PAST WORK AND FUTURE POLICY

Southland Times, Issue 23953, 20 October 1939, Page 5

PAST WORK AND FUTURE POLICY

District Recreation Committee STATEMENT ISSUED BY CHAIRMAN At the conclusion of the first recreation week in Invercargill the chairman of the District Physical Welfare and Recreation Committee (the Mayor, Mr J. R. Hanan) has issued the following statement on the functions of the committee, its past work and its policy for the future. '/ “In recent years international effort has been concentrated on the improvement of the human element in modern civilization,” Mr Hanan states. “Modem life has brought with it an increased tempo and nervous tension which have required a human adjustment to meet new conditions. That has been the reason for the world-wide effort to promote recreation. In England, on the continent of Europe, and in America, recreation has been the keyword of policy. New Zealand has not been left behind in this movement. An Act of the New Zealand Parliament in 1937 set up a National Council of Physical Welfare and Recreation, and the programme was placed under the control of the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) who had sponsored the Act. The council was a national organization, its members representing selected areas throughout the Dominion. The next step was the formation of an administrative system to control the movement. In the recreation branch of the Internal Affairs Department the Minister has assembled an expert staff to carry on the work.” Mr Hanan then reviews the appointment of the district committees and describes the personnel of the committee in Invercargill. After discussing the recent formation of the District Council of Sport and its duties, the statement deals with the activities of the future.

WIDE SCOPE OF WORK “As''will have been already realized, the scope of the work is very wide,” the statement continues. “It includes, in addition to the promotion of physical exercise and sports, the fostering of music, drama, hobbies, outdoor travel and all other activities which tend to make the human body and mind more serviceable to ourselves and more valuable to the community. Recreation has been defined as the chief and most important branch of preventive medicine.

“It will be of interest to know that the latest publications of that progressive body, the American Recreation Association, contain no items or ideas not already placed on the Invercargill district programme by the area recreation officer.”

“As to what has been done already, it will be realized that the setting up of the administrative machinery has entailed considerable work and time. Nevertheless, much progress has been made.

“The District Council has now brought to a successful conclusion the first recreation week in the city. In the past seven days it has presented a programme of varied interest. From its point of view, the week is successful if it has attracted the public’s attention. As to whether it will be profitable depends entirely on the reactions of the public. It ’s hoped that the interest which has been shown will be followed by increased participation by the public in the sections which have interested them most. “I should like to make special comment on the question of organized travel, which was launched quite successfully on Sunday last. There is, of course, the Group Travel Association, which caters for holiday tours, but I am referring more to organized short excursions from the city. It will be apparent to all that such excursions provide not only a pleasing method of employing leisure time, but also a valuable method of exhilarating mind and body in the refreshing atmosphere of the country. “Most people would appreciate opportunities to visit the glorious tourist spots of the province. The obstacle of the past has been transport and cost. Now we have the prospect of the removal of that obstacle through the efforts of the Minister of Internal Affairs.

“If we can be certain of public support on these excursions—if we could rely on something like 500 excursionists for each trip—then the area recreation officers can plan such excursions for the public, and, with the co-operation of the transport interests, particularly the Railways Department, execute these trips at low cost. It is believed that the effort to Piko Piko was sufficiently well patronized to warrant further excursions; but if it is desired to go further afield and still keep the cost down, we must have more public support. It will certainly be no fault through lack of enthusiasm on the part of the district committee or the Internal Affairs Department, if the nublic interests are not well catered for in this way. “There is much that the district committee proposes to do; but valuable as the execution of this programme may be for the oublic and the nation, it can only be completed with active and enthusiastic public support. “The time may be epportune for me to pay a tribute to the untiring energy of the area recreation officers, Mr Lloyd Woods and Miss L. M. Story, who have achieved a great deal in the way of completing their organization and stimulating public interest, despite the short time they have been in the district.”