TOWN AND COUNTRY

Taranaki Daily News, 11 August 1932, Page 3

TOWN AND COUNTRY

FARMERS AND ROTARIANS ENJOYABLE MEETING AT OKATO. PROBLEMS OF DAY DISCUSSED. The policy initiated eome years ago by the New Plymouth Rotary Club of visiting the country districts to hold fraternal meetings has had the desired effect of creating a better understanding between town and country. That was shown by the spirit reflected in a gathering held at Okato last night, when members of the New Plymouth Rotary Club, which had entertained the residents of Okato and district at an evening last April, were themselves the guests of the residents of Okato at one of the most enjoyable and instructive gatherings ever held in Hempton Hall. There was an attendance of about 70, including 23 Rotarians. Mr. L. D. Hickford, president of the Okato branch of the Farmers’. Union, presided and associated with him was Mr. T. C. List, president of the New Plymouth Rotary Club. The visitors were first entertained at dinner. Prior to the roll call the president, Mr. Hickford, expressed the hope that the members of the Rotary Club would enjoy themselves as much as the farmers of Okato had enjoyed the function tendered to them by the Rotary Club a few months ago. He urged on them to cast aside all signs of reserve. That happy speech, .'together with the community singing led by Rotarian P. E. Stainton, with'Mr. Anderson at the piano, was responsible for putting every one on good terms. COMMERCIAL INTERESTS. After the loyal toast had been honoured “Commercial Interests” was proposed by Mr. C. A. Batt, who stated that commerce meant more than bargaining—it meant international intercourse, which was one of its finest aspects. Commerce built up a right attitude between people, so that it had its social and character-building faculties as well as its property value, though

the latter could not be ignored. Its international value was important, too. It was considered that the reason that Europe was intellectually superior td Asia was its commerce. Japan owing to its geographical position was able to engage in commercial pursuits and so was almost intellectually on a level w™ l Europe. Commerce had supplanted the self-supporting system where everything was done at home. It had also to a certain extent added to our. ills and our social problems, because children did not have sufficient to do at home. With the progress in the social and economic conditions the educational system would have to be altered to provide more for the practical rather than the academic. He considered that commerce was one of the most civilising, inspiring and moral influences in the world. Commerce gave a practical value to scientific discoveries. In responding, Rotarian E. J. Ferguson said there was no doubt. that it was necessary for commercial interests to further the interests of any country. He thought the farming community realised how essential commercial interests were in the development of their business. All had to face difficulties, and the business community in order to overcome their difficulties perfected . their organisation so as to be able to give of their best. He stressed the valuable work of the Chamber of Commerce. The commercial man realised the difficulties the farmer had to face, but the commercial man, too, had his difficulties, and whereas the farmer could base his estimated price within a penny or two the business man hardly knew where he was. EFFORTS OF FARMERS.

