ADVANCE GISBORNE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16908, 23 March 1929, Page 8

ADVANCE GISBORNE

A NEW ORGANISATION

YOUNG MEN TAKE A HAND With the slogan “-Oomnnip-nl -benefit before private interest,’? a body of citizens comprising mainly young men of Gisborne have inaugurated the Gisborne District Development Association, and last evening saw the public Launching of 1 his body. The response to the invitation extended ito the' public was fairly encouraging, and the organisation received a successful launching. Preliminary discussions among the members of the provincial executive had resulted in the formulation of a (general objective, which, broadly speaking, obligates members of the association to take' an interest in all local body work (with the, object of ensuring the future progress of the town. This objective was warmly approved by last night ’s ijneetipg, the attendance at which comprised about 30, including one representative of the fair sex.

The chair Was taken by the chairman of the provincial executive, Mr. M. J. White, who in opening the meeting gave a brief resume of the considerations which had induced the convenors to take action. lie emphasised the fact thiit the association would not endeavor to dictate the actions of local bodies, nor stand asj thi> critic of work peKormed by me,tubers of those bodies. The primary object, he stated, was to interest men, and particularly young men—and also ladies, of course —in the development of| the district and the duties de.vo'ving upon all those who had the inter-ests-of the'district at heart. It wasi felt,, he- pointed out, that, the young, men of the day were not displaying that interest, which their debt to tieprevious generations should invoke, and the object of the association was to offer help in the work of the local bodies,, so that 'the younger generation of business and processional men might show their willingness to seive whore their services could have value. THE PIONEERS’ EFFORTS

The past 50 years of Gisborne’s history had been years of great progress, continued Mr. White, and it was up to the men who had benefited by the wort; of. the pioneers to show that they, too, were prepared to make some sacrifice for the district in wuiea Hi :y gained their livelihood. The pioneers had fought for progress under conditions infinitely' more difficult than those pb-j taining to-day, and their work dc-. served to be carried on. The eon-' vetiers of the meeting were not of the opinion that they had the solutions o.i the' district’s problem .. imt held rather that everyone should educate himself in regard to the work of the local bodies, so that they might lie ready to take up \X heir share of-the burden when the time became opportune. Mr. White instanced one -or two or the problems that might be taken up, and made an eloquent reference .to the, opportunity for further advancement! which the construction of the railway; to Napier would hold out to Poverty Bav The young men and women should be r,eady to take up their share, of the work of securing that,advancement, and it was to foster interest to that, end that, the association had been chilled into being. At tho request of the chairman, Mr. M ,T. Kvne then road the programme of the association, determined bv tbo provisional executive, as published prior to the meeting.

NO PERSONAL AMBITIONS. In regard to the objects of the association.- ME Kvne enlarged Upon the brief statement. -He remarked that ttie association was entirely jion-politic.i., having no connection whatsoever with any of the existing Parliamentary parties. In matters affecting the .welfare ol Poverty Bay, however, it would give its support to any Government that advanced satisfactory legislation. It- was not the case, ho averred, that the assertion was the outcome of the personal ambition of any member or members of the executive. He had heard that one man had given his support with a. view to Mayoral aspirations; that another supporter was Keeping an eye oil futuie Parliamentary honors, and that even he himself desired to secure office on a local body.' He could give all three statements an emphatic denial, Mr. Kyne stated. The objects of the executive were fully expressed in the exposition of the association’s aims, and while there might be, and undoubtedly were, bright young men in the town who should be giving their services on local bodies, it Could n°'t be said that personal ambitions figured in the formation of the association. The slogan of thenorganisation was “Cuimiiunal. benefits before private interests,” and this slogan expressed the objects of the society very aptly. . . , The exposition of the association s aims seemed to meet with general approval, and'a resolution moved by Mr. D. E. Clifisp,- to the effect that the meeting approved of the formation of the Gisborne District Development League wiis recorded by a unanimous vote. The chairman explained -that there would be the usual necessity for finance on a moderate scale, and Mr. A. S. Aluir moved that the association subscription be 5s fop the first year, and that the provisional executive remain in office, with the first annual meeting to be held in May next. He explained that the members wjbo bad formulated the aims of tlie. association had acquired in their discussion a fairly good idea of the situation, and that they could! draw up a constitution for submission to theannual meeting, after which their set -1 vices could be dispensed with if it was desired. This motion was carried without dissent likewise, and the chairman then invited any jpembpr to submit any questions ok recommendations to J-he executive.

The .first quest iop was submitted hv Mk. R. H- .1/ Edwards, who inquired whether the association would submit candidates for'the various -local bodies in'thk .forthcoming Ideal elections? EOR-T-HCOMI-NO LOCAL POLLS.

-The chaimap replied that uoihinjtf definite liad beep decided yr*t '.ip' that conheeliop. The nysdc.iatibp pxmi; livt* .was'not authorised to suggest candidates, hut it lintl' passed a resolution' indicating that support would be given to candidates svho were ' cobsidercu suitable.' It was thought that the association should not nominate candidates directly, but should'investigate the qualifications of all epndidntes and give support to those whose cjun 1 i Mentions weyo considered best suited t'o.‘the needs of the day. There was nothing to prevent members of the association frop becoming candidates for any focal body, but they would not stand ns the official cpjudidafes of the association. ft, was suggested further, the chairman added, that sub-committees from the association should be set up to study the problems of flic respective local bodies, in order that one ov two members might be in a position to stand for election lifter a ierpi Of Investigation that would qualify them ip do gpod work. It was well known that the average local body member spent a year of his term in getting

acquainted with the work of bis local body, and upless re-elected, his service to the community was limited. The suggested investigation of; problems of the different bodies would lie in the nature of an apprenticeship for those concerned. In the course of further discussion. Air. M. T. B. Hall, the only country representative present, intimated that interest ip the association had been stirring in his area, and it ,wjjs felt that young men should be taking more of the burden of local body work. One elderly gentleman with many yeaps of local body service to his credit had stated to him that lie would willingly retire in order to make way for a younger man. A COUNTRY MEETING. This mention of country interest, prompted the' suggestion, on the part of -Mr. C. It Bull, that, the Association should, endeavor lo boost its membership, and that special attention should lie paid to interesting more country people. A meeting'of supporters of their idpa, plight he held in the country at a suitable date, he remarked. ' CalJUng attention to the fact that thp .official list of objectives alluded spe.ciplly to young ro'ffit, -'Jr* 'V. Motley naked whether there was to be ppy age limit jo p membership. “Is it a pasc .of over five and .under 50?” he asked.

The chairman replied that there was up limit as 'to age or sex either. The exei'uj ive had discountenanced the idea of any limitation. There was no ago limit for membership. There being po further questions or suggestions, the chairman closed the pieeting, with an admonition 1o members to cpdepvor to secure an increase in t heir pupibers by interesting 'their friends. A vote of thanks to Mr.'White, for presiding was carried by acclamation. That the objectives of tj)e association have a general appeal was 3j>stppced by Ike fact that'Apologies for unavoidable absence were received from tJp'- Mr- D. W. Coleman, and the d'-'puly-Mayqr, Or. .T. Blair, hmofig other well-known citizens.