CIVIC ACTIVITIES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 746, 20 August 1929, Page 10

CIVIC ACTIVITIES

UNIVERSITY LECTURE COURSE DR. BELSHAW ENTERTAINED The first session of the University lecture course in municipal government concluded last evening. The occasion was marked by 25 or 50 students taking supper ;n the Tower Tea Rooms, with Dr. I-f. Belshaw. Professor of Economics, as their guest. Mr. F. N. Ambler was chairman. J and he briefly reviewed the origin and success of the course, commending Mr. M. R. O’Shea, registrar of Auckland University College, for his initiation of the scheme, the Mayor, Mr. George Baildon. for his support, and the students for their keen interest. Mr. Ambler was confident that the work which Dr. Belshaw had so effectively started would widen into one of the most important civic activities of the city. Mr. Ambler referred to the forthcoming departure of Dr. Belshaw as a representative of New Zealand at the conference of the Institute of Pacific Relations at Kyoto. Japan. As an expression of their regard Mr. Ambler banded to Dr. Belshaw a travelling rug and wished him a pleasant and useful journey. Dr. Belshaw said that he had undertaken the work willingly with a sense of duty, but he had approached the task with some trepidation because the subject matter was wider than economics, and the lectures would be listened to by men closely connected with the practical side of local-bodj' work. He had found much value in the contact the lectures had given him, and in the discussions which had followed tlie lectures. He believed the work would expand considerably in the future. The foundation of something worth while had been laid. He hoped to seen a discussion group formed next year. Mr. O’Shea said that Dr. Belshaw’ had shown an infinite capacity for hard work, a fact which had made the inauguration of the scheme possible. He was delighted with the progress made. Several musical items were given, the accompaniments being played by Mr. Ranald Scott.