PROMOTING GOODWILL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 62, 23 February 1934, Page 5

PROMOTING GOODWILL

Service to the Community

DUTIES OF ROTARY CLUBS Vocational service in Rotary was the subject of a short address given at to-day’s Hastings Rotary Club luncheon by Mr. Gordon the occasion being Rotary’s 29th orthday and a day set aside for discussions of Rotary principles and ideals. Other speakers were Dr. D. A. Bathgate, president of the club, and Mr. A. F. Redgrave. Mr. Roach dealt chiefly with the Rotarian’s obligation to render social service not only in the accustomed way, but equally by maintaining commercial integrity and by the general good conduct .of bis business. The National Tobacco Company in Napier was taken by the speaker as a fine example of the sort of service that a business can render not alone to its shareholders and customers, but to its employees also. The desirability of abolishing the spirit contained in the Latin tag, caveat emptor (let the buyer beware), and of improving the relationship between buyer and seller, was also dealt with by Mr. Roach. Speaking on the principle of service as applied to community service, Mr. Redgrave said that the Rotary Club was “a great team,” and asked in what way the abilities and talents of the members could be applied beneficially to the community’s welfare. If help were needed in any way, it was Rotary’s duty to give it. The establishment of a beautifying society was one work in which Rotary could take a share, and a work that greatly needed carrying out.

Welfare work among boys was another direction in which Rotarians could promote community welfare and happiness. Rotary was doing a good work also in educating and stimulating its members, and in enlarging their outlook and extending their sympathies.

International service formed the subject of the concluding address by Dr. Bathgate, who claimed that the promotion of international goodwill should be the chief ideal of Rotary, which was more international than any other moment in the world to-day. Rotary was not a panacea, but it did give what no other movement gave so readily—the means of promoting a world-fellowship based on the ideal of mutual service. There were at present 150,000 Rotarians belonging to 3631 clubs situated in 70 different countries.

Rotarians could do much, and in many ways, to promote international peace and understanding, and could hardly choose a more effective method than by personal correspondence with members of clubs in foreign countries. Understanding was the beginning of wisdom.