The Hutt News THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1930. LOCAL PATRIOTISM.

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 24, 6 November 1930, Page 7

The Hutt News THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1930. LOCAL PATRIOTISM.

The great majority.of the new.comer residents in the Lower Hutt * district have every reason to congratulate themselves Upon their prudence and foresight in select-' ing the lower portion of the Hutt Valley as the locality in which they would make their permanent future home. Favoiired by na- j tiire with the most delightful sur- j roundings, a magnificent climate, ( fertile soil, which only needs tick-1 ling Avith a hoe to make it laugh, j fruit and flowers, capable municipal management, the lot of the many have within the past decade conic to reside in our midst, is indeed a fortunate one. And sornetiiiies one is tempt ed to think that some of our fellow citizens are even too reontent with the blessings they now enjoy, and content themselves with a policy Jof laisses fairc, and do not take much interest in the advancement and future development of the place in which they have made their ttome. True it is that many in our midst are daily called by the nature of their avocations to the adjacent city, and'the attractions of the fireside and the garden form a more pleasant method of concluding a day than atteiidr ing meetings, and otherwise doing , what should be regarded as a civic duty. But this should not be the case; every intelligent citizen owes a certain duty to the community in which he lives, and ( while of course it is easy to take [ the line of least resistance, and practically say "Yes, somebody necessarily must do it, but let the other fellow do it, I won't bother my head about wijiat is already being quite well done"; where -would the community and the district be if everyone said and acted thus. inany'riSatters of / the utmost local importance that vjinperatively need united action, right here in our midst, but any request for a strong public meeting whose resolutions would carry weight with the powers that be and is met with but scanty support and well night with apathy. We have in the past had organisations formed to assist the municipal council in their efforts for the betterment of conditions in the. borough, but of recent years the spirit of apathy seems to have in- > fected even our Progress League, which certainly was at one time a live and energetic power for good, and its Executive and most of the members would now all appear to be suffering from a form of "sleeping sickness." They have j thus lost the great and powerful influence for good they at one time exercised, and certain of the rank and file of the organisation are beginning to ask if it is not time something was done by the present office bearers, or do they wish to be superceded in their positions.