious times, but were also facing a future the like of which human beings have never before in history been asked to face. He considered that the first thing to be done would be to arrange finance to print more of these messages and circulate them in a still wider field, in factories, colleges, hospitals, warehouses and schools; and also to induce other boroughs in the district to take similar action, and so enhance the morale of the people. Then be thought that suitable talks could be arranged to take place in colleges and factories; and, in addition, they might issue pamphlets, as was done in England. Here the speaker mentioned such publications as "The Battle of Britain” and "Britain Can Take It,” which had had such an enormous circulation iu the Old Country, and had proved an inspiration in keeping up the morale ol' the people. Publicity also could be given in the pulpit, the Press and over the air.

"AA’e are facing serious times,” said Mr. Hindle, "and we should be endeavouring not only to inspire a higher morale in the lives of jieople, but also to see that when the world comes through this ordeal it will be a better place to live in.” Bishop On Social Evils. The Bishop of AVellington, the lit. Rev. 11. St. Barbe Holland, said it was splendid to see the laity holding its head above the ground in connexion with the spiritual issues of the day, pointing the way to a more robust taitli in God’s guidance. Referring to the criticism of its message, Bishop Holland said the old idea was always popping up that business and religion had nothing to do with one another. That was as old as the hills, and was always used when the laity came out of its shell. It was a heresy that had to be scotched. It represented one of those gaps in community life which had to be bridged to bring that life back to its proper bearing. But they must do more than stimulate morale by word; they must implement it by deeds, and here he spoke of social evils which should be the concern of the community. The Bishop mentioned that he was, by virtue of his office, connected with a movement which worked in a “difficult” area of AVellington city, where conditions of life were utterly unworthy of the nation and the people. He mentioned places where gambling bn pakapoo was rife, aud other houses that were the scenes of appalling immorality, and that in the heart of the city. Jt was left for a few voices only to say that this sort of thing must not lie permitted to go on. They must eradicate this poison in the heart of lhe community. This great movement might be preparatory to correcting those things. If it was done in the right way aud pursued to a logical conclusion, he was perfectly certain that a real victory would be achieved against tlmse vices which were contaminating life.

Rabbi Katz heartily approved of the step taken by the mayor and councillors, as Hie effect would be to stimulate the moral consciousness of the community, with repercussions far beyond any one community. He represented a people whose very existence had proved that the spirit is mightier than the sword. Those people had surely suffered all possible vicissitudes throughout the ages, and had lived through them simply by the power of Hie spirit. He commended Hie action taken by the laity’s stimulating voice. The voice of the clergy was so often beard that its message might be dulled, but this new voice, coming from the hard-headed business men of the city, was a significant sign of the times. Mr. E. A. Israel and the Rev. C. L. Dobbs also spoke. The resolution was then put to the meeting and adopted unanimously. On the suggestion of the mayor, all present were made members of the general committee, after which the following executive committee (with power to add to their number)was ai>pointed: Messrs. Perry, M.L.C., W. J. Gaudin, W. H. Hindle, G. Scott, the Very Rev. D. D. Scott, Rabbi Katz, Messrs. G. L. Gieseu, G. S. Amos, R. H. Boyes, E. H. Wallace, the Rev. 11. Squires, the Rev. J. T. Macky, Messrs. H. L. Patrick, and 11. A. Glen. It was also understood that those citizens who had asked the mayor to convene the meeting would also be asked to join the executive committee.