ROTARY IDEALS

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 February 1935, Page 12

ROTARY IDEALS

OUTLINED AT CONFERENCE.

[PER PBESS ASSOCIATION.] (

TIMARU, February 27.

At the opening of the Rotary Conference, this morning, the District Governor, Mr. J. M. A. Hott, extended a cordial welcome to delegates from all parts of the Dominion. He said that during the year the membership of the 22 clubs, had increased from 1131 to 1193. “Rotary has not discovered new formulas or new principles or ideals for governing men and their relations —its dominant ideals and principles have animated men. of goodwill since the beginning of time, but it has given them a new setting,” he said. Many Rotarians thought that the famous formula, setting out the objects of Rotary, should be restated, and during the conference the matter would be considered. The conference would also consider the needs of crippled children. The District Governor proceeded to give an account of his stewardship, stating that his long illness had prevented him’ from carrying out many plans and resolutions. He had found it possible to visit only a limited number of clubs, but hoped to Of’th'e others before the new ‘District Governor returned from the International Conference.- He looked back with pleasure bn the great experience he had in meeting the Rotary executives at the International Assembly at Vancouver, at the district convention. He was delighted to find that New Zealand stood so high in the Rotary world, and in the esteem of the officers. The visit had brought him many new friends, and. extended his view of Rotary’s possibilities ’ internationally. The speaker paid a tribute to the assistance given by the District Governor, Mr.- Cecil Buchanan, of South Africa, the officers of the Rotary International, and district Rotarians, during ‘his illness. He also referred to the loss suffered by Rotary in New Zealand through the deaths of Sir George Fowlds, the first honorary Commissioner and District Governor, Mr. T. C. List, whose memories would long remain.

Referring to the progress of the Rotary international, Mr. Hott said that in July, 1924, it had 153,173 members. To-day, the membership was 155,000. There were 3726 clubs, of which 2577 were in North America.

The speaker gave a resume of the operations during the past year, and expressed pleasure at the growth of inter-city meetings., “It is but 15 years on June 7 since Layton Ralston launched the first Rotary Club in New Zealand, and a day later the late Jim Davidson inaugurated tne Auckland Club. From its foundation, Rotary has grown and appreciated the efforts of its membership and their willingness to help in service. Let ithis be our aim, and our determination in the years to come. We can only get out of Rotary what we put into it. Rotary’s job is not to reform the world, not to solve the social problems, but to create friendship and the spirit of goodwill, and to help all those organisations that have that end in view,”

DOCTOR ON HEALTH REFORM.

TIMARU, February 27.

Ideas for health reform in the Dominion were advanced by Dr H. D. Robertson, of Wanganui. He said that tho Dominion was fortunate to be so well served medically. The Health Department was very efficient, and there were excellent hospitals and Plunket Societies. One of the problems of the age was the spread of venereal disease, but how far it had spread was difficult to ascertain, as it was not notifiable, like other contagious diseases. After quoting the findings of the Australian Medical Congress, Dr Robertson referred to the results of the Commission of Enquiry into the value of the Plunket Society’s pre-natal and post-natal care of mothers and children, and urged rotarians to interest themselves in the Society’s work. “I am in hearty agreement with the Commission, when it dwells at length on the way the* young are allowed. to go to the pictures, as very few films are suitable for the facile minds of adolescents, and they contribute to precocious sexuality and to the weakening of the powers of inhibition and self-control in other directions.” Dr Robertson quoted cases illustrating the cost to the taxpayer for the maintenance of the families of feeble-minded people, and declared that these were causing grave concern to Hospital Boards and Welfare Officers. He referred briefly to the seventeen recommendations of the Commission, and added, "It is a great problem, and is apt to increase as the years progress.” Dr Robertson expressed the opinion that a, national insurance health scheme for New Zealand, based on the-British medical service, would become an established fact before many Parliaments had run their course. He referred to the national scheme advocated by the hospital Boards’ Association, and explained the provisions which had been in force in Britain since 1911, which applied to all between the ages of 16 and 60 years, employed < in manual labour, and all other persons whose wages or salaries. did not exceed £250. He said that the medical benefits under the National Insurance Act were deficient in certain respects, inasmuch as there was no provision for hospital treatment, for consultation in obscure cases, or for cases requiring specialist attention, for pathological and physical aids, and X-ray diagnosis of disease. He was convinced that a similar scheme, with the weaknesses eliminated, would be established in New Zealand ere long.