The Hawera Star. MONDAY, AUGUST 11, 1924. GETTING TOGETHER.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 11 August 1924, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

MONDAY, AUGUST 11, 1924. GETTING TOGETHER.

Delivered every evening by B o’clock Id Havren, Manaia. N^manby. Okaiawa, Eltham, Patch, Waverley, Mokoia, Wbakamara, Oiiangai, Meremere, Fraser Road. and Otakeue. Manuiabi, Alton, Harleyville, Msngatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Opunake,

For a long time past a few of our citizens have remarked upon the failure of the business people to meet together at regular intervals to discuss the affairs of the towm and make suggestions with the idea of effecting improvements where they are thought to be necessary. We are very glad to find that a definite move has been made to overcome what has been regarded as a weakness, and people have been invited by the Hawera Retailers’ Association to a business men’s dinner to-morrow evening. The Association hopes to be able to hold these functions every month, and it relies upon the business people of the town to give the movement their cordial support. The Association considers the time is ripe for a forward movement by the business men of Hawera, and it is felt that by gatherings such as that to be held to-morrow evening much good can be done. We are heartily in agreement with the Association in this movement, for we believe that unity through which great good may be achieved will be encouraged. In Hawera one has often heard individuals in private conversation make critical remarks upon various aspects of the town, and suggest that this or that ought to be done, but whatever merit there may have been in their statements it has been lost because there has been no means for suggestions being taken up and discussed by the business people as a whole. It is possible that one idea may set in operation a long train of thought among people who gather at regular intervals with one aim and object—the progress and development of their town and district —but if such gatherings are not held, the seed may be wafted upon the winds of scattered counsels and lost. We should not “rest upon scattered counsels, for they will rather distract and mislead than settle and direct.” As everyone in the district knows, the world-wide financial depression, commonly known as the slump, affected South Taranaki considerably, as it did other parts of the Dominion, and we suppose that it was natural that in the circumstances, when people had to give special attention to their own affairs, the need for gathering together was not regarded with the importance that it should have been. In times of depression it is very easy for people to lose their faith and take up a more pessimistic attitude than the real position warrants. This, rve believe, has been the case -with some people in South Taranaki, but in view r of the optimistic views expressed as to the future of the Dominion we think that people can look forward with more hope, and if they are faithful to their town and district and to the irfstitutions which are doing invaluable service for the community, there will be nothing to fear. When the boom developing we were not willing to accept the great optimism of those who refused to see the dangers ahead; when, the depression came we were not 'willing to join those who submitted to a spirit of pessimism; to-day, Ave take the view that the future is steadily growing brighter, but we do not overlook the need for consistent effort by the people, and it is to be hoped that the movement undertaken by the Retailers’ Association will encourage that effort. The winter has almost passed, and with the spring let the people come, together in the various parts of the district and, inspired by the signs of new life which Nature, is once more bringing forward, take a new interest in the life of the district and its towns, and enthusiastically do their part in building them up to the prosperous condition which all lovers of the district desire to see. We wish the Retailers’ Association every success in its undertaking, and we are sure that if it is given the support which it deserves it will lead to definite results.