Our Big Scheme Concluded

Northern Advocate, 30 January 1940, Page 2

Our Big Scheme Concluded

The Kupe Club Centennial Holiday scheme may be/ written off as another success—another effort by boys and girls of Northland that has brought sunshine into the lives of others.

In this last week to much praise has been showered on me personally, so many kir.d things raid, that I have almost wanted to shout a denial—to say that I don’t deserve them all.

As with other efforts of the Kupe Club, it .is the club that deserves the thanks of the community—the boys and girls who are the inspiration that others follow and who themselves play such a big" part in bringing to a f lu'ccr.sful conclusion the schemes we foster.

And so, my followers, when, during the past week, you have read high praises showered on your chieftain, remember each and every one of them was intended for you and every other member of this big club oC ours. Not least of those io share the praises are, the club members who worked hard in di- ire.-.i efforts, but who could not make the trip.

j !ic (Ugam.SiUioM was perfect,” somebody said

But of course it was not. There were improvements that could have been made; there were unsuspected strengths-and unsuspected weaknesses in the framework of our scheme. One learns from experience and that week in Wellington was crammed with experience for me.

That no weakness in our scheme resulted in anything like a major hitch is a tribute not so much to the leader of the party as it is to the men and women who comprised his staff. No thanks can be too great, Nortlilanders, for the escorts—many of them school teachers whose great experience was placed unreservedly in the hands of H.Q.

Quietly efficient, Mr. Sam Maioha, chairman of the Bay of Islands Maori Council, was a tower of strength to the administration staff—“Kupe, Mr. B. W. Crawfcrd, Mrs. H. W. Crawford. Mr. D. S. Kerr, Mr. Matthews, Mr. Julian and Mr. Maioha.

A word or two from Mr. Maioha served to emphasise orders to Maori children; a word or two here and there in Maori straightened out small problems for Maori holiday-ites. The knowledge that Mr. Maioha was with us must have been a great eomfort to all Maori parents.

Somehow Mr. Maioha seemed seldom in the limelight; yet he was always on hand when a helper was needed. No matter how small or how great the job given him. Mr. Maioha did it quietly and well.

On formal occasions the natural eloquence of Mr. Maioha added dignity and sincerity as he spoke on behalf of the Maori race.

Administration staff will agree that Mr. Maioha deserves this paragraph all to himself. He was helpful to everyone of us.

It would be fitting that I should take each member of the administration staff—Mr. Kerr, Mr, Matthews, Mrs. Crawford, Mr. Crawford, Mi*. Julian—and tell you the scores of ways they helped. But that would require more space than we can afford today.

Similarly, if I started with Mis. Steadman and elaborated on the work of her helpers, or commenced with Kiwi and touched on the many helpers in Wellington, the columns would fill and still there would be stories untold and helpers unnamed. Enough, Northlanders,, to say that everyone, everywhere has helped and helped willingly, that the success of our holiday scheme is shared by a multitude of people who deserve alt the thanks we can bestow upon them.

I do want to thank young Noi tbianders on the trip for their loyalty. Their splendid behaviour and good conduct left behind a good impression, arsil 1 knew Wellington would have ns again if we should ever wish to go touring in the future.

We of the Kupe Club can feel that another big job has been done; that we have brought sunshine into the'lives of others.

Looking back on the past w'eek we can say without fear of contradiction that the Kupe Club Centennial Holiday scheme has been quite worth while.

Rangitirn Northland Tribe,