EMPIRE WEEK

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18397, 15 May 1934, Page 6

EMPIRE WEEK

GISBORNE INTERESTED MAYOR TO TAKE ACTION ADDRESSES IN SCHOOLS Commenting that the occasion of- Empim Week might well be made _ the medium oi' a direct appeal to national sentiment, the Mayor, Air. John Jackson, to-day expressed liis congratulations to Miss A. L. Rees in respect of the suggestions she had advanced on behalf of the Victoria League for the observance of the Empire Day anniversary and for making it a matter of real interest to the children in particular. With regard lo Miss Rees’ suggestion for the deuverv of short addresses in the schools, Mr. Jackson stated that he would take this up with the school committees of the district, and would try to arrange for speakers to be nominated by the school committees themselves. In the event of any committee being unable to secure a suitable speaker, he would undertake to secure one if reasonable i lice were given. He expressed himself as confident that many men in pro-c.-sional and business positions would enter heartily into this endeavor to impress the younger generation with the importance of our Empire associations. The other proposals advanced by Miss Rees, he romanced, could only be put into practice by general co-operation. He was inclined to agree that an Empire Week organised on the lines of competitions and special attractions could lead to a clouding of the issue.* What was required, he felt, was a direct appeal to Empire sentiment, and this could be done without any large organisation or expenditure. If every person in Poverty Bay resolved to give moral backing to the Victoria League, in its effort to emphasise the debt of the Empire peoples to the influences of British statesmanship and character, more permanent good could be achieved than by a widespread celebration managed by a comparatively small group. The real necessity was to spread the responsibility over ns many individuals as possible. rather than to centralise it in a few hands. He was hoping that a sufficient degree of interest would be shown to make the proposed Empire Week a really satisfactory observance, added Mr. Jackson. He would be prepared to assist to his utmost in any way ho could, either officially or in his private capacity as a citizen. If there was a demand for organisation, he was prepared to make the necessary arrangements for convening a meeting of those interested, but he thought it would he a ; finer thing if each individual could be induced' to take a portion of the responsibility upon himself, and thus make the observance a comprehensive one. The Mayor concluded by tendering his congratulations to Miss Rees and to the Victoria League for the timely reminder given to the public, through the medium of the press, and for the valuable suggestions advanced with a view to marking the Empire Day and week.