“Farming Interests” was proposed by Rotarian L. Mander, who stated that in wishing the farmers prosperity they were wishing prosperity to the whole of New Zealand. New Zealand had been very aptly called the Empire’s dairy and butcher shop. All. were proud of the way in which the pioneers by their hard work and perseverance had overcome difficulties and transformed the bush into smiling pastures. He thought, too, they could be proud of the manner in which the farmer of to-day w'as tackling his problems and overcoming his difficulties by organisation and co-opera-tion. Increased production was the only means of increasing individual or national wealth, and that could only be obtained by increased efficiency and perseverance. He paid a tribute to the work of the Agricultural Department, remarking that in Mr. J. M. Smith they had a most popular, capable and enthusiastic instructor. Real, progress was being made in increasing production, both per cow and per acre, by such organisations as herd-testing associations, field and crop competitions, boys and girls’ clubs, top-dressing trials and demonstration farms. He congratulated Mr. H. T. Paul, vice-president, of the Farmers’ Union branch, on having this year secured the provincial swede championship with a bumper crop of 72 tons g cw t,—an education as to what the land in the district could do when farmed by a progressive man. . In responding, Mr. L. Carey said that all realised the wonderful strides made by farming during the past few years. The Government was continually urging the need for “more production and still more production,” and farmers were trying to carry out that slogan. The Taranaki farmer was doing his best, and he was certainly being ably assisted by the women and. children, who were playing an important part. “The Rbtary Club” was proposed by the chairman, who remarked that, with very pleasant recollections of a similar Bveniug given by th-e Rota/rian-s they had looked forward with pleasurable anticipation—and not in vain—to that evening’s gathering. On the previous occasion residents of Okato knew nothing of all that Rotary stood for. The fact that the men of the Rotary Club could find time and- money to visit the country districts to entertain farmers and endeavour to promote a better feeling between town and country gave some mdication of the high ideals that stood, behind the principles of Rotary. He aid not know of any organisation that worked on broader-minded and more unselfish principles. The principles, of Rotary tended to bring different sections closer together and so created a better feeling, tending to lessen strife. IDEALS OF ROTARY. In response Mr. List apologised, for the absence of a' number of Rotarians, who, he stated, had wonderful recollections of the previous evening at Okato. He congratulated the farmers of Okato on the wonderful improvement that had been effected in the land during the past 20 years. He did not think any other part of New Zealand had made so much improvement in that time as had Taranaki—a tribute io its enterprising farmers. . • Rotary, Mr. List said, was a farreaching movement based on the application of the golden rule of life, “Service to Men.” Rotary’s definite programme was to encourage and foster (1) the id® B - 1 of service as the basis of all worthy enterprise; (2) high ethical standards in business and professions; (3) the application of the ideal of service by every \Rotarian to his personal, business and community life; (4) the development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service (5) the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations and the dignifying by each Rotarian of his occupation as an opportunity, to serve society; (6) the advancement of understanding, goodwill and international peace through a world fellowship of business and professional men united, in the ideal of service. Summarised, the ideal of Rotary was service. Rotary had four divisions—-club service, business work, community work and international work, in that order. Club service was the foundation on which Rotary was built. A man had to give his club service and know his own work before he could graduate into the other work. , It had been stated that farmers lived isolated lives because of their insularity, but Mr. List held . that . Rotary had tended to remove insularity from the business men of New Plymouth, as it represented practically a cross-section of all the community. As the result of the weekly luncheons they had got to know each other better, creating good fellowship and a mutual trust. VOCATIONAL SERVICE. Vocational work was really the work in which a man was engaged. He should set an example .to others in the same walk of life; from his conduct and his relations with outsiders not only himself but his vocation would be judged. Having accepted the ideal of service, the Rotarian should conduct his business so as to give the highest degree of service to customers and clients and indirectly to society in general, so that the community in which the business was located became a better place in which to live and in which to make a living. Vocational service placed upon each Rotarian the responsibility of carrying higher standards of business practice into the general trade of which his particular business was a part. The individual was a Rotarian, as a result of having a business or profession through 1 which° he could and should make the ideal of service a living, vital, dynamic force in his every-day contacts and relationships, local and world-wide, with his fellow men. Community work, the next in order,

afforded tl opportunity of doing some??in, of a useful.nature in one’s own community. The New Plymouth club had (lone certain jobs, and was stiU engaged with them, and was m a postlend its support to any worthy enterprise making for the improvement of community and social conditions. . A Rotarian’s first opportunity of making known his attitude, inspired by the ideal of service, was through his voca-

tion. > J.l The next natural step was to, the international sphere. It was difficult for people in a country so far away as New Zealand to take part m international work or to make ’ their influence felt in the bigger and wider world. It was quite different for Rotary Clubs in Europe and America, where they had close contacts with peoples of other lands. During the past few years Rotary had done a great deal of work to smooth out .the troubles that were affecting the world by creating the right atmosphere between nations.

DECLINE ARRESTED.

