CARNIVAL SPIRIT

Southland Times, Issue 20200, 10 June 1927, Page 8

CARNIVAL SPIRIT

GORE PEOPLE SEIZED DEFINITE DECISION ARRIVED AT FUNCTION TO BE HELD IN AUGUST (From Our Correspondent.) At a large and enthusiastic meeting of Gore residents last night it was unanimously decided to hold a Carnival on the same lines as that conducted so successfully in Invercargill recently. Mr A. T. Newman occupied the chair until the arrival of Mr W. L. McGoldrick and explained the object of the meeting. “After the success of the Invercargill Carnival,” he said, “we feel that we too should boost along our town. Several other towns the size of Gore have held successful functions and we have heard and know what a great amount of good has been done. We want to put Gore on the map. We have really no attractions in our town to keep the people here. Years ago various shows, horticultural and poultry, were held annually, but these have lapsed for want of patronage. We want to get something going that will draw the Gore people out of themselves.” Mr McGoldrick then tj>ok the chair and said that the time was opportune for a carnival. “It is time,” he said, “that the Eastern District should, with the help of its people and its Press, show some signs of development. We have been too modest in the past. Ours is the second town in Southland and we should step into line.” Continuing, he said that Gore had not lived up to its reputation. Smaller towns were likely to be eliminated with the advent of the motor car and a carnival would do a great amount of good to bring Gore into prominence. The Invercargill people had forgotten themselves for a whole week and had achieved results they did not even expect. No town in New Zealand was better off financially than Gore and the soundness of Southland as a whole could be instanced by the fact that northern firms and boroughs went south to borrow money. “Should we not,” he said, “use some of our own money to develop our local industries. Why stand by and let credit go north. We are a dead community, compared with what we were twenty years ago.” Mr McGoldrick also said that twenty years ago New Zealand champions in sport had gone forth from the Eastern District but there was nothing like that now. Everywhere was displayed a lack of community interest. If the town were livened up it would disperse the general idea of retiring and going north. A carnival would prove an excellent advertisement for the town itself, its producers, manufacturers and shopkeepers. "We should stand out pre-eminent as a community” he continued. “Let us change our tactics and remember that what was good enough ten or twenty years ago is not good enough to-day. We can and will prove that Gore is a good place to come to. Let us bring in the country people, meet them, and send them away with a laugh. If we do this, we will feel the benefit for a whole year. It will help to cure those “stumpers/ those pessimists who can talk of nothing but the slump. Their prophecies of years ago have not been fulfilled and never will be. This is the wrong attitude to take up. If we throw these ideas overboard and look at the world from a brighter angle we will find our population will soon be doubled. Let the people of Gore for once forget themselves and join in a week’s merriment. We can take a lesson frorfi Invercargill, but we will not rest there. We will outdo Invercargill. There is no reason why we should not. But,” said Mr McGoldrick in conclusion, “enter into the fair wholeheartedly or do not enter at all.” Mr P. Shaw, of Invercargill, who was present by invitation, then spoke. “If you have the right spirit,” he said, “there will be no question as to the success of the carnival. The large meeting to-night should in itself dispel any doubts of success. The opening meeting in Invercargill was such a ‘dud’ meeting that much success was not looked for. W T ith such a good start you can easily outstrip Invercargill.” Continuing he said that the carnival would pay certain classes of business more highly than others. Experience had shown that trade generally was brightened. Practically everyone was preaching gloom, but if there were serious problems ahead they would be faced better with a few weeks’ fun beforehand. The main thing was to advertise Gore to its own people. The people first had to be satisfied that Gore was worth advertising. The time to run a carnival was when things looked gloomy. He was satisfied that Gore could run a carnival if everyone worked together. The first things required were a good public and a good Press. The support of shopkeepers would follow naturally. Gore could run the carnival for a week. He then outlined ” programme similar to that followed in Invercargill and suggested improvement l ’. He assured the meeting of Invercargill's support. Hearty and prolonged applause greeted Mr Shaw as he resumed his seat. A formal resolution was then carried that a carnival be held at Gore at a date to coincide with the school vacation in August. Seventeen men were nominated as a general committee and the meeting dispensed with a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Shaw. The committee met afterwards and the following officers were elected:—Chairman, Mr W. L. McGoldrick; Mr S. Wallis (finance) ; Mr J. H. Robey (shop displays) ; W. D. Shelton (entertainment and stunts) ; R. H. Lange (illuminations); C. M. Wilson (advertising); C. T. Newman (farming); R. Burton (school stunt) and .A. N. Stevenson (procession).