HELP ACKNOWLEDGED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22981, 8 March 1938, Page 13

HELP ACKNOWLEDGED

AUCKLAND MOTORISTS SIR S. COOKE ENTERTAINED The spontaneous and-generous assistance given by him to the Automobile Association, Auckland, and through it to motoring in New Zealand, was emphasised at a dinner given last night at the Grand Hotel to Sir Stenson Cooke, secretary of the Automobile Association, Great Britain. Mr. F. G. Farrcll, president of the Auckland association, presided over a gathering of 35 and presented Sir Stenson with a casket made and inlaid with New Zealand woods. Mr. Farrell said the history of the Automobile Association, Great Britain, was a record of motoring development and, Avith this development, Sir Stenson was intimately associated. When he was appointed secretary about 33 years ago the membership of the association was 90 and its cash balance £IOO. Now its membership was 700,000 and its annual income was over £1,000,000. The energy, great foresight and organising ability of the secretary had been directly responsible for this. The Automobilo Association, Auckland, was greatly indebted to Sir Stenson for him over-ready advice and assistance. Sir Stenson referred to what ho named the wonderful Empire family of Automobile Associations. He said he could describe the New Zealand bodies without flattery as being the most com* plete unit outside Great Britain, because all the branches were Automobile Associations. He would never have come to New Zealand had it not been for the Auckland association. He found Auckland and its people so charming that he felt he had not left home but come home. The toast of the Auckland association was proposed by Mr. W. H. Hemingway, a past president and life member, who coupled with it the association's secretary, Mr. G. W. Hutchison. Mr A. Grayson, immediate past president, replied, and Mr. Hutchison also thanked members for their kirfflly references.