Rotary’s international constitution provided it with an opportunity for service in that important field that was as unique es it was important. Sydney Pascall, -the late head of ‘Rotary International, made that his principal work during his term of office, and it was not too much to claim that he contributed substantially towards tne oround for the Lausanne Conference. ° British statesmen had always taken the right view regarding international relationships, and unceasingly worked for their improvement. After the Great War they realised that the nations had to live together, compose their troubles, adjust their differences and forget then , > Grievances and losses if a worse fate were not to "befall them and the rest of the world. How correct they were in their diagnosis of the position was shown by the gravity of the economic crisis that had been' reached before Lausanne. The world. was not, of course, out of the wood yet, but the decline to an abyss, that seemed inevitable had been “arrested and a start with the rehabilitation of the world on sound and durable lines had been made. That had already brought about a better and more hopeful feeling, and confidence was one of the biggest, agencies, if not the biggest agency, in the affairs of nations as of men. _ t What Lausanne did for the nations, Ottawa, one hoped and believed, would do for the British Empire. It would mark e. new era, a new development in the affairs of the Empire. It would make for better understanding between the component parts, for greater freedom -of trade and for a reduction of insularity - . Whilst the conference was beina held primarily to consider mterEmpire relationships, fiscal, economic and financial, its outcome must have a profound influence on the rest of the world. EMPIRE’S SAFETY PURPOSE.

The British Empire, diverse and great in resources as it was, could not liv e unto itself alone; it must, for its own well-being, trade with the rest of tne . world. But it had a greater purpose-in life and a more lofty part to play in the progress of civilisation; it Was to set an example of solidity and stiength to the rest of the world; to help other nations to recover and to regain confidence in themselves and thereby to re-establish their financial and economic systems. England must continue _ to carry the torchlight of fair-dealing, justice and charity. For , let them never’ forget that the British nation was still the° accepted, leader of the nations and was looked to for help and guidance. At no time were these attributes re? quired more than they were at the present time. The visitor to the United States ana Europe knew that tlie peoples of those countries had the utmost faith in Britain’s integrity, and resource and instinctively looked to her to lead them out of the economic morass into whicn they were condemned by the political and other mistakes made after the war. They knew Britain’s record of unselfishness and altruism in international affairs, and the wise men in the English delegation at Ottawa would, it waa certain, do nothing to weaken that confidence and make things more difficult in the rehabilitation of world trade and the restoration of international goodwill and''confidence. A strong and prosperous Britain was required to-day; not that it might dominate or exploit the rest of the world, but that it might lead to a wiser and happier human brotherhood. One felt sure that Britain’s attitude would be consistent with her attitude since the Armistice; it would he •dictated by that common sense which realised when it was wise to be magnanimous. Mr. List thanked the farmers of Okato for the very hospitable way in which they had ’been treated. -They looked on the farmers as their friends - and wanted the farmers to regard them as friends. HA'PPY OONTRAST “Town and Country” was proposed by Mr. E B. Corbett, who remarked that evenings such as that created an atmosphere in marked contrast to that of a few years ago, when the townspeople had an air of specious superiority with regard to the country people, whilst the latter in their turn regarded the townspeople with distrust. Improved means of transport rather than education had created a better understanding between the rural and the urban dwellTn response Mr. L. A. Nolan expressed his appreciation of the great assistance given by Mr. L. D. Hiekford on the occasion of their last visit. He agreed that in the years gone by it was rather town versus country/than town and country, but that feeling had passed away, as each had realised that they were inter-dependent. “Sport,” was proposed 'by Mr. C. Brook, who referred to its world-wide nature and the fact that it enabled reverses to be taken equally with suecesses and engendered a spirit ; th*t had placed the (British Empire. in ifi# present ascendancy. In response Mr. J. McLeod said were it not that sport were such a, .feii?:. - ture of national life the depression would be felt much more than it was. In Taranaki town and- country played football together, whereas in most parts of the Dominion town and country- .<• played in different competitions. No doubt the times through which New Zealand had been passing had brought to both town and country a greater appreciation of each other’s difficultieo. Mr. J. L. Rower also bri-ly acknowledged, expressing the opinion that everyone should participate in som» sport. Other toasts were “The Ladies” (Mr. F. Gill —Rotarian J. Stephenson); “Th« I Entertainers” (Mr. H. T. Paul—Rotarian P. E Stainton); and '“The P-ree#” I (Rotarian E. Griffiths); and “The ChairI man” (Rotarian T. C. List—Mr. L. D. Hiekford). . Song and story between the speech®* added to the enjoyment, items being given by Messrs J. E. Maxwell, C. Somerford, P. E. Stainton, J. Joll, J. Stephenson, E. H. Gibson, C. A. Batt, C. G. Cocksedge and L. Carey. Mr. Andersog was the accompanist.