HAWERA ROTARY CLUB.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 4 December 1925, Page 5

HAWERA ROTARY CLUB.

WANGANUI CLUB’S VISIT

The largest 'gathering yet held in connection with the Hawera Rotary Club took place at the Savoy Rooms last evening, the occasion being an official visit by members of the Wanganui Rotary Club, the visiting party being about thirty in number.. Members of tihe local dub invited several guests, and, as they themselves "were present :in practically full force, the accommodation prepared was fully occupied. Precedent ordains that the visiting club shall conduct the business of the evening, so President A. Doig, of Wanganui, took charge, President D'r. W. M. Thomson, of the Hawera Club, supporting him. The visitors were a very jolly party, and, as representing an older and larger; club than the Hawera Club, they were able in many wavs to demonstrate to wliat extent Rotary had developed good fellowship in their ranks.

After dinner, felicitous (speeches of welcome and acknowledgment were made by the respective presidents, and then the company settled down to enjoy itself to the utmost, and there was ample evidence that no effort was required for individual friendship to be quickly made. The spontaneity- of the goodwill manifested on both sides was an inspiration, and the visit of the Wanganui Rotarians made a red-letter day in the history of the local club. The introduction of each member of the visiting club on the chain system, by which a member introduces the member ahead of him till the circle is completed, ensured that each man had to say /something, and afforded an opportunity for the display of quite a considerable amount of wit and broke the ice as perhaps could not otherwise have been done. By a device, quite patent, the visitors paid their way, the Wanganui Sergeant-at-Arms fining the whole of his club associates half a crown each, the penalties going into the coffers of the Hawera Club.

The president of the Wanganui Club and Rotarians Louis Cohen. Hope Gibbons, G. Gordon, and P. Higginbotham, of the .same club, each gave short impressive and instructive addresses on some aspect of Riotary work from the international to the individual point of view, and President Thomson, at the conclusion, expressed his conviction that the visit would do an immense amount of good for the Hawera Club.

The harmony of the evening was contributed to hy Mr. K. D. Grant-, of. Wanganui, and Rotarians Moss and Taylor, of Hawera, and quite a number of Rotary .songs were .sung by the whole Company. The gathering broke up at- an early hour, the visitors hoping to reach their homes at midnight. They took with them the promise that the Hawera, Club would return the visit early in the new year.