ROTARY CONFERENCE

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 27 February 1935, Page 7

ROTARY CONFERENCE

Delegates Welcomed at Timaru by the District Governor PROGRESS OF MOVEMENT IMPRESSIONS OVERSEAS

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) TIMARU, To-day. At the opening of the Rotary conference this morning the District Governor, Rotarian .T. M. A. Uott, extended a cordial welcome to the delegates from all parts of the Dominion. He said that during the year the membership of 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,'’ he said. “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 al3o consider the need of aid for crippled children. ACCOUNT OP STEWARDSHIP.

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 he hoped to visit most of the others before the new district governor returned from the international conference. He looked back with pleasure on the great experience lie had had in meeting 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 world and in the esteem of the officers. The visit had brought him many new friends and had extended his view of Rotary’s possibilities internationally. The speaker paid a tribute to the assistance given by District Governor Cecil Buchanan, of South Africa, officers of Rotary International and district Rotarians during his He also referred to the loss suffered by Rotary in New Zealand by the deaths of Sir Geo. Powlds, first honorary commissioner, and District Governor T. C. List, whose memories would long remain.

Referring to the progress of Rotary International, the speaker said-that in July, 1924, it had 133,173 members. Today the membership was 155,000. There were 3726 clubs, of which 2577 were in North America. The speaker then gave a resume of operations during, the past year and expressed pleasure at the growth of inter-city meetings. GROWTH -IN 15 YEARS.

It is but 15 years on June 7 since Leyton Ralston launched the first Rotary Club in New Zealand, and a day Tater the late Jim Davidson inaugurated the Auckland club. From its foundation Rotary has grown, and the community appreciated the efforts of its membership and their willingness .to help in service. Let this he 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 of those organisations that have that end in view.” Ideas for health reform in the Dominion were advanced by Dr. H. D. Robertson (Wanganui). He said the Dominion was fortunate to be so well served medically. The Health Department was very efficient and there v\cre 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. . ..

PLUNKET. WORK.. ... After quoting the findings of the Australian Medical Congress, Dr. Robertson referred to the results of the commission of inquiry, the value of the Plunket Society’s pre-natal and post-natal care of mothers and children, a*d he urged. Rotarians to interest themselves in the societies’ work. ‘< j am in hearty agreement with the commission when it dwells at length on the way the young are allowed to go to pictures, as very few films are suitable for the facile minds of the adolescent, and they.contribute to precocious sexuality and to a weakening of the powers of inhibition and self control. Dr. Robertson quoted cases illustrating the cost to the taxpayer for the maintenance of families of feebleminded people, and declared that these were causing grave concern, to hospital boards and welfare officers. He then referred briefly to the seventeen recommendations of the commission. It was a great problem and was apt to increase as the years progressed.. Dr. Robertson expressed the opinion that the 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 sixteen and sixty employed in manual labour, and all other persons whose wages or salaries did not exceed £250 a year. He said the medical benefits under national insurance were deficient in certain Tespeets, 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 Xray diagnosis of disease. He was convinced that a similar scheme with the weaknesses eliminated would be established in New Zealand before